PTR 55

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 562m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Big early climb with 1140m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• Final 2099m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 13.6km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 30.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.5km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.5km–8.7km · Climb of 670m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 8.7km–23.1km · Descent of 562m averaging 11%, climb of 1135m. Plus 1 more descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 23.1km–30.4km · Climb of 889m, high point 1817m. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 30.4km–52.0km · Descent of 2099m averaging 10%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 3207m+. With 59m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 38% of the distance is uphill, 36% downhill and 26% flat. The longest climb runs 8.7km at an average 7.7% grade (670m of vertical). The longest descent runs 21.6km at an average 9.7% grade (2099m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 35.9% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 34.9% over 1.7km. Surface: 58% trail, 23% road, and 14% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 89.5 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Pedra da Macela (1850m), 30.4km from the start.

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 8.9km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 37 of 100), with 30% of the load in the first half: 1 descent deserves a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 13.6km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 30.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 8.7–13.6 km · 562 m D−, -11.4% · 38.4 km ahead → control
• 21.5–23.1 km · 275 m D−, -17.4% · 28.9 km ahead → your pace
• 30.4–52.0 km · 2099 m D−, -9.7% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 16°C to 22°C, with around 21°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 50%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 9% of days around this date.

Results

452 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Ayslan Miragaia (Brazil) in 6:35:04. Women's winner: Sophie Bouquet Cardinael (France) in 7:59:46.