Where is the Torn dera Val d’Aran - VDA decided?
On the very first climb, out of Vielha to Tuc Montcorbison, and again on the long haul from Refugi Honeria to Còth de Varradòs, around half-way.
The first leg, Vielha to Bassa d’Oles, is the hardest of the race kilometre for kilometre, nearly half as hard again as the average. Nearly all its climbing comes in one go: 1,185 m up to Tuc Montcorbison at 19 % on average, then a very steep descent to Bassa d’Oles. The steepest of the big climbs follows on the first night, 991 m to Tuc dera Escaleta, very steep at 22 %. About a quarter of the loop climbs steeper than 10 %, and another quarter descends as steeply. At the time-limit pace you reach Bassa d’Oles at twenty past eight on Friday evening and leave Artiga de Lin at ten past eleven.
The leg from Refugi Honeria to Còth de Varradòs takes the biggest share of the effort: 1,523 m of climbing, with a very steep climb on the way. Before it, the legs from Portilhon through Bossòst to Canejan are easier than the average. At Còth de Varradòs, more than half the work is done. At the time-limit pace you leave Refugi Honeria at one on Saturday afternoon and reach Còth de Varradòs at twenty past six in the evening.
After Còth de Varradòs the ground eases. The leg on to Montgarri is the longest between two aid stations, 17.8 km with more descent than climbing, and from Beret to Salardú it is no harder than the flat. There are sixteen aid stations in all, and no cut-off before the finish on this page: the ones published belong to another edition, so the time limit of 48 hours is the one that stands. At the time-limit pace three quarters of the effort is done at Banhs de Tredòs, at twenty to five on Sunday morning, at the end of a second night.
The finish is hard too. Out of Arties the course climbs twice back to back, first very steeply, then steeply on past Stet Escunhau to Tuc de Meddia, and the leg from Arties to Stet Escunhau is almost as hard per kilometre as the first. Then comes the biggest descent of the race: 1,243 m from Tuc de Meddia down to the finish in Vielha, very steep on average. At the time-limit pace you leave Stet Escunhau at half past one on Sunday afternoon.
Organiser's distances and heights; Pendio's shares and clock.