ALTERNATIVE ROUTE ACTIVATED - The tour of the Val d'Aran
FOR SAFETY REASONS, THE RACE DIRECTION HAS DECIDED TO ACTIVATE THE ALTERNATIVE TRAIL OF THE VDA RACE
The safety of runners, volunteers, and teams is our top priority. For this reason, an alternative route has been designed to allow participants to fully enjoy the race in complete safety, while preserving the spirit of the VDA.
This VDA ALTERNATIVE ROUTE maintains the essence of the original course:
• 144 km of authentic, demanding, and spectacular mountain terrain.
• 7,400 meters of positive elevation gain, with start and finish in Vielha.
• A route designed to avoid the highest and most exposed areas, reaching a maximum altitude of 2,200 meters.
• A unique opportunity to discover other parts of the valley with equally breathtaking landscapes, passing through some of the most iconic areas in this alternative version of the Torn dera Val d’Aran.
The route has been carefully planned to ensure maximum safety without sacrificing the beauty and challenge of the race.
IMPORTANT: Cut-off times have been modified and adjusted to the new race conditions. Please check the updated schedule before starting the race. Thank you for your understanding.
A great adventure awaits us in the heart of the Pyrenees!
Although the alternative route may present slight variations in distance or elevation gain, it still meets the criteria for its assigned UTMB® distance category. Therefore, all finishers will receive their corresponding Running Stones, as established in the official UTMB® World Series regulations.
Athletes must wear the mandatory equipment at all times during the race and be prepared for random checks along the course. Any missing items will result in a time penalty or disqualification.
- The appropriate closed-toe shoe for trail running.
- Pack (or similar) destined to transport mandatory equipment throughout the race.
- Mobile phone (smartphone MANDATORY): the runner must be reachable at any time before, during and after the race:
- mobile phone with international roaming allowing for its use in Spain and France (load into its memory the organization's security numbers, don't mask your number, and don't forget to start the race with the battery fully charged).
- keep the phone on, airplane mode is prohibited and can be penalized.
- Livetrail application installed and activated.
- An external battery is highly recommended.
- Personal beaker 15 cl minimum (bottles or flasks with lids are not accepted).
- Minimum 1.5l water reserve. At the departure of some aid stations, it will be mandatory to leave with 1.5l of drink, depending on the section to be covered or the weather conditions.
- 2 torches in good working order with spare cells/batteries for each torch. Recommendation: 200 lumens or more for the main torch.
- Survival bivouac bag.
- Whistle.
- Food reserve. Recommendation: 800kcal (2 gels + 2 energizing bars of 65g each).
- Jacket with hood which will withstand bad weather in the mountains and made of a waterproof* and breathable** membrane with a minimum 10 000 mm water column (recommended RET less than 13). The jacket must have an integrated hood attached by the original system designed for that purpose by the manufacturer. The seams must be heat-sealed. The jacket must not have any parts made of non-waterproof fabric, only the vents provided by the manufacturer (under the arms, on the back) and as long as they do not obviously alter the waterproofing, are accepted. It is the responsibility of the runner to judge, according to these criteria, whether his jacket is adapted to the regulations and therefore to bad weather in the mountains. At the checkpoints, the judgement of the person in charge of the checkpoint or the commissaire shall prevail.
- Long-legged trousers or race leggings OR a combination of legging and socks which cover the legs completely.
- Waterproof trouser cover.
- Cap or bandana or Buff®.
- Warm and water-proof gloves.
- Additional warm second layer: a warm second layer top with long sleeves (cotton excluded) of a weight of a minimum of 180g (men's size medium (M) OR the combination of a warm long sleeved underwear (first or second layer,cotton exclude) of a minimum weight of 110g (men's size medium (M) ) and a durable water repellant (DWR protection) windproof jacket*.
*The wind-proof jacket does not replace the obligatory waterproof jacket, and vice versa.
All clothing items must fit the runner - in terms of size - and they must not be altered in any way after leaving the factory. The mandatory equipment must be carried in a running pack for the duration of the whole race and is not interchangeable during the race. All equipment will be properly packed to prevent it from getting wet inside the backpack in rainy conditions.
Other recommended equipment (list non exhaustive):
- Spare warm clothing, indispensable in the case of cold or wet weather or in the case of injury.
- Poles in the case of rain or snow for your security on slippery ground.
- Water purification tablets or drums with filter.
- Plates and cutlery to eat. At the aid stations, no material is provided to be able to eat.
- Vaseline or anti-heat cream.
- Sun protection.
- GPS watch.
- Adhesive elastic band that allows bandaging or strapping (min. 100 cm x 6 cm).
- Knife or scissors for cutting elasticated bandage.
- Emergency sewing kit...
If you choose to take poles, it is for the duration of the race. It is forbidden to start without poles and recuperate them during the course of the race. No poles are authorized in the drop bags.
Music: Listening to music using earphones only, is tolerated, so long as it is safe to do so. Any earphones MUST be removed when crossing any roads, as well as on approach to, and whist at, any checkpoints and when approaching and passing any Safety Team members.
At the race-pack collection, each participant receives three 30-liter bags. After filling them with the items of their choice and closing them, they can drop them in a place close to the starting line. One of the bags is taken by the organization to Bossòst, another one to Beret, and the other one to Arties. Upon arriving in those aid stations, runners will be able to collect the bag. When the runner leaves the aid station, the runner in person will have to deposit the bag in the area indicated for this purpose. The organization will return the bags to Vielha.
How to get your bags in Vielha: The bags are returned to either the runner or a family member or friend, only upon presentation of the race-bib. The bags must be retrieved no later than 2 hours after the end of the race. After that time, the runner must come, in person, to retrieve their bag at the organization headquarters in Vielha.
The organization will take to Vielha the bags of runners who drop out, on condition that their withdrawal is registered. Because of logistical factors, the organization cannot guarantee that all bags are brought to Vielha before the end of the race.
Only bags supplied by the organization will be transported. Poles are not allowed in these bags. As the items in the bags are neither checked nor controlled, we will accept no claims on that matter. We recommend not to put any valuable items in the bags. We advise you to keep toiletries and spare clothes in Vielha.
For logistics reasons, UTMB® World series events only accept the UTMB® World series spare bags that are distributed during the check-In. Those bags are reusable, so we ask the runners who already have received one of those bags to reuse it each time they take part in a UTMB® World Series event.
Pacers are not allowed to set the pace in the race.
Assistance is only allowed at the following check points:
- Aid station: Bossòst
- Aid station: Beret
- Aid station: Arties
Assistance is forbidden at the other aid stations, as well as at any other point along the route.
This assistance can only be given by a single person, without any specific material other than a bag with a maximum volume of 30 liters.
Assistance provided by a team of professionals, or any doctor or paramedic, is strictly forbidden.
