Challenge Sanremo.
The Challenge Sanremo middle distance is a race with one big mountain in the middle: 1.9 kilometres of swimming in the sheltered water off Portosole, a bike lap that climbs beyond 1,000 metres to the Passo Ghimbegna, and then an arrow-flat half marathon by the sea. Underestimate the transition between those two extremes and the day is lost after T2.
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The course, elevation and route profile are from the most recent edition.
Challenge Sanremo: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The swim start, both transitions and the finish sit together at the Portosole marina, so the whole race is organised around a single point. The swim is 1.9 kilometres in one or two laps inside the harbour area; whether wetsuits are permitted or required is decided by water temperature on the day.
Out of T1 you go straight onto the single bike lap. It leaves the coast eastwards, takes the short village ramps beyond Riva Ligure, and only returns to the sea after the long climb to the Ghimbegna and the descent over Ceriana and the Poggio. Drafting is forbidden at this distance, and the bike cutoff is 5:20 hours from the start.
The half marathon, by contrast, never leaves the shoreline: two laps of the coastal cycle path, tunnel at Capo Nero included. This sequence of serious climbing followed by complete flatness shapes the race more than any single discipline does, and the eight-hour limit is set so that it mainly bites on the bike. The middle distance is also a qualifying race for THE CHAMPIONSHIP, Challenge Family's own final.
+1,453 m
+29 m
Bike course
80 km · +1,453 m| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 12.7 | 1.5 km | 6 % | 9.4 % | +91 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 14.5 | 0.8 km | 6.9 % | 8.1 % | +57 m | — |
| km 15.8 | 0.5 km | 8.2 % | 12.6 % | +41 m | — |
| km 18.2 | 1.4 km | 5.1 % | 13.4 % | +73 m | — |
| km 32.6 | 1.5 km | 4 % | 6.5 % | +61 m | — |
| km 36.1 | 5k | 6 % | 9.4 % | +299 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 41.7 | 5.2 km | 5 % | 9.1 % | +260 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 48.6 | 4.7 km | 6.4 % | 9.4 % | +299 m | Cat. 3 |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
Run course
21.1 km · +29 m| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Challenge Sanremo.
Settle into the race
Plan the day backwards from the Ghimbegna. With a 55-minute limit the swim is not a time factor for most people, only a question of how calmly you reach T1: a frantic start costs more than it gains on a course with seventeen kilometres of climbing ahead.
Spread the effort
The bike decides which half marathon you get. Your power on the Ghimbegna, not on the flat coastal kilometres, determines the run; ride too hard to the pass and you will walk the second run lap. The long descent that follows is the best place to take on carbohydrate and loosen the legs again.
Finish strong
T2 is the real breaking point of this race. After more than a thousand metres of descending in the aero position the running muscles are cold, and the course then offers not a single climb on which the rhythm finds itself. Run the first two kilometres deliberately controlled and only move to target pace once your cadence is back.
Training plan for Challenge Sanremo: 12-week build
Build all three disciplines
Reckon on five to eight hours of racing depending on your level, with the bike as the longest and by far the hardest block. The demand is two-sided: a long, hilly, non-drafting ride and then a completely uniform run.
Brick sessions
The key session is therefore the brick run after hilly riding. Ride long sessions with the climbing loaded into the second half and run 20 to 40 flat minutes at target race pace straight afterwards: that exact transition from climbing and descending into flat running is what your body needs to know.
Practise transitions
The second focus is the ability to ride an hour of climbing evenly below threshold. Long climbing intervals in race position prepare you better than any flat interval; train only on the flat and you will never find the right gear on the Ghimbegna.
Arrive fresh
Conditions are mild but not harmless. In early October the sea is still around twenty degrees while it is markedly cooler at the pass: plan your clothing for the descent, and rehearse fuelling for a day on which swimming, climbing and flat running make very different demands on fluid and carbohydrate.
Courses
Download each leg of Challenge Sanremo as its own GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Challenge Sanremo dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Everything about Challenge Sanremo.
How long is Challenge Sanremo?
Challenge Sanremo is 103 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Challenge Sanremo have?
Challenge Sanremo has around 1,511 m of elevation gain over 103 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the profile of the bike course at Challenge Sanremo?
The bike course at Challenge Sanremo is classified as Hilly, averaging 18.2 vertical metres per kilometre. 28% of the route is flat, 32% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 4% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does the bike course at Challenge Sanremo have?
The hardest climb on the bike course at Challenge Sanremo starts at kilometre 36.1, runs for 5 km at an average of 6% and gains 299 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 3. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is there a GPX file for the Challenge Sanremo course?
Yes. Each leg of Challenge Sanremo is on this page as its own free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Challenge Sanremo?
Preparation for Challenge Sanremo should account for 103 km, 1,511 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Challenge Sanremo?
The pacing strategy for Challenge Sanremo should reflect 103 km, 1,511 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Challenge Sanremo next take place?
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The most recent one was held on October 4, 2026.
Where does Challenge Sanremo take place?
Challenge Sanremo takes place in Sanremo, Italy.
Which distances does Challenge Sanremo offer?
Challenge Sanremo offers 4 distances — Middle Distance: 103 km; Middle Distance Team Relay: 103 km; AquaBike: 81.9 km; Sprint Distance: 25.75 km.
How do I register for Challenge Sanremo?
Registration runs through the organiser: challenge-sanremo.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
