Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia.
The 85 miles are the original distance of Britain's oldest closed-road sportive: 137 kilometres from Pitlochry up to Trinafour, a full lap of Loch Rannoch, and only then, after some five hours, the climb over the shoulder of Schiehallion. This is not a mountain stage. It is a long, windy flat section with one late climb that decides it.
Etape Caledonia 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The day opens with two small ramps at kilometre 5 and 9 and then turns serious for the first time at kilometre 22: a little over four kilometres at 5.3 per cent average with pitches to eleven, up to Trinafour, some 220 metres of gain in one go. Over the top the road drops back into the valley at Kinloch Rannoch, and that is where the real character of this loop begins.
From kilometre 34 to kilometre 76 the elevation trace is practically a straight line at around 210 metres. That is forty kilometres around Loch Rannoch, out to the western end at Bridge of Gaur where the road brushes the edge of Rannoch Moor and one of the emptiest corners of Britain, and back along the narrow south-shore road. Forty flat kilometres sound like recovery. They only are in a group.
At kilometre 77 comes the climb everyone asks about: a little over two kilometres at 6.4 per cent with a ramp to twelve, onto the flank of Schiehallion, topping out around 366 metres shortly before kilometre 90. After that the course falls in one run to a little over 110 metres and rolls home through Coshieville and Aberfeldy as a valley run to Pitlochry, with two last short ramps at kilometre 128 and 131. It is ridden in May on fully closed public roads, and because a sweep bus follows the field at 21 km/h with the roads reopening behind it, the course carries hard intermediate cut-offs.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 5.1 | 1.4 km | 4.3 % | 8.6 % | +60 m | — |
| km 9.1 | 1.2 km | 5.8 % | 9.6 % | +72 m | — |
| km 22.1 | 4.1 km | 5.3 % | 11 % | +219 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 54.2 | 0.5 km | 5.5 % | 7.9 % | +26 m | — |
| km 77 | 2.2 km | 6.4 % | 12 % | +137 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 84.2 | 0.7 km | 3.2 % | 4.7 % | +23 m | — |
| km 128.2 | 0.5 km | 4.8 % | 10.5 % | +25 m | — |
| km 131.1 | 0.6 km | 6.2 % | 11.5 % | +36 m | — |
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 Etape Caledonia.
Sit in early
The course breaks into three parts and only the third decides it. The climb to Trinafour at kilometre 22 arrives so early that it rides itself: it is long enough to overcook, and taken in the red it buys you almost nothing. Ride it at your own rhythm and accept that a group may be gone at the top.
Ration your effort
The forty kilometres around Loch Rannoch are the day's actual tactical problem. On the flat the group makes the difference, not your form: riding the open lochside into a headwind on your own costs more time over that distance than the whole Schiehallion climb. So make a point of latching on at the bottom of the Trinafour descent, share the work sensibly, and eat where the eating is easy.
Race the finale
The trap sits at kilometre 77. The Schiehallion climb only lasts six to ten minutes, but it comes after four to five hours and straight out of group pace. Ride the last kilometres before it on the front and you will lose more there than the turns were worth. Let the group go in good time, climb it evenly, and keep something for the forty kilometres that follow: they fall on balance, but they are not flat.
Training plan for Etape Caledonia: 12-week build
Build endurance
For age-group riders the 85 miles typically take five to seven hours. The demand is unusual for a course with nearly 1,400 metres of climbing: over forty per cent of it sits in the flat band, and the single longest continuous section is a forty-kilometre plain. What it asks for above all is the ability to ride many hours just under endurance threshold at group pace, broken by two longer climbs.
Train the climbs
The race-deciding section is the Schiehallion climb at roughly four fifths of your riding time. Train that exact combination: long rides of five hours and more with the one hard climb deliberately placed right at the end, plus threshold intervals of six to ten minutes done at the finish of a long session rather than the start. The Trinafour climb asks for the same quality in a longer form, around twenty minutes.
Ride race-specific
The second theme is riding flat in wind. Loch Rannoch is open ground, May in Highland Perthshire regularly brings a firm westerly, and the south-shore road is narrow. Ride long headwind sections deliberately through the build, and practise holding steady power rather than steady speed, and sitting close and calm in a group.
Arrive fresh
Then there are the conditions of the day itself. The start is at half past six in country that can be near freezing at dawn in early May and mild by midday, so clothing strategy and six hours of fuelling belong in the preparation. And because the sweep bus runs at 21 km/h and there are time limits at the route split and at the feed stations, a durable average speed over the full distance is not a side goal but the entry condition.
Courses
Download the Etape Caledonia course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
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Everything about Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia.
How long is Etape Caledonia?
Etape Caledonia is 136.8 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 Etape Caledonia have?
Etape Caledonia has around 1,555 m of elevation gain over 136.8 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Etape Caledonia?
Etape Caledonia is classified as Rolling, averaging 10.2 vertical metres per kilometre. 44% of the route is flat, 27% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 2% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Etape Caledonia have?
The hardest climb of Etape Caledonia starts at kilometre 22.1, runs for 4.1 km at an average of 5.3% and gains 219 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 3. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Etape Caledonia a loop course?
Yes, Etape Caledonia is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Etape Caledonia course?
Yes. The Etape Caledonia course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Etape Caledonia?
Preparation for Etape Caledonia should account for 136.8 km, 1,555 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 Etape Caledonia?
The pacing strategy for Etape Caledonia should reflect 136.8 km, 1,555 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 Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia take place?
Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia takes place on May 9, 2027.
Where does Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia take place?
Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia takes place in Pitlochry, United Kingdom.
Which distances does Etape Caledonia offer?
Etape Caledonia offers 3 distances — Etape Caledonia 85 Mile: 136.8 km; Etape Caledonia 55 Mile: 88.5 km; Etape Caledonia 40 Mile: 64.4 km.
How do I register for Etape Caledonia?
Registration runs through the organiser: etapecaledonia.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
