Mad'Trail Valmorel.
The Mad'Trail is the long loop of the Mad'Trail Valmorel: eight climbs, more than 4,200 metres of ascent and almost nothing flat in between. It is decided late, because after kilometre 49 the course drops about 1,200 metres to below the level of Valmorel. Preparation has to build legs for descending as much as for climbing.
Mad'Trail Valmorel 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The loop starts and finishes in Valmorel at around 1,340 metres and spends the whole day switching between valleys and ridges, on mountain singletrack and forest paths. After a rolling opening, the first long climb begins at kilometre 8.5 and takes you to around 2,100 metres. By the aid point at kilometre 19.3 the course has fallen back to just over 1,500 metres.
The high middle section starts there. Two climbs lift you back to around 2,000 metres. From kilometre 31.5 a steep ramp then reaches the highest point of the course at about 2,450 metres. It packs more than 360 metres into less than two kilometres. The long descent that follows ends at kilometre 38 at roughly 1,700 metres.
Two short, steep ramps from kilometre 45 take you up once more to around 2,300 metres, the point where the KV de Crève-Tête finishes the day before. Then comes the longest descent of the race, down to just under 1,100 metres, the lowest point of the day. From kilometre 59 the last 260 metres of climbing lead back to the finish in Valmorel.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 8.5 | 3.5 km | 15.8 % | 38.1 % | +551 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 19.4 | 2.3 km | 16 % | 28.7 % | +369 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 23.7 | 0.9 km | 25.3 % | 49.1 % | +221 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 31.5 | 1.6 km | 22.7 % | 51.3 % | +363 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 38 | 3.5 km | 8.8 % | 20.1 % | +302 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 45.4 | 1 km | 23.9 % | 34.9 % | +227 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 47.3 | 1.6 km | 21.2 % | 44.1 % | +329 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 58.8 | 2.5 km | 10.4 % | 34 % | +263 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.
How to pace Mad'Trail Valmorel.
Start under control
About two thirds of the course is steep, split roughly evenly between up and down. Speed here comes from rhythm: hike the ramps briskly and evenly from the start instead of trying to run them. Half of the six aid points sit right at the foot of a climb, including those at kilometres 19.3 and 47.4. Refuel properly there, because two climbs stand between kilometre 19 and the next point at 29.
Hold your rhythm
The trap sits in the middle. The high point feels like the end of the work, yet about 30 kilometres and more than 1,100 metres of ascent remain. Run off it too quickly and you pay on the ramps from kilometre 45.
Spend what is left
The last third decides the race. Around 1,200 metres of descent on tired quads cost more time than any climb if you can no longer run them. Keep your steps short, use the point at kilometre 54.5 and save something for the closing climb, which starts straight after the lowest point of the day.
Training plan for Mad'Trail Valmorel: 12-week build
Build the base
For age-group runners this is a day of roughly 11 to 16 hours, mostly aerobic but never uniform: long hiking on the climbs alternates with descents that hit the muscles harder than the ascent does. Endurance alone will not get you home here; the quads have to keep up.
Train race pace
The core of the preparation is long mountain days with the vertical placed late. Plan sessions in which you run a long descent after many hours on your feet and climb again straight afterwards, because that is exactly what the final third asks for. For the ramps, train brisk uphill hiking, ideally with repeated climbs of 300 to 500 metres in one outing.
Rehearse the course
Going down takes strength and technique. Regular descents on singletrack, backed by strength work for quads and calves, are what make the steep sections runnable at all. Start early, because muscles only adapt to this load over weeks.
Arrive fresh
The July date sets the build: the long days in the mountains belong in May and June, above 2,000 metres where you can, since much of the middle section runs that high. Use them to practise eating on the move and looking after yourself over stretches of about ten kilometres, which take far longer with two climbs in them than the distance suggests.
Courses
Download the Mad'Trail Valmorel course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Mad'Trail Valmorel 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 Mad'Trail Valmorel.
How long is Mad'Trail Valmorel?
Mad'Trail Valmorel is 63 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 Mad'Trail Valmorel have?
Mad'Trail Valmorel has around 4,231 m of elevation gain over 63 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Mad'Trail Valmorel?
Mad'Trail Valmorel is classified as Mountainous, averaging 67.9 vertical metres per kilometre. 4% of the route is flat, 16% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 32% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Mad'Trail Valmorel have?
The hardest climb of Mad'Trail Valmorel starts at kilometre 8.5, runs for 3.5 km at an average of 15.8% and gains 551 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 2. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Mad'Trail Valmorel a loop course?
Yes, Mad'Trail Valmorel is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Mad'Trail Valmorel course?
Yes. The Mad'Trail Valmorel 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 Mad'Trail Valmorel?
Preparation for Mad'Trail Valmorel should account for 63 km, 4,231 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 Mad'Trail Valmorel?
The pacing strategy for Mad'Trail Valmorel should reflect 63 km, 4,231 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 Mad'Trail Valmorel take place?
Mad'Trail Valmorel takes place on July 10, 2027.
Where does Mad'Trail Valmorel take place?
Mad'Trail Valmorel takes place in Les Avanchers-Valmorel, France.
Which distances does Mad'Trail Valmorel offer?
Mad'Trail Valmorel offers 6 distances — Mad’Trail: 63 km; Marathon de la Lauzière: 45 km; Roche Blanche: 28 km; Trail de Crève-Tête: 16 km; Les Cerisettes: 8.5 km; KV de Crève-Tête: 2.8 km.
How do I register for Mad'Trail Valmorel?
Registration runs through the organiser: madtrailvalmorel.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
