Tour de Matra: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The Tour de Matra Gran Fondo crosses Hungary's Mátra mountains over 161 kilometres and 2,685 metres of climbing, finishing markedly higher than it starts. The ascents are long but steady (rarely steeper than ten percent) and culminate in a closing climb to the country's highest point. Preparing for the Gran Fondo calls for endurance on the long climb, not explosiveness.
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The course, elevation and route profile above are from the most recent edition.
Course & Elevation
The Gran Fondo is the main event of the Tour de Matra, Hungary's mountain granfondo around Gyöngyös: 161 kilometres from town to summit, with around 2,550 metres of climbing and the finish on Kékestető, the highest point in Hungary. Held since 2021, the event joins the UCI Gran Fondo World Series in 2026 as the first race of the series ever staged in Hungary, opening the door to age-group world championship qualification.
The course relies on long, even gradients rather than ramps. At kilometre 11.6 an ascent of almost 11 kilometres begins, gaining 474 metres at a moderate 4 to 5 percent. The middle section rolls through the Mátra range before an 8.7-kilometre climb with 418 metres of gain starts at kilometre 80.6, a climb the route tackles a second time at kilometre 147.5. Straight after it comes the finale: 4.5 kilometres at an average of 7 percent up to the finish arch on Kékestető.
Parts of the race run on fully closed roads, including the section between Mátraháza and Parádsasvár. Steep pitches are rare, but the climbing accumulates relentlessly, and the summit finish turns a long day into a genuine mountain race.
Pacing Strategy
This is a race for steady climbers: nearly a third of the course is flat, the climbs are long and moderate, and almost nothing is steeper than ten percent. The first test comes early, a nearly eleven-kilometre climb from kilometre 12, but it's easy to waste matches here by chasing early attacks. On the long ramps hold a pace you can sustain for an hour, and use the flat, rolling middle sections to sit in the draft and eat.
The day is decided in the finale: from kilometre 147 another eight-and-a-half-kilometre climb flows straight into the closing 4.5-kilometre, seven-percent rise to the summit. Because the finish sits higher than the start, there's no recovery descent to coast in on; overpace beforehand and you'll pay exactly here.
Ration your effort so there's something left for the final twenty uphill kilometres.
Training plan for Tour de Matra: 12-week build
Budget roughly 5.5 to 8 hours of riding for the 161 kilometres and 2,550 metres of climbing, depending on your level. The demand is firmly endurance-shaped: the climbs are long and even, barely 2 percent of the course is genuinely steep, so the decisive ability is not explosive power but riding uphill under control for 20 to 60 minutes at a stretch while conserving energy in the bunch between the mountains.
The race is decided at the end. From kilometre 147.5 the 8.7-kilometre climb is followed almost immediately by the 4.5-kilometre, 7 percent finale to Kékestető, together more than 700 metres of climbing after some six hours in the saddle. Training should recreate exactly that situation, long climbs at the end of a long day: rides of four to six hours with the hardest climbing deliberately placed in the final hour.
Add threshold and sweetspot intervals of 15 to 30 minutes, ideally on sustained gradients, to develop climbing power in the range that matters here. Because the middle section rolls along in groups, practising pack riding and eating efficiently on the move pays off. The descents, such as the one after Mátraháza, call for confident speed management that is best grooved on familiar roads. And since the race takes place in early July, heat adaptation belongs firmly in the final weeks of preparation; climbing for an hour in summer temperatures is a discipline of its own.
Course Map
Profile Parameters
Slope Distribution
Climbs on Route
| Start (km) | Length | Ø Gradient | Max Gradient | Elev Gain | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KM 11.6 | 10.8 km | 4.4% | 10.3% | +474m | Cat. 2 |
| KM 58.6 | 1.4 km | 5.0% | 7.8% | +71m | — |
| KM 78.5 | 1.7 km | 3.5% | 5.3% | +60m | — |
| KM 80.6 | 8.7 km | 4.8% | 7.7% | +418m | Cat. 2 |
| KM 125.5 | 1.4 km | 4.9% | 7.1% | +72m | — |
| KM 145.1 | 2.0 km | 3.4% | 5.8% | +67m | — |
| KM 147.5 | 8.7 km | 4.8% | 8.1% | +418m | Cat. 2 |
| KM 156.8 | 4.5 km | 7.0% | 11.1% | +313m | 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.
Course as GPX
Download the Gran Fondo course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Adaptive race preparation
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Tour de Matra 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.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Tour de Matra?
Tour de Matra is 161 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 Tour de Matra have?
Tour de Matra has around 2,550 m of elevation gain over 161 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Tour de Matra?
Tour de Matra is classified as Mountainous, averaging 16.7 vertical metres per kilometre. 30% of the route is flat, 37% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 2% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Tour de Matra have?
The hardest climb of Tour de Matra starts at kilometre 11.6, runs for 10.8 km at an average of 4.4% and gains 474 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 2. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Tour de Matra a loop course?
No, Tour de Matra is a point-to-point course: start and finish are in different places.
How should I prepare for Tour de Matra?
Preparation for Tour de Matra should account for 161 km, 2,550 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 Tour de Matra?
The pacing strategy for Tour de Matra should reflect 161 km, 2,550 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 Tour de Matra next take place?
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The most recent one was held on July 5, 2026.
Where does Tour de Matra take place?
Tour de Matra takes place in Gyongyos, Hungary.
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