Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël ».
The Trail des Troubadour.es is the shortest of the three courses at the Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël »: eleven kilometres that climb to just under 500 metres a few days before Christmas, then drop back to the Salle de l’Arlequin without another ascent. What decides it is your pace on the gentle kilometres, not strength on steep ground.
Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » 2026: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
Start and finish are at the Salle de l’Arlequin in the Complexe sportif Edmond Vacant in Mozac. The loop opens with almost four kilometres of steady but slight uphill. At km 3.8 that becomes a proper climb: 1.5 km at just under six percent on average, with single ramps around 16 percent. Just past km 5 you reach the high point of the day, close to 500 metres.
The second half is the mirror image of the first. Over a little more than five kilometres the course falls back to Mozac almost without interruption, at an average of only two and a half percent. Steep ground makes up a small share of the whole loop, uphill and downhill alike: you are running over a hill, not up a mountain.
The event, now at its 20th edition, names its courses after ranks, and the troubadour sits below the knight and the lord. The terrain agrees: where the two longer courses carry on past 700 metres after that first hill, you turn back. You meet the hills around Mozac and Enval only at their lower edge, and the steep high ground stays with the 20 and 30 km.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 3.8 | 1.5 km | 5.8 % | 16.1 % | +88 m | Cat. 4 |
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 Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël ».
Start under control
The plan is quick to state: the race climbs until just past km 5 and falls from there to the line. So treat the first four kilometres as part of the climb already. They are too shallow to force a walk or a brake, but every stride works against you.
Hold your rhythm
The race is settled on the 1.5 km from km 3.8 and the kilometre after them. Take the climb so that you can pick the pace straight back up at the top. The second half falls so gently that it barely holds you back, and this is where most of the day's time is won.
Spend what is left
The trap is in the opening. Run those gentle early kilometres at the pace you would hold for 11 flat kilometres and you reach the ramps already at your limit, then give away the first downhill kilometre to recovery. A little restraint before km 4 pays back several times over on the five kilometres down.
Training plan for Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël »: 12-week build
Build the base
Age-group runners are out for roughly one to one and a half hours. That is a sustained, brisk aerobic effort just below threshold, with a single hard block in the middle rather than constant changes of pace.
Train race pace
The key piece is the transition: from a climb with ramps around 16 percent straight into a long, fast downhill. You don't need mountain legs for that, you need the ability to run smoothly again right after a hard stretch. On the gentle gradient the speed comes from your cadence, not from the terrain.
Rehearse the course
Build in two sessions that reproduce it. The first is a tempo run of 30 to 40 minutes on a slightly rising road or trail, because that is what the opening asks of you. The second is hill repeats of five to eight minutes at about six percent, each one finished with a brisk rather than easy run back down. Add a hilly long run of about 14 km so the race is never the longest effort of your training block.
Arrive fresh
The mid-December date puts your final weeks in the short days of the year. Schedule the tempo sessions for daylight or get used to a head torch, so that they don't fall away. Also test which clothing suits a fast pace in winter, because on a short, quick race being overdressed costs as much as being underdressed.
Courses
Download the Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » 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 Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël ».
How long is Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël »?
Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » is 11 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 Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » have?
Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » has around 168 m of elevation gain over 11 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël »?
Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » is classified as Rolling, averaging 15.1 vertical metres per kilometre. 15% of the route is flat, 39% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 4% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » have?
The hardest climb of Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » starts at kilometre 3.8, runs for 1.5 km at an average of 5.8% and gains 88 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 4.
Is Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » a loop course?
Yes, Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » course?
Yes. The Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » 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 Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël »?
Preparation for Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » should account for 11 km, 168 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 Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël »?
The pacing strategy for Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » should reflect 11 km, 168 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 Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » 2026 take place?
Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » 2026 takes place on December 19, 2026.
Where does Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » 2026 take place?
Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » 2026 takes place in Mozac, France.
Which distances does Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » offer?
Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël » offers 3 distances — Trail des Troubadour.es: 11 km; Trail des Chevalier.es: 20 km; Trail des Seigneur.es: 30 km.
How do I register for Trail de Mozac « À l’assaut de Tournoël »?
Registration runs through the organiser: traildemozac-assautdetournoel.fr. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
