Ultravasan 90.
The Ultravasan 90 follows the classic Vasaloppet course from Sälen to Mora, and despite the name it comes to 92 kilometres. Beyond the one real climb just after the start there is little excuse to walk, with most of the distance on forest road, so your preparation is less about mountains than about how long you can keep running.
Ultravasan 90 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
It begins at Berga by in Sälen, and the course wastes no time: the biggest climb of the day starts at kilometre 2 and gains 160 metres in just under two kilometres. After that you stay on the high section around 500 metres for a long while, reaching the top shortly before kilometre 20.
From there it is one continuous line towards Mora, stepping down in two stages. By kilometre 30 the course has lost a little over 200 metres, then it climbs back in long swells. From kilometre 50 the second descent takes you down to about 220 metres. The ground turns rolling once more, with two short, steep ramps at kilometres 65 and 67, before the final 15 or so kilometres run almost flat and slightly downhill to the finish.
You run through light pine forest, along waterways and through fäbod country. Around 60 kilometres are forest road and about 18 are trail, with roughly six each of gravel and asphalt, and seven controls break up the journey. The organiser gives 867 metres of ascent, a measurement of the line comes to just under 1,000. Either way that is about ten metres per kilometre: what makes this race hard is the sheer number of running strides.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 1.9 | 1.9 km | 8.4 % | 20.7 % | +160 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 31.8 | 0.7 km | 4 % | 4.9 % | +27 m | — |
| km 33.1 | 0.6 km | 5.3 % | 8.9 % | +33 m | — |
| km 38.3 | 0.6 km | 4.6 % | 10.1 % | +27 m | — |
| km 55.7 | 0.5 km | 4.7 % | 5.8 % | +24 m | — |
| km 60.1 | 0.4 km | 7.2 % | 9.8 % | +31 m | — |
| km 64.7 | 0.5 km | 10.8 % | 17.6 % | +57 m | — |
| km 67.4 | 1.1 km | 4.6 % | 15.6 % | +50 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 Ultravasan 90.
Start under control
Eleven hours separate the start from the finish cut-off, which is about 7:10 per kilometre. For runners near the limit that is no stroll, so budget by surface: you will be slower on the trail, and the margin for that has to come from the forest roads without your effort rising there. Take the climb straight after the start calmly, walking if need be, even with the field running around you.
Hold your rhythm
The real trap comes next. Between kilometres 20 and 30 the course falls away, speed arrives by itself and everything feels easy. Every minute you take there is paid for in your quads, and you need those again on the second descent from kilometre 50.
Spend what is left
The race is decided beyond kilometre 60. The ramps at 65 and 67 are short enough to power-walk and then run again from the top. After them comes the nearly flat finale, which offers nothing but running. Divide the day in your head from one control to the next: whoever is still running on that last stretch gains more there than the morning ever had to give.
Training plan for Ultravasan 90: 12-week build
Build the base
As an age-group runner, expect to be out for somewhere around eight and a half to eleven hours. After the early climb the effort is almost entirely aerobic and steady, with little above threshold. What the course demands is a body that tolerates many hours of near-identical strides.
Train race pace
That makes the long run the core of your preparation, and it should really be run. Hiking kilometres in the hills get you less far here than calm hours on forest tracks at your intended race pace. Back-to-back long sessions on consecutive days teach you what tired legs feel like without risking the full distance.
Rehearse the course
Build the logic of the course into those runs. Since the two descents come before the finale, put longer, gently falling stretches in the middle of a long run so your quads learn downhill kilometres under fatigue. Place short, steep climbs late in a session and practise running again straight from the top, because that is what the ramps beyond kilometre 60 ask of you. Finish some long runs on flat ground, where nothing offers you a break.
Arrive fresh
Surface and clock belong in the plan too. One regular trail session a week keeps your ankles and footing sharp for the 18 kilometres of path, and short stretches of asphalt get your legs used to the harder surface. The early start is part of the dress rehearsal: begin some long runs in the early morning, test your breakfast beforehand and practise fuelling across a whole day. With an August race date, those runs fall in summer anyway.
Courses
Download the Ultravasan 90 course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Ultravasan 90 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 Ultravasan 90.
How long is Ultravasan 90?
Ultravasan 90 is 92 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 Ultravasan 90 have?
Ultravasan 90 has around 991 m of elevation gain over 92 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Ultravasan 90?
Ultravasan 90 is classified as Rolling, averaging 10.8 vertical metres per kilometre. 41% of the route is flat, 24% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 3% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Ultravasan 90 have?
The hardest climb of Ultravasan 90 starts at kilometre 1.9, runs for 1.9 km at an average of 8.4% and gains 160 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 3. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Ultravasan 90 a loop course?
No, Ultravasan 90 is a point-to-point course: start and finish are in different places.
Is there a GPX file for the Ultravasan 90 course?
Yes. The Ultravasan 90 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 Ultravasan 90?
Preparation for Ultravasan 90 should account for 92 km, 991 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 Ultravasan 90?
The pacing strategy for Ultravasan 90 should reflect 92 km, 991 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 Ultravasan 90 take place?
Ultravasan 90 takes place on August 21, 2027.
Where does Ultravasan 90 take place?
Ultravasan 90 takes place in Sälen, Sweden.
How do I register for Ultravasan 90?
Registration runs through the organiser: vasaloppet.se. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
