Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMBMalaucène, France🇫🇷

• •This course reaches 1894 m. At the high-point coordinate, the same week historically ran -2°C to 8°C. Typical daily maximum wind was 15 km/h, reaching 28 km/h in the sample. This is climate history, not the race-day forecast; keep the shell accessible if race week looks similar.
• •Sunset is 20:33 and the finish cut-off is 05:30. A runner using the full time allowance spends the final 6 hours 43 minutes in darkness.
• •Get the headtorch out before sunset and keep spare batteries or a power bank dry and immediately accessible. A spare buried at the bottom of the pack is not an emergency spare.
• •Check reflective course markers regularly in the dark. If the markings disappear, stop moving forward, return to the last marker and confirm the route against the GPX or organiser app.
• •At cut-off pace you run into a second night. Plan the sleep question before race day: an hour gained on the first night costs two on the second.
• •Poles are strongly recommended for this profile. The course averages 47 m of gain per km and the longest climb averaging over 5% runs 18 km; if you have trained with them and the organiser allows them, use them on the climbs and stow them on runnable ground.
• •15% of the course is steep descent. Increase your cadence instead of braking, or your quads go early.
• •The high point is 1894 m. Coming from sea level, your heart rate and breathing shift at the same pace, so leave yourself room in the first hour.

Aid stations

• •The longest stretch between official aid stations runs from Entrechaux (km 34) to Veaux (km 47): 13 km, with 524 m of climbing in between. Top up at Entrechaux and size what you carry to the expected duration and your own drinking rate.
• •La Gavoite (km 5) is a timing point only, with nothing on the table.
• •Hot food is served at Mont Serein (km 66). If your stomach and race plan call for it, make this a deliberate 3-5 minute stop; do not sit down simply because hot food is available. Restart gently and let your stomach settle before lifting the effort.
• •Food is available at Bout du monde (km 15) and Entrechaux (km 34) and 5 more. Decide what you need before reaching the table; without a planned special task, collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds. Finish eating on the next calm, suitable section.
• •Drop bag at Mont Serein (km 66). Write down the equipment and food you expect to replace before the race so the decision is already made when you arrive.
• •Crew support is permitted only at Entrechaux (km 34), Mont Serein (km 66), Barroux Village (km 93), and Gigondas (km 109). This is not the same as a drop bag: plan equipment and food hand-offs around these stations, then verify wristband, bag and transport rules with the organiser.
• •The last aid station is Bas de St Amand (km 116), leaving 9 km to the finish. After that you are on what you carry.
• •The heaviest leg runs from Pont St Leger (km 55) to Col du Comte (km 61): 6 km with 597 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
• •Medical support is available at Malaucène (km 0), Bout du monde (km 15), Entrechaux (km 34), Veaux (km 47), Mont Serein (km 66), Le Sueil (km 82), Barroux Village (km 93), Gigondas (km 109), Bas de St Amand (km 116), and Malaucène (km 126). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
• •About 0.5 km after Col du Comte (km 18), a roughly 250 m section averaging 30% begins. Nothing is served at this point, so arrive already stocked from the previous aid station, then enter the climb at a controlled effort.
• •The overall cut-off is 29h 31m, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.
• •Relative to distance and climbing, the tightest official time budget runs from Start to Entrechaux (km 34): the official time budget is 6h 46m for 34 km and 1828 m of climbing. Station stops come out of that same budget, so do not enter the leg already behind schedule.

Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.

• •The organiser lists 87 km; the published GPX measures 86.1 km. The technical course notes use the published GPX measurement.
• •This course reaches 1894 m. At the high-point coordinate, the same week historically ran -2°C to 8°C. Typical daily maximum wind was 15 km/h, reaching 28 km/h in the sample. This is climate history, not the race-day forecast; keep the shell accessible if race week looks similar.
• •Sunset is 20:33 and the finish cut-off is 02:30. A runner using the full time allowance spends the final 5 hours 57 minutes in darkness.
• •Get the headtorch out before sunset and keep spare batteries or a power bank dry and immediately accessible. A spare buried at the bottom of the pack is not an emergency spare.
• •Check reflective course markers regularly in the dark. If the markings disappear, stop moving forward, return to the last marker and confirm the route against the GPX or organiser app.
• •Poles are strongly recommended for this profile. The course averages 50 m of gain per km and the longest climb averaging over 5% runs 15 km; if you have trained with them and the organiser allows them, use them on the climbs and stow them on runnable ground.
• •17% of the course is steep descent. Increase your cadence instead of braking, or your quads go early.
• •The high point is 1894 m. Coming from sea level, your heart rate and breathing shift at the same pace, so leave yourself room in the first hour.

Aid stations

• •The longest stretch between official aid stations runs from Entrechaux (km 34) to Veaux (km 47): 13 km, with 524 m of climbing in between. Top up at Entrechaux and size what you carry to the expected duration and your own drinking rate.
• •La Gavoite (km 5) is a timing point only, with nothing on the table.
• •Food is available at Bout du monde (km 15) and Entrechaux (km 34) and 4 more. Decide what you need before reaching the table; without a planned special task, collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds. Finish eating on the next calm, suitable section.
• •Drop bag at Mont Serein (km 57). Write down the equipment and food you expect to replace before the race so the decision is already made when you arrive.
• •Crew support is permitted only at Entrechaux (km 34) and Mont Serein (km 57). This is not the same as a drop bag: plan equipment and food hand-offs around these stations, then verify wristband, bag and transport rules with the organiser.
• •The last aid station is Plan de Laval (km 80), leaving 7 km to the finish. After that you are on what you carry.
• •The heaviest leg runs from Veaux (km 47) to Col du Comte (km 52): 5 km with 709 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
• •Medical support is available at Malaucène (km 0), Bout du monde (km 15), Entrechaux (km 34), Veaux (km 47), Mont Serein (km 57), Le Sueil (km 72), Plan de Laval (km 80), and Malaucène (km 87). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
• •About 2 km after Veaux (km 47), a roughly 250 m section averaging 46% begins. Choose food you know you digest easily and fill the bottles, then enter the climb at a controlled effort.
• •The overall cut-off is 20h, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.
• •Relative to distance and climbing, the tightest official time budget runs from Start to Entrechaux (km 34): the official time budget is 7h 15m for 34 km and 1828 m of climbing. Station stops come out of that same budget, so do not enter the leg already behind schedule.

Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.

• •This course reaches 1894 m. At the high-point coordinate, the same week historically ran -2°C to 8°C. Typical daily maximum wind was 15 km/h, reaching 28 km/h in the sample. This is climate history, not the race-day forecast; keep the shell accessible if race week looks similar.
• •Even at cut-off pace you finish 2 hours 3 minutes before sunset. This one is run entirely in daylight.
• •Poles are strongly recommended for this profile. The course averages 49 m of gain per km and the longest climb averaging over 5% runs 18 km; if you have trained with them and the organiser allows them, use them on the climbs and stow them on runnable ground.
• •The climbing is stacked into the first half. Start easy; even with less climbing later, the descents and accumulated fatigue still have to be managed.
• •16% of the course is steep descent. Increase your cadence instead of braking, or your quads go early.
• •The high point is 1894 m. Coming from sea level, your heart rate and breathing shift at the same pace, so leave yourself room in the first hour.

Aid stations

• •Drinks only, no food, at Saint-Marguerite (km 8). Loosen the flask caps on approach; with no queue, refill and leave in 20-30 seconds. Carry the food you will need from the previous station.
• •La Gavoite (km 5) is a timing point only, with nothing on the table.
• •Food is available at Mont Serein (km 21) and Le Sueil (km 37) and 1 more. Decide what you need before reaching the table; without a planned special task, collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds. Finish eating on the next calm, suitable section.
• •Crew support is permitted only at Mont Serein (km 21). This is not the same as a drop bag: plan equipment and food hand-offs around these stations, then verify wristband, bag and transport rules with the organiser.
• •The last aid station is Plan de Laval (km 44), leaving 7 km to the finish. After that you are on what you carry.
• •The heaviest leg runs from Combe Arnoux (km 9) to Col du Comte (km 16): 6 km with 693 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
• •Medical support is available at Malaucène (km 0), Saint-Marguerite (km 8), Mont Serein (km 21), Le Sueil (km 37), Plan de Laval (km 44), and Malaucène (km 52). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
• •About 2 km after Combe Arnoux (km 9), a roughly 250 m section averaging 27% begins. Nothing is served at this point, so arrive already stocked from the previous aid station, then enter the climb at a controlled effort.
• •The overall cut-off is 12h, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.
• •Relative to distance and climbing, the tightest official time budget runs from Start to Mont Serein (km 21): the official time budget is 5h 15m for 21 km and 1622 m of climbing. Station stops come out of that same budget, so do not enter the leg already behind schedule.

Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.

• •This course reaches 928 m. At the high-point coordinate, the same week historically ran 4°C to 13°C. Typical daily maximum wind was 17 km/h, reaching 29 km/h in the sample. This is climate history, not the race-day forecast; keep the shell accessible if race week looks similar.
• •Even at cut-off pace you finish 7 hours 3 minutes before sunset. This one is run entirely in daylight.
• •Consider bringing poles. The course averages 41 m of gain per km and the longest climb averaging over 5% runs 9.6 km; if you have trained with them and the organiser allows them, use them on the climbs and stow them on runnable ground.
• •The climbing is stacked into the first half. Start easy; even with less climbing later, the descents and accumulated fatigue still have to be managed.
• •21% of the course is steep descent. Increase your cadence instead of braking, or your quads go early.

Aid stations

• •La Gavoite (km 5) is a timing point only, with nothing on the table.
• •Food is available at Le Sueil (km 11) and Plan de Laval (km 18). Decide what you need before reaching the table; without a planned special task, collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds. Finish eating on the next calm, suitable section.
• •The last aid station is Plan de Laval (km 18), leaving 8 km to the finish. After that you are on what you carry.
• •The heaviest leg runs from Malaucène (km 0) to La Gavoite (km 5): 5 km with 373 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
• •Medical support is available at Malaucène (km 0), Le Sueil (km 11), Plan de Laval (km 18), and Malaucène (km 26). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
• •About 2 km after Oratoire St Michel (km 17), a roughly 250 m section averaging 14% begins. Nothing is served at this point, so arrive already stocked from the previous aid station, then enter the climb at a controlled effort.
• •The overall cut-off is 5h, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.
• •Relative to distance and climbing, the tightest official time budget runs from Start to Plan de Laval (km 18): the official time budget is 3h 30m for 18 km and 865 m of climbing. Station stops come out of that same budget, so do not enter the leg already behind schedule.

Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.