In the world of ultracycling, crossing the Pyrenees is, without a doubt, one of those goals you want to achieve sooner or later. The mountain range that acts as a natural border between Spain and France comprises a vast natural environment, small towns, and a long list of mountains. Among them, we find some of the most legendary passes of the Tour de France and La Vuelta, as well as others that are not as famous but equally recommended.

Transiberica, the organizer of Transpyrenees and other long-distance races, has chosen the Pyrenees as the scenario for this self-sufficiency event for seven years. In each edition, participants ride coast to coast, sometimes from east to west, and sometimes vice versa, along this incredible mountain range that connects the Iberian Peninsula with the rest of Europe.

The idea of ​​crossing the Pyrenees is not exclusive to Transpyrenees, but what sets it apart from the rest is that it is not a stage race, but rather a non-stop challenge from point A to point B, in which participants try to complete it in the shortest possible time.

2025 route

This year’s edition started in the Guipuzcoan city of San Sebastián, and the final pedal strokes were in the small town of Llançà, Catalonia. Along this route, participants passed through legendary passes such as the Aubisque, Tourmalet, Peyresourde, and Col du Portet, which, at 16 km and 2,214 m, is the highlight of this edition and the highest point of the parcours.

The route covered a significant portion of the southern slopes of the Pyrenees, with 70% of the route in Spain and the remainder in France.

A combination of large mountain passes, small hills, and the occasional surprise, which Carlos Mazón and his team prepare with great dedication each year. As experts in the field, we are confident that the route prepared by the organizers exceeded the expectations of all participants.

Transpyrenees in numbers

Behind an ultracycling event like this, there are always interesting numbers to review. In the case of Transpyrenees 2025, let’s start with the 1,074 km that separated San Sebastián, the starting point, from Llançà, the finish line. Over this distance, participants had to tackle a total of 34 mountain passes and accumulate an elevation gain of nearly 30,000 meters.

Regarding participation, a total of 302 registered participants, including 36 women, were present. Although this is still a low number compared to the male participants, it is a reasonable number considering the cycling modality and the event’s toughness. Furthermore, among the registered participants, we found 33 different nationalities, indicating that more people are increasingly willing to take on a challenge like this, regardless of their origin. To round out this roundup of numbers, 196 riders crossed the finish line in Llançà.

Summary of the seventh edition

The Transpyrenees has historically been highly expected by cyclists looking for a long-distance challenge, but this year’s event will be remembered for having the largest number of registered riders.

Starting in San Sebastián on June 29th, with Jazkibel being the first mountain pass the riders had to tackle, the most experienced and well-prepared ones decided to make a difference and start making it clear that they had come to give it their all. Meanwhile, the rest of the pack tried to find their rhythm and manage their strength well for everything that lay ahead.

One of the tricky climbs of this edition was the climb to Lindus. A little-known road with gradients of up to 20% forced participants to sweat until they reached the top and finally arrived at the first checkpoint of the race.

The hours ticked by, and, as in all long-distance events, each rider began to experience their own and unique adventure. Over the next few days, they would experience constant emotional and physical ups and downs, share anecdotes, and discover countless landscapes that would remain etched in their memories.

In a challenge like the Transpyrenees, the weather also plays a crucial and decisive role. During the first few days, they had to ride under a scorching sun with temperatures exceeding 35°C, during which hydration was essential to avoiding a DNF. However, it wasn’t just the heat that made an appearance; storms in high mountain areas are common, and last week was no exception. If the uneven terrain wasn’t enough for the participants to overcome, they also had to ride through downpours, face sudden temperature changes, and, in many cases, seek shelter until the weather allowed them to resume their effort.

The first male finisher arrived in Llançà with an official time of 55 hours and 38 minutes. While some were still near CP1, Anatole Naïmi crossed the finish line overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

On the women’s side, the first to complete the course were former professional cyclists Rachel Neylan and Lourdes Oyarbide, who finished the more than 1,000 km in less than four days.