Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K - Elevation Profile, Aid Stations and Cutoffs
Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K is a 55 km ultra-trail with around 3,300 m of elevation gain, starting in Salardú, Spain. The overall cutoff is 14 hours. The highest point on the course is Còth de Pòdo at 2,599 m.
Course profile
Salardú, Spain
- Distance
- 55 km
- Elevation
- +3,300 m -3,588 m
- Highest point
- 2,599 m
Finishes 288 m lower than it starts
About 60 m of climb per km
Còth de Pòdo
Next edition Thu 8 Jul 2027 · 07:00
in 287 days- Start
- Winner ~5h23 5h23 after the start
- Median finisher 2026 median 10h34 after the start
- Cutoff 14h after the start
The biggest climb between checkpoints gains around 984 m from Banhs de Tredòs (km 8.66) to Colomèrs (km 23.81). The steepest sustained section on the elevation profile averages about 25% over roughly 2 km around km 43. The published checkpoint list has no crew-access points - check the official runner guide for assistance rules.
Data is approximate and courses change between editions - always verify against the official race guide.
Enter a goal finish time and see estimated arrivals vs checkpoint cutoffs.
Plan against barriersElevation profile
Course math
Three numbers worked out from this course's distance, elevation and checkpoints.
UTMB Index category
50K
88 km-effort (distance + gain ÷ 100). Calculated from the course figures, not an official classification.
Estimate your UTMB Index →Biggest climb section
+984 m
Banhs de Tredòs → Colomèrs · km 8.7–23.8
The largest gain between two checkpoints, not one continuous climb.
Biggest descent section
−1,212 m
Santet Escunhau → Vielha (Finish) · km 46.1–55
The largest loss between two checkpoints. ITRA's km-effort ignores descent; TrailMath counts it: 112 km-effort.
Open in GPX Explorer →Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K · 2026
Finish times, 2026 edition
1,720 runners started. 1,478 came back. Half of them took longer than 10:33:53.
Median finish
10:33:53
Half of the 1,478 finishers were still out there at this point.
Average 10:30:58, 0:02:55 quicker than the median: a fast front pulls it down.
The start line
85.9%
1,478 of 1,720 starters made it; 242 did not.
still moving when a cutoff closed
stopped by choice or by the medics
Men and women
Two medians on the same scale. The bars run from the start to the cutoff, so the gap between them is the gap in time.
Men
10:26:03
median finish; average 10:22:51
1,193 finishers, 81% of the field
Women
11:14:39
median finish; average 11:04:58
285 finishers, 19% of the field
0:48:36 separates the two medians, across 1,193 men and 285 women.
Where the finishers came from
42% of the finishers came from Spain alone.
| Nation | Finishers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Spain ES | 614 41.5% | |
| France FR | 510 34.5% | |
| Portugal PT | 66 4.5% | |
| Argentina AR | 27 1.8% | |
| United Kingdom GB | 23 1.6% | |
| Iceland IS | 22 1.5% | |
| Netherlands NL | 17 1.2% | |
| China CN | 13 0.9% | |
| Lithuania LT | 12 0.8% | |
| Poland PL | 11 0.7% | |
| Romania RO | 10 0.7% | |
| Belgium BE | 9 0.6% | |
| Germany DE | 9 0.6% | |
| Sweden SE | 9 0.6% | |
| Andorra AD | 8 0.5% | |
| Ireland IE | 8 0.5% | |
| Italy IT | 8 0.5% | |
| Greece GR | 7 0.5% | |
| Curaçao AN | 6 0.4% | |
| Czechia CZ | 6 0.4% | |
| Japan JP | 6 0.4% | |
| United States US | 5 0.3% | |
| Switzerland CH | 4 0.3% | |
| Chile CL | 4 0.3% | |
| Denmark DK | 4 0.3% | |
| Israel IL | 4 0.3% | |
| Malaysia MY | 4 0.3% | |
| Slovakia SK | 4 0.3% | |
| Australia AU | 3 0.2% | |
| Canada CA | 3 0.2% | |
| Finland FI | 3 0.2% | |
| Oman OM | 3 0.2% | |
| Serbia RS | 3 0.2% | |
| Türkiye TR | 3 0.2% | |
| Brazil BR | 2 0.1% | |
| Ecuador EC | 2 0.1% | |
| Mexico MX | 2 0.1% | |
| Peru PE | 2 0.1% | |
| Taiwan TW | 2 0.1% | |
| Ukraine UA | 2 0.1% | |
| Uruguay UY | 2 0.1% | |
| Austria AT | 1 0.1% | |
| Estonia EE | 1 0.1% | |
| Egypt EG | 1 0.1% | |
| Hong Kong SAR China HK | 1 0.1% | |
| Hungary HU | 1 0.1% | |
| Kuwait KW | 1 0.1% | |
| Luxembourg LU | 1 0.1% | |
| Latvia LV | 1 0.1% | |
| Morocco MA | 1 0.1% | |
| Norway NO | 1 0.1% | |
| Palestinian Territories PS | 1 0.1% | |
| Singapore SG | 1 0.1% | |
| El Salvador SV | 1 0.1% | |
| Venezuela VE | 1 0.1% | |
| 45 other nations 35 other nations 25 other nations 15 other nations 5 other nations All other nations | 163 11.0% 83 5.6% 42 2.8% 18 1.2% 7 0.5% 2 0.1% |
Showing 20 of 55 nations. Showing 30 of 55 nations. Showing 40 of 55 nations. Showing 50 of 55 nations. Showing 55 of 55 nations. Showing 55 of 55 nations.
Bar length is against the largest nation. The smallest counts are drawn at a minimum visible width, so their bars are not to scale.
How these numbers were computed
These are times for runners who finished. They exclude everyone who started and did not, so they describe how long finishing took, not how long the race takes. Bands with only a handful of finishers move a lot from one edition to the next.
We plot the median, not the average. A handful of very quick runners drags the average well below the time half the field actually beat, so the median is the honest number to plan against.
Nationality here shows who travels to this race, not who runs it best. That alone is why a host nation tops almost every list.
Computed from the full official results, verified September 23, 2026 - Official results
Talk to your race
Ask PDA 55K anything about climbs, pacing, crew or cutoffs.
Which climb should I respect most?
Banhs de Tredòs to Colomèrs: +984 m over 15.2 km, from km 8.66. Hike the steep sections at an effort you could hold for hours - the race is decided after this climb, not on it.
Where can my crew meet me?
Banhs de Tredòs, km 8.66 - your first checkpoint, and no crew can meet you there or further on: the organiser lists no crew access on PDA 55K. Carry your own warm layers: the course tops out at 2,599 m, in July.
Is 10h a realistic finish for me?
10h would put you in the faster half of 2026 finishers - the median was 10:33:53. It means holding 10:55/km overall.
The Coach answers that once it can see your training.
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~42 weeks · peak ~8 h/week · 5 run + 2 strength days
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Aid stations and checkpoints
| Checkpoint | Km | Cumulative gain (m) | Cumulative loss (m) | Crew | Drop bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start - Salardú | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| Banhs de Tredòs | 8.66 | 532 | 41 | No | No |
| Colomèrs | 23.81 | 1,516 | 800 | No | No |
| Mont-Romies | 35.75 | 2,206 | 1,705 | No | No |
| Arties | 40.2 | 2,209 | 2,332 | No | No |
| Santet Escunhau | 46.07 | 2,893 | 2,376 | No | No |
| Vielha (Finish) | 55 | 3,300 | 3,588 | Yes | No |
Data is approximate and courses change between editions - always verify against the official race guide. Source: official race guide, verified September 23, 2026 - Official race website
FAQ
How much elevation gain does Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K have?
Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K has around 3,300 m of cumulative elevation gain and 3,588 m of loss over 55 km.
What is the cutoff time for Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K?
The overall Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K cutoff is 14 hours, with intermediate time barriers at major checkpoints. Winning times are typically around 5 hours.
How long is Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K?
Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K covers approximately 55 km, starting in Salardú, Spain.
What is the highest point of Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K?
The highest point of Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K is Còth de Pòdo at 2,599 m.
How many aid stations does Val d'Aran by UTMB - PDA 55K have and which allow crew?
The checkpoint table lists 5 major aid points between the start and the finish. Personal crew assistance is not part of the published checkpoint data - check the official runner guide.
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