Vitoria-Gasteiz Trail

Vitoria-Gasteiz Trail

The Vitoria-Gasteiz Trail is one of the few mountain races in Spain that starts literally in the heart of a capital city. Within just a kilometer, runners leave the streets of downtown Vitoria-Gasteiz — a recognized European Green Capital — behind and enter the Green Ring, the belt of parks and woodland that surrounds the city, before climbing into the mountains of Álava.

That blend of an urban start and immediate natural surroundings is the race’s signature feature. It’s organized by Ascentium with backing from the City Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz, the Álava Provincial Council, and the Vital Foundation.

A 26K Route with 1,300m D+

The headline distance is 26 kilometers with 1,300 meters of elevation gain, starting at 09:30 from downtown. The course mixes technical singletrack, forest tracks and Green Ring scenery before climbing into the mountains surrounding Vitoria-Gasteiz. It’s also a UTMB Index scoring race in the 20K category, putting it on the radar of runners chasing points for the broader circuit.

Runners after a shorter outing can take the Trail 16K, with 650 meters of elevation gain and the same technical-trail character through the Green Ring. For those who’d rather not race, there’s a non-competitive 16K Walk, and dog owners can join the 5K Canicross, starting at 08:30.

• Start and finish in downtown Vitoria-Gasteiz
• Trail 26K: 1,300m D+, UTMB Index 20K scoring
• Trail 16K and Walk 16K: 650m D+
• Canicross 5K: 100m D+, starts at 08:30

A City Built for Running

Vitoria-Gasteiz isn’t an ordinary host city for trail running: its European Green Capital title reflects decades of urban planning around the Green Ring, a network of peri-urban parks connecting downtown to the surrounding hills with barely a transition. That infrastructure, originally designed for walkers and cyclists, makes the city a natural year-round training ground — and explains why the race can launch from the city center without losing any of its mountain character.

Vitoria-Gasteiz Beyond the Race

The Medieval Quarter of Vitoria-Gasteiz, laid out in its distinctive almond shape, holds much of the city’s historic heritage along with plenty of pintxo bars to refuel in after the race. Basque gastronomy and the short drive to La Rioja Alavesa — under an hour away — make this race a perfect excuse to extend your stay beyond race weekend.

Looking for more Basque races? Check out the rest of the trail races in the Basque Country and plan your season with the race planner.

Canicross: run with your dog

This race includes a canicross event. If you’re running it with your dog, you need a pulling harness (never a walking one), a belt with leg loops and a bungee line. The full kit by dog type, how to measure your dog and how to protect it from heat and rock are in our canicross gear guide.