When is Badlands 2026?

Late August 2026 (the race traditionally runs on the last weekend of August or the first weekend of September). Confirm the exact 2026 start date, kit-pickup schedule and any pre-race briefing on badlands.cc as the date approaches — the organizer publishes the definitive calendar 4–6 months out.

How difficult is Badlands compared to other ultras?

It is one of the hardest self-supported gravel ultras in the world: 750 km, ~15,000 m of climbing, sustained 35–45 °C desert heat, high-mountain crossings above 2,000 m and no resupply for 60–120 km stretches. Finish rates historically run 40–55% depending on the year's heat. Comparable in difficulty to Tuscany Trail, Trans Balkan Race and Silk Road Mountain Race, though shorter than the last two.

What is a good Badlands ultra training plan?

A realistic Badlands ultra training plan runs 20–32 weeks and hits five targets in parallel: aerobic volume (peak 15–20 hours/week for 10–14 weeks), heat acclimatization (10–14 sauna or hot-room sessions in the final 6 weeks), long back-to-back rides (weekend blocks of 200 + 150 km with a short overnight in between, twice in the final 8 weeks), gut training (60–90 g/hr fueling on every long ride to build tolerance) and sleep-deprivation rehearsal (at least one training block with a 22:00–02:00 ride followed by a 3-hour sleep and a 05:00 restart). A 2-week taper with race-effort openers finishes the block.

How should I prepare for Andalusian summer heat?

Run 10–14 heat-acclimatization sessions (sauna 20–30 min post-easy-ride, or indoor trainer in a warm room 45–60 min at moderate effort) in the 6 weeks pre-race — this expands plasma volume ~5–10% and lowers core temperature at a given power. Practice full-race hydration and sodium (700–1,200 mg/L drink mix) on training rides of 4+ hours in real heat. If you live in a cool climate, book at least one 5–7 day training trip somewhere ≥32 °C in the 4 weeks before the race.

Where can I download the Badlands GPX file or course map?

The official 2026 GPX is published by the organizer at badlands.cc and is released to registered riders in the weeks before the event (historically 4–8 weeks pre-race). It is not made public. Third-party route summaries and previous-year GPX circulate on RideWithGPS and Komoot but should never be treated as the official current-year route — Badlands changes 10–20% of the course year to year to protect the terrain and adapt to local access.

How many aid stations are there at Badlands?

Zero. Badlands is fully self-supported — every calorie, litre of water, tube and spare part is either carried or bought at village shops, gas stations, bars and marked fountains (fuentes) along the roadbook. Third-party support outside declared checkpoints results in disqualification. This is a fundamental difference from stage races and mass-participation gravel events.

How much water should I carry between resupply points?

Plan 4–6 L of on-bike capacity for the Gorafe and Filabres crossings. A typical Badlands setup: 2× 1 L bottles in the frame, 2× 500–750 ml soft flasks in a hip pack or top-tube bag, plus a 1.5–2 L hydration bladder for the biggest 80–120 km desert gaps. Refuse to leave any working resupply without every container full — the next one may be closed for siesta, broken, or dry.

What bike and tyre setup work best for Badlands?

A rigid drop-bar gravel bike with 45–50 mm tubeless tyres (some riders run up to 2.1" MTB rubber on a wide gravel frame) and a reinforced casing (Vittoria TerraSpeed XC-Race, Panaracer GravelKing SK+, Rene Herse Standard casing on smooth sections). Fast-rolling file tread with reinforced sidewalls beats aggressive knobs — most Badlands terrain is rocks and shale, not mud. Rigid front is standard; a short-travel suspension fork adds weight for marginal comfort gain and increases bail-out risk.

How do I plan sleep on Badlands?

Most sub-4-day finishers use 2–3 structured 3–5 hr sleeps in planned pueblos (village hostals, casas rurales, sometimes bench-side bivy). The dominant tactic is: day 1 push through 18–20 hours to a night stop around km 250–300, sleep 3–5 hours, ride day 2 into the Gorafe pre-dawn, night stop around km 500, ride day 3–4 to finish with one more optional 2–3 hr nap. Sleeping mid-day in shaded venta during the 14:00–17:00 heat peak is a common tactic that doesn't count as 'sleep' but preserves gut function.

Can I use hotels and hostals during the race?

Yes — Badlands rules allow use of any commercial accommodation (hotels, hostals, casas rurales) that is available to any member of the public. What is not allowed: pre-booked private support, someone driving supplies to meet you, or accommodation not available to the general public. Booking a hostal 20 min before you arrive is fine; having a friend book it for you and leave the key is a grey area — read the current-year rulebook carefully.

What should I eat at Spanish village bars and shops during the race?

Bocadillos (bread + Manchego + jamón + tomato) are the staple — high carb, moderate fat, protein, some sodium. Menú del día at a venta is 8–15 EUR for a hot 2-course meal that's ideal at a sleep stop. Village tienda stock: bread, dates, olives, chorizo, cheese, Cola-Cao, Coca-Cola, sports drink, banana. Ice cream and cold Coke are legitimate heat-management tools mid-afternoon.

How do I qualify or register for Badlands?

Registration for Badlands opens in December-February for the following August edition on badlands.cc. It is not lottery-based but has a defined field size and typically sells out. Riders must submit an ultra-cycling experience declaration; the organizer reserves the right to decline entries without documented ultra experience for safety reasons. There is no lottery, no qualifier series and no automatic entry — you register early and confirm your slot with payment.

How much does Badlands cost to enter?

Recent editions have run approximately 350–450 EUR for the race entry, which includes GPX release, roadbook, race number, tracker rental (or deposit), pre-race briefing and finish-line services. Total trip cost including flights to Granada, bike travel, pre-race lodging and race-week food typically runs 1,200–2,500 EUR for European riders and 2,500–4,500 EUR for riders travelling from North America or Asia.

Can I defer my Badlands entry?

Deferral, transfer and refund policies are set year-by-year by the organizer. Historically a limited one-year deferral has been available for documented medical reasons requested by a published deadline (typically 60 days pre-race). Late-request or informal deferrals are not granted. Always confirm the current-year policy in the badlands.cc registration terms.

What categories does Badlands offer?

The Badlands 750 is the flagship distance, run in two categories: solo (self-supported) and pair (two riders, matched pace, fully self-supported as a unit). A shorter Badlands 350 is sometimes offered as a companion event covering roughly the first half of the route. Age-group ranking is applied post-hoc from finisher timing. Confirm the current-year category list on badlands.cc.

What are the Badlands checkpoints and cutoffs?

Badlands uses GPS live-tracking rather than staffed checkpoints. There are typically 2–3 mandatory route waypoints (photo-check or QR-scan at published landmarks) plus an overall time limit of ~7 days for the 750. Missing a mandatory waypoint or exceeding the overall cutoff results in a non-finish (scratch or DNF) rather than an immediate pull-off. Confirm the current-year mandatory points and overall cutoff in the pre-race athlete briefing.

Which airport should I fly to for Badlands?

Granada (GRX) is the closest airport to the start, with direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and a handful of European hubs. Málaga (AGP) is 90–120 min by car with far more international connections (including direct flights from the UK, Germany, Netherlands and Ireland) and often cheaper bike-travel fees. Almería (LEI) is the closest airport to the finish for the return leg — most riders fly out via Malaga or Granada with a bus/taxi back from Almería.

Where should I stay before and after Badlands?

Granada Old Town (Albaicín, Realejo) is 15–20 min ride to the traditional start, walkable to bike-friendly bars and packed with pre-race dinner options. Casas rurales in the surrounding Alpujarra villages are popular for pre-race acclimatization. Post-race Almería / Cabo de Gata (San José, El Cabo de Gata) is 30–60 min from the finish, offers cold beaches for recovery and has direct bus/train back to Granada or onward flights from Almería.

How hot does Badlands actually get?

Historical race-week highs in the Gorafe and Tabernas deserts have hit 42–46 °C in the shade; on radiating rock surface temperatures can push above 55 °C. Nights above 2,000 m in the Sierra Nevada can drop to 5–10 °C. Plan for a 40 °C swing across a single 24-hour period. The 2022 edition was cancelled mid-race by the organizer due to a wildfire in extreme-heat conditions — heat is not theoretical.

Do I need to speak Spanish for Badlands?

You can finish without Spanish — many international riders do — but basic Spanish for shop transactions and menú del día ordering saves time and stress. Key phrases: 'dos bocadillos por favor', 'una Coca-Cola bien fría', 'agua sin gas', '¿está abierto el bar a las cinco?' Google Translate offline for Spanish downloaded to your phone before the race is essential for edge cases.

How much carbohydrate loading do I need before Badlands?

For 2–3 days before the race, target 8–10 g/kg body mass per day of carbohydrate from familiar low-fibre sources (rice, pasta, potato, bread, sports drinks). Reduce fat and fibre, keep protein moderate, hydrate steadily with sodium. Unlike a 3-hour road race, day 1 of Badlands will fully deplete stored glycogen anyway — the goal of loading is to buy the first 3–4 hours of race intensity, not to fuel the whole race.

How do I handle GI issues on a multi-day ultra?

Prevention beats treatment: train the gut to 60–90 g/hr in the 12+ weeks pre-race, rotate carb sources (gel + drink-mix + real food) to avoid single-flavour fatigue, and cap total intake in extreme heat. If GI symptoms arrive: switch to real food (bread, boiled potato, plain rice), drop sports products for 4–6 hours, add ginger tea or a Coca-Cola with salt, and accept a slower pace until the gut resets. Do not push through vomiting — a 2-hour reset saves the race.

Is Badlands the same as the Silk Road Mountain Race or Tuscany Trail?

No. Badlands is a self-supported gravel race in Spain (~750 km, ~15,000 m). Tuscany Trail is a bikepacking event in Italy (~460 km, non-competitive). Silk Road Mountain Race is a self-supported ultra in Kyrgyzstan (~1,900 km, extreme high-altitude). They share the self-support philosophy and GPS-tracking format but differ significantly in terrain, distance and required experience.

Badlands Race-Day Checklist — Fueling, Kit & Execution

Badlands race-day checklist

A minimal execution checklist. Every line should be rehearsed in training, not tried for the first time on race day.

Bottles pre-mixed with target carbohydrate and sodium concentration
Backup calories (gels or chews) equal to 30–50% of planned intake
Caffeine doses pre-portioned and timed
Drop bag / aid plan with bottle swaps written down
Pre-race breakfast rehearsed in training
Layering plan for start-line temperature
Sunscreen, chamois cream and any GI insurance (e.g., anti-nausea)
Post-race recovery calories staged at the finish

Packing list

Bike

Race bike (fully serviced 2 weeks out)
Two large bottle cages in main triangle
Frame bag + top-tube bag + seat pack (~507–676 fl oz total)
Two GPS devices (main + phone backup)
Two front lights + one rear light + head torch
Dynamo hub + cache battery

Nutrition (3–4 days on route)

Gels / chews / drink mix for 24 h + 30% buffer
Salt caps (2× daily allowance)
3–4 real-food emergency bars
Caffeine tablets or gels (200–400 mg reserve)
Instant coffee sachets
Ice-cream + cold Coke budget (mid-afternoon heat)

Hydration

2× 34 fl oz frame bottles
2× 17–25 fl oz soft flasks (hip pack or bar bag)
51–68 fl oz hydration bladder
Stainless-steel Nalgene backup for filling at questionable fuentes
Water purification tablets (backup)
Electrolyte tabs for pre-mixing (700–1,200 mg/L)

Clothing

2× bib shorts (swap at sleep stop)
1× jersey
UPF sun sleeves
Cycling cap under helmet
Buff (neck + face sun protection)
2× cycling socks
Lightweight rain jacket
Lightweight puffer or fleece (Sierra nights)
Cycling gloves + full-finger optional
Photochromic sunglasses

Sleep kit

Lightweight bivy bag or emergency space blanket
Silk sleeping bag liner (for hostal beds)
Inflatable pillow
Ear plugs + eye mask
Small quick-dry towel

Tools & spares

2× tubes
2× tyre plug kits + tyre boots
Multi-tool with chain breaker
2× chain quick links
Spare derailleur hanger
Spoke wrench + 3–4 spare spokes taped to chainstay
2 sets brake pads
Small tube of chain lube
Zip ties + electrical tape
Small first-aid kit (blister patches, ibuprofen, chamois cream, anti-chafe balm)

Documents & logistics

Athlete brief printout
Race number + tracker (issued at registration)
Passport / ID
Debit card + 100 EUR cash (villages don't always take card)
Emergency contact card in top-tube bag

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A practical race-week checklist: carbs, hydration, sodium, caffeine and race-day supplies — print it or keep it on your phone.

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Badlands — Race-Day Checklist

Badlands race-day checklist

Packing list