Preparation guide · Orbea Monegros Bike Marathon
Orbea Monegros Bike Marathon 2027: how to prepare it and what to eat and drink
The next edition is on Saturday 24 April 2027 (provisional date: the organisers haven't confirmed it yet; in 2026 it was held on 25 April. Start time is indicative), starting in Los Monegros (Huesca, Spain) at 8:00. Here you have the route of Monegros 112 km, its climbs, the usual weather and how much to eat and drink for your target time.
Monegros 112 km: route and profile
2026 edition track.
| Climb | Where | Length | Gain | Average grade | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climb at km 31 | km 31–40 | 9.2 km | +356 m | 3.9 % | 552 m |
The climbs and key sections, one by one
| Climb or section | Length | What it's like and how to ride it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sariñena → Villanueva de Sigena km 0 | 30.6 km max 5.3 % | 30 km of wide, fast, almost flat tracks with thousands of riders and lots of dust. Very fast start: don't get carried away. Find a group at your pace, glasses on for the dust and leave a gap to the wheel ahead: you can't see the stones. |
| 2. Climb into the Sigena hills km 30.6 | 9.2 km avg 3.9 % · max 7.9 % | The longest climb: about 9 km and 350 m on dirt track, hardest in the last 4 km. Eat in Villanueva de Sigena before it starts. Climb seated with good cadence, at 75–85 % of FTP; on loose ramps, weight back so the wheel doesn't slip. |
| 3. Descent to Peñalba km 39.8 | 15.2 km | 15 km downhill on tracks with bends, ruts and loose stone. Look far ahead, brake before the bends and stay out of the ruts. A good place to drink on the straights, not to take risks. |
| 4. Peñalba → Castejón de Monegros km 55 | 30 km avg 0.6 % · max 2.7 % | 30 km of uphill false flat across the open desert, via Valfarta, up to the San Miguel de Jubierre hermitage (450 m). No shade and often into the wind. The hardest stretch, though not on the profile: in a group taking turns, eating every 20 minutes and drinking even if you aren't thirsty. Fill your bottles in Peñalba and Castejón. |
| 5. Descent and back to Sariñena km 85 | 26.5 km max 2 % | Gentle descent towards Albalatillo and flat tracks back to Sariñena. If you've eaten well, this is fast: find a group and push whatever you have left in the last 10 km. |
Route keys
- About 112 km with under 1,000 m of climbing: it's hard not because of the hills but because of the distance, the dust, the heat and the wind of the Monegros semi-desert. You ride in groups almost all the time, like on the road.
- The only long climb is into the Sigena hills (km 31–40): 9 km and 350 m. The rest is fast tracks and a 30 km false flat (Peñalba–Castejón) which, into the wind, is the hardest part of the day.
- Bike: a full-suspension XC bike or a light hardtail; many ride gravel bikes, but there are loose stony sections and ruts. Low, fast-rolling knobs, tubeless with fresh sealant; slightly higher pressures than for technical trails.
- There's little shade and lots of dust: sunscreen, glasses always and a vented helmet. In a headwind, don't ride alone: in a group on wide tracks you save a lot.
3 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
Monegros 112 km: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 h | 75 g/h | 290 g | 450 ml/h | 2.2 l | 300 mg/h |
| 6 h | 75 g/h | 370 g | 450 ml/h | 2.7 l | 300 mg/h |
| 7 h | 75 g/h | 435 g | 450 ml/h | 3.1 l | 300 mg/h |
| 8 h | 75 g/h | 510 g | 550 ml/h | 4.4 l | 450 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Feed stations
Villanueva de Sigena, Peñalba, Castejón de Monegros and the San Miguel hermitage (Jubierre), in that order: food and drink, no verified kilometres (according to a 2026 participant's report).
The organisers don't publish the kilometre of each station. When they do, mark them in WinWatts and you'll see how much to eat and drink between them at your pace on every climb.
Monegros 112 km: weather in late April
What the weather was like on the last Saturday of April in recent editions:
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 9 ºC | 11 ºC | 0.4 mm | 26 km/h |
| 2023 | 13 ºC | 16 ºC | 2.7 mm | 19 km/h |
| 2024 | 12 ºC | 14 ºC | 1.2 mm | 22 km/h |
| 2025 | 13 ºC | 19 ºC | 0.0 mm | 33 km/h |
| 2026 | 12 ºC | 18 ºC | 0.0 mm | 4 km/h |
Your Orbea Monegros Bike Marathon, tailored to you
This guide uses a typical rider. In WinWatts we calculate it with your data:
- Your time, average power and finish time from your FTP and weight.
- The race-day forecast for each section, and what to wear.
- Your food and drink plan kilometre by kilometre, with your gels, bars and bottles.
- Your training plan until Saturday 24 April 2027, adjusted every week to how you're doing.
WinWatts is not affiliated with the organisers of the Orbea Monegros Bike Marathon. Dates, routes, schedules and registration: official website. Distance and climbing from a participant's 2026 track (Wikiloc); feed stations as described in their report; weather from past editions (Open-Meteo). For guidance only: it doesn't replace advice from a health professional.