The 2026 T100 Spain chose Pamplona for a reason. The Plaza del Castillo finish — the medieval city's central square, surrounded by arcaded 18th-century buildings — is the kind of backdrop that makes destination-athlete travel worth the flight cost before a training road has been touched.
The training roads are good.
The City
Pamplona sits at around 450 metres elevation in the heart of Navarra, built on a promontory above the Arga river. The compact old city is enclosed within Renaissance-era walls. The walls themselves are a running route — the complete circuit is 4.5 kilometres with elevation changes at the bastions, and locals use them at dawn and dusk. The surface is smooth flagstone; trail shoes or road shoes both work.
A practical note: the San Fermín festival (July 6–14) defines Pamplona's international reputation, but the running of the bulls is not the reason destination athletes should come. Come in May or September. The old city is quieter, the streets are yours, and the accommodation does not require booking six months ahead.
Cycling the T100 Bike Route
The 73km bike course from the Alloz Reservoir to Pamplona runs through characteristic Navarra terrain: rolling plateau farmland, vineyard country, occasional sharp ridge-line ramps separating the river valleys. Roads are wide and well-maintained with minimal sharp climbs — a course that builds race-day fitness through sustained power efforts rather than explosive climbing.
To ride the full T100 bike course: start at the Alloz Reservoir dam (accessible from the village of Olazagutia). The route descends to Estella, rolls northeast through Puente la Reina and Cizur Menor, and descends into Pamplona. The final approach runs through the city's western suburbs to the Plaza del Castillo. The full route is well-signposted in the weeks before and after race day; outside those windows, a GPS file is useful.
Alloz Reservoir for open-water swimming: the swim venue is a turquoise limestone lake in a valley 40 kilometres west of the city. Open-water swimming is permitted from designated access points outside race weekends. Water temperature in May: approximately 16°C. Wetsuit required.
Connect with training partners, earn travel miles, and discover terrain worth crossing borders for.
Join ZealZagFollow us on InstagramExtending the Ride: Navarra's Training Roads
Puerto de Roncesvalles and Ibañeta (1,057m) — the Pyrenean climbs that the Camino de Santiago crosses from France into Spain. Accessible within 90 minutes of Pamplona by bike or car-to-base-of-climb. The road is historic — the route Charlemagne's army used, the same pass pilgrims have walked for a thousand years — and the cycling is excellent. Plan it as a 4–5 hour round trip from the city.
Alto de Artesiaga — a Pyrenean col 40 minutes east of Pamplona. Good surface, moderate traffic, and views into the Basque country on clear days. More direct approach from the city centre than Roncesvalles.
Bardenas Reales — the semi-desert badlands one hour south of Pamplona. Flat, otherworldly, a World Biosphere Reserve. The landscape looks like the American Southwest; the clay columns and plateaus are eroded sandstone. Road cycling through the Bardenas is excellent for time-trial-position training — there is nothing to look at except the road ahead and the terrain. Ride early morning for the best light and lowest temperatures.
Running: The Camino de Santiago
The Camino Francés — the main pilgrimage route from France — enters Spain at Roncesvalles and reaches Pamplona after 25 kilometres of mountain and foothill trail. The route is waymarked, well-maintained, and largely car-free on rural sections. Running it in either direction from the city gates is 15–25km depending on turnback point.
For long runs that serve a purpose beyond accumulated volume, the Camino offers two hours of varied terrain — descents, farm tracks, village passes — with no routing decisions required. The pilgrimage infrastructure (fountains, rest stops, signage) makes it logistically simple.
Where to Stay
Base in the old city (Casco Antiguo). Being within the walls puts you five minutes from the Alloz road heading west and the Camino routes heading east. The area has the best concentration of pintxos bars in Navarra, which is not irrelevant to a triathlete's training-week nutrition options.
Boutique hotels and apartments within the walls are the most practical accommodation. Avoid the city's central hotel cluster during San Fermín (July 6–14) unless you have booked a year ahead.
When to Go
May — what the T100 race proved. Warm but not yet hot on the roads, the Pyrenees fully open, the city uncrowded. A week in Pamplona in May is one of the most underrated training trips in Europe.
September — after San Fermín, after the summer heat breaks. Cool Pyrenean weather, clear roads, the new-season energy of a university town re-activating.
Avoid July and August unless you specifically want the festival and are racing in heat conditions.
Frequently Asked
How does Navarra compare to Mallorca or Lanzarote for triathlon training? Navarra's cycling terrain is less flat than the classic tri-training destinations but rewards athletes who want to combine threshold bike work with Pyrenean climbing. The running and swimming infrastructure is excellent. Crowds are a fraction of Mallorca's May calendar.
What is the water temperature at Alloz Reservoir in May? Approximately 16°C. Wetsuit recommended. Water quality is clean and the reservoir is officially designated for recreational swimming.
Can I ride to the Pyrenees from Pamplona without a car transfer? Yes, from the city centre to the Roncesvalles pass is accessible by bike — roughly 65km one-way with 1,000m of climbing. It is a full-day round trip at a tempo pace.
How do I find training partners in the region? Use Find Athletes in Pamplona on ZealZag to connect with athletes already training in Navarra.
For the T100 Spain race report, see our T100 Spain field report.
