How technical is Race Across France?

Demanding climbs and descents on paved roads require strong handling and pacing skills.[2]

Race Across France Review 2026 | France

[01]

Course Overview

1553 mi

Distance

80,000 ft

Elevation

Dinan to Mandelieu-la-Napoule, France

Location

June 18, 2026

Date

Field Size

--

Entry Cost

+ Google Calendar Download .ics

MORE IN FRANCE: Torino Nice Rally · Grinduro France · La Vaujany Cyclosportive

[03]

The Course

A monumental road ultra traversing France from Brittany's rugged coast to the French Riviera, blending coastal paths, rural farmlands, volcanic Massif Central climbs, and culminating in the high Alps with relentless elevation and visual splendor.

Signature challenge: Cime de la Bonette ascent: Europe's highest paved road at 2802m, the ultimate test of power, pacing, and altitude tolerance after 1,400+ miles.

SURFACE COMPOSITION

Course

paved 100%

paved 100%gravel 0%other 0%

?

MILE

Monts d'Arrée (Brittany)

?

MILE

Massif Central (Cantal & Cézallier)

?

MILE

Cime de la Bonette (Alps)

[07]

Training

June 18, 2026 RACE ACROSS FRANCE

[08]

Train for Race Across France

RACE DEMAND PROFILE

Durability

10

Climbing

10

VO2 Power

5

Threshold

5

Technical

8

Heat

6

Altitude

6

Race Specificity

9

3 WORKOUTS BUILT FOR THIS RACE

Each workout below is selected from our archetype library based on Race Across France’s specific demands. Click any workout to see the full execution protocol.

Durability Progressive Fatigue

2hr +

Power targets INCREASE as duration goes on — reverse-pacing that builds race-finishing strength.

1553 miles. Your legs will beg to quit after 120. This trains the power output you need from mile 130 onward.

WU 15m

Z2 30m

TEMPO 20m

G-SPOT 15m

FTP 10m

VO2 5m

CD

STRUCTURE 15min warm-up → 30min Z2 → 20min Tempo → 15min G-Spot → 10min Threshold → 5min VO2 → cool-down

EXECUTION Each block is harder than the last. By the time you hit threshold, you’ve been riding for 80+ minutes. The final VO2 effort is the test — can you go HARD when everything says stop? This is how you win the last 20 miles of a gravel race.

POWER Z2: 65–70% | Tempo: 78–85% | G-Spot: 88–92% | Threshold: 95–100% | VO2: 110–115% FTP

CADENCE Z2: 85rpm | Tempo: 88rpm | G-Spot: 90rpm | Threshold: 92rpm | VO2: 95–100rpm

POSITION Progressive: hoods → drops as intensity rises

RPE Z2: 3 | Tempo: 5 | G-Spot: 6–7 | Threshold: 8 | VO2: 9

RACE-SPECIFIC: RACE ACROSS FRANCE

HEAT PREP June in Dinan to Mandelieu-la-Napoule, France can bring heat. Complete 3–4 heat exposure sessions in the final 2 weeks before Race Across France. Increase sodium intake 48 hours before race day.

NUTRITION Ultra-distance fueling for 1553 miles: 80–100g carbs/hour from mile 1 — don’t wait until you’re hungry. Practice your exact race-day nutrition in every long training ride. Carry backup calories. 1553 miles burns 8,000–12,000+ calories — you cannot replace them all, but you must try.

ALTITUDE Moderate altitude at Race Across France. Arrive 2–3 days early. Reduce intensity expectations by 5–10%. Hydrate aggressively.

TERRAIN Highly technical terrain at Race Across France demands practice on similar surfaces. Ride mixed terrain at race-day cadence weekly. Practice cornering, descending, and power delivery on unstable surfaces. Dial in tire pressure before race week — 5 PSI wrong costs you 15+ minutes over 1553 miles.

Endurance Terrain Simulation Z2

2hr +

Zone 2 with rolling terrain simulation — undulating power that builds fat oxidation.

Every hard session works better with a bigger aerobic base. At 1553 miles, base fitness is the difference between racing and surviving.

WU

RISE

FLAT

RISE

VALLEY

RISE

FLAT

RISE

VALLEY

RISE

CD

STRUCTURE 10min warm-up → 1.75hr alternating 4min @ 72–78% FTP (rises) and 6min @ 62–68% FTP (valleys) → cool-down

EXECUTION Stay in Zone 2 the entire time, but undulate your power to simulate rolling terrain. The rises push the top of Z2; the valleys ease off. This builds terrain-responsive pacing without leaving the aerobic zone. Your body learns to modulate power without thinking.

POWER Rises: 72–78% FTP | Valleys: 62–68% FTP | All within Zone 2

CADENCE Rises: 80–85rpm | Valleys: 88–92rpm

POSITION Alternate: hoods on rises, drops on flats. Build position endurance.

RPE 3–4 throughout — never hard, but never mindless

RACE-SPECIFIC: RACE ACROSS FRANCE

HEAT PREP June in Dinan to Mandelieu-la-Napoule, France can bring heat. Complete 3–4 heat exposure sessions in the final 2 weeks before Race Across France. Increase sodium intake 48 hours before race day.

NUTRITION Ultra-distance fueling for 1553 miles: 80–100g carbs/hour from mile 1 — don’t wait until you’re hungry. Practice your exact race-day nutrition in every long training ride. Carry backup calories. 1553 miles burns 8,000–12,000+ calories — you cannot replace them all, but you must try.

ALTITUDE Moderate altitude at Race Across France. Arrive 2–3 days early. Reduce intensity expectations by 5–10%. Hydrate aggressively.

TERRAIN Highly technical terrain at Race Across France demands practice on similar surfaces. Ride mixed terrain at race-day cadence weekly. Practice cornering, descending, and power delivery on unstable surfaces. Dial in tire pressure before race week — 5 PSI wrong costs you 15+ minutes over 1553 miles.

Over Under Ladder Over-Unders

1.1hr +

Over-unders with increasing over-duration — the ladder adds progressive stress.

At Race Across France, surges push you above threshold and you have to recover while still riding. Over-unders train exactly that.

WU 10m

3m U

30s O

3m U

45s O

3m U

60s O

3m U

75s O

3m U

90s O

CD

FREE

GET THE RACE ACROSS FRANCE PREP KIT

12-week training timeline, race-day checklists, packing list, and personalized fueling calculator — unlocked instantly.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

[09]

Race Logistics

Parking

Available at start venues like Dinan historic center and Mandelieu Exhibition Center.

OFFICIAL SITE

NEWS

Latest Coverage

[—]

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the climate like at Race Across France?

Mediterranean warmth in June, but variable weather across regions from coastal breezes to mountain chills.[2]

How are the logistics for Race Across France?

Well-supported with bases de vie, but self-supported nature requires meticulous planning.[2]

How adventurous is Race Across France?

Epic traversal of France's diverse landscapes from Brittany coast to Alpine peaks offers unparalleled adventure in ultra-cycling.[1]

How prestigious is Race Across France?

Flagship event of the Race Across Series since 2010s, recognized in the European ultra-endurance community.[2]

[11]

Sources & Citations

Research sources used to build this race profile. Always verify details with official race sources before making travel or registration decisions.

Other Sources Jonasjonas.verest.ch/stories/2025-race-across-france-en
Official Official Websiteen.raceacrossseries.com/race-across-france-2025
Other Sources Ahotuwww.ahotu.com/event/race-across-france
Other Sources Raceacrossfranceraceacrossfrance.cc/en/

Race Across France

The Ratings

Train for Race Across France

Course Overview

The Course

Racer Reviews

RATE RACE ACROSS FRANCE

Training

Train for Race Across France

RACE DEMAND PROFILE

3 WORKOUTS BUILT FOR THIS RACE

GET THE RACE ACROSS FRANCE PREP KIT

Race Logistics

Latest Coverage

Similar Races

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the climate like at Race Across France?

How are the logistics for Race Across France?

How adventurous is Race Across France?

How prestigious is Race Across France?

Sources & Citations