IRONMAN 70.3 Vitoria-Gasteiz

Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain · July · IRONMAN

IRONMAN 70.3 Vitoria-Gasteiz: ullibarri-gamboa reservoir (swim venue)Photo is not from race dayBasotxerri, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ullibarri-Gamboa reservoir (swim venue). Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Why people love it

  • Flat reservoir swim at 21-24 °C (70-75 °F)
  • Finish in Plaza de España in the medieval old town
  • Rolling 90 km (56 mi) bike with about 500 m (1,640 ft) of gain on good roads
  • Large crowds and a sold-out atmosphere shared with the full-distance race

Watch out for

  • One edition so far (2026) and no first-person athlete reports
  • Hot 2026 race day; July air can top 29 °C (84 °F)
  • Wetsuit call is marginal near 24 °C (75 °F); pros swam without in 2026
  • Split transitions: swim at Landa, T2 and finish in the city
  • A swim fatality was reported at the combined 2026 event

Race

3.4Good

How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 27% of the overall score.

  • Racer satisfactionLoved3.7

    First edition in July 2026 with big crowds and a sold-out field, but no first-person athlete reports yet and a hot day. · Low confidence

  • OrganizationWell run3.8

    IRONMAN-run and sold out with 3,000+ athletes across both races; no reported course errors, but only organiser and press coverage. · Low confidence

  • First timer friendlyFriendly3.6

    Calm reservoir swim and a mostly flat run, but a rolling bike, July heat and split transitions add complexity. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • PR potentialFast3.5

    About 500 m (1,640 ft) of bike gain and 240 m (790 ft) on the run; winners went 3:37:23 and 4:11:18 in heat. · Low confidence

  • Course easeTough3.4

    Rolling bike and a mostly flat run, with heat the main challenge in 2026. · Low confidence

Swim

3.8Very good

Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.

  • Wetsuit legalCoin flip3.1

    Water was 24.2 °C (75.6 °F) in 2026: wetsuits allowed for age-groupers, banned for pros. July sits near the 24.5 °C (76.1 °F) limit. · Low confidence

  • Water temperatureComfortable3.7

    Listed average is 21 °C (70 °F), but race morning in 2026 read 24.2 °C (75.6 °F), on the warm side. · Low confidence

  • Calm waterMostly calm4.4

    Inland reservoir listed as flat water with no current. · Medium confidence

  • Swim easeEasy3.9

    Single 1.9 km (1.2 mi) loop, but a mass start for a 3,000-athlete event; no navigation complaints found. · Low confidence

  • Swim experienceGreat3.5

    Scenic reservoir at Landa with large start crowds; no swimmer reports found. · Low confidence

Bike

4.1Very good

Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.

  • Road surfaceGood4.2

    A course-profile site rates the surface excellent on the shared full-distance roads; no 70.3 rider reports. · Low confidence

  • Road closuresMostly closed4.1

    IRONMAN manages road closures across Alava; not yet confirmed by athlete reports. · Low confidence

  • Bike sceneryBeautiful3.8

    Wine-country plain and reservoir views, described as rolling Spanish wine country. · Low confidence

  • WindSome wind3.0

    Open Llanada Alavesa plain; no wind data found either way. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Bike speedFast3.6

    Single 90 km (56 mi) loop with about 500 m (1,640 ft) of gain; the fastest men's bike split was 1:54:02. · Low confidence

  • Bike flatnessMostly flat3.7

    About 500 m (1,640 ft) over 90 km (56 mi): rolling, between flat at 300 m (985 ft) and hilly at 900 m (2,950 ft). · Medium confidence

  • Bike simplicityMostly simple3.7

    Rolling roads with a short 8% ramp of 0.5 km (0.3 mi) and a steeper approach to the city; no technical complaints. · Low confidence

Run

4.0Very good

Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.

  • Crowd supportStrong4.1

    Coverage describes thousands of spectators in Landa and the city centre, with a finish in the old town. · Medium confidence

  • Aid stationsGood3.6

    No aid-station reports yet; standard IRONMAN support assumed. · Low confidence

  • Run sceneryBeautiful4.2

    Two loops through the medieval centre (Casco Viejo) to a Plaza de España finish. · Medium confidence

  • Run conditionsModerate3.0

    Hot 2026 conditions across the whole course per Basque press; no run-specific feedback. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Run flatnessMostly flat3.6

    About 240 m (790 ft) over 21.1 km (13.1 mi), listed as flat but with some rise. · Medium confidence

Conditions

3.4Good

Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.

  • Air temperatureWarm or cool3.0

    Basque press called 2026 demanding and hot; July highs typically reach the upper 20s °C (low 80s °F). · Low confidence

  • Weather reliabilityVariable3.3

    One edition so far, and it was hot; July can also bring variable Atlantic weather. · Low confidence

  • Venue beautyLovely4.1

    Historic Basque city, a reservoir and rolling Alava countryside. · Medium confidence

  • Spectator friendlyEasy3.9

    Crowds at Landa and in the old town, with the run looping through the centre. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Low altitudeLow3.5

    Vitoria sits near 525 m (1,720 ft), with the reservoir at similar height. · Medium confidence

Stay and travel

3.0Good

Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.

  • Hotel availabilityBook early3.3

    A mid-size city hosting 3,000+ athletes plus families; no sell-out reports found. · Low confidence

  • Hotel valueGood3.8

    Spanish provincial prices; no race-week gouging found. · Low confidence

  • WalkabilitySome driving2.8

    The swim is at Landa, about 15 km (9 mi) from the city, while T2 and the finish are in the centre. · Low confidence

  • Travel easeOne connection3.2

    Vitoria airport is small; Bilbao is about 65 km (40 mi) away. · Medium confidence

  • LogisticsSome complexity2.6

    Split transitions: swim and T1 at Landa, T2 and finish in the city. · Medium confidence

  • Town and foodGreat4.5

    Famed Basque food scene and a lively old town. · Low confidence

Key facts

Location
Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country (Alava), Spain
Typical month
July
Latest or next date
11 July 2027
Organiser
IRONMAN
First held
2026
Distances
1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run
Swim venue
Ullibarri-Gamboa reservoir, Landa (reservoir)
Water temperature
21–24 °C (70–75 °F)
Wetsuit
Age-group legal in 2026 at 24.2 C (75.6 F); pros banned
Swim start
mass/wave (70.3 started before the full distance)
Swim laps
1
Bike climbing
500 m (1,640 ft)
Bike laps
1
Key climbs
Short 8 percent ramp, 0.5 km (0.3 mi), on the A-3012 in the full-distance loop
Run climbing
240 m (785 ft)
Run laps
2
Air temperature
14–29 °C (57–84 °F)
Altitude
525 m (1,720 ft)
Nearest airport
Vitoria (VIT); Bilbao (BIO) as main alternative
Where to stay
Casco Viejo, City centre near Plaza de Espana
Booking
Combined 3,000+ athletes with a sold-out full-distance race.

Official race website (ironman.com)

What racers and reviewers say

  • Slowtwitch, We NoticedRaced 2026 · article · Positive

    Pro-race wrap of the first 70.3 in Vitoria-Gasteiz: a wire-to-wire women's win in 4:11:18 and a men's win built on the fastest bike (1:54:02) and run (1:10:17). Has no weather or course commentary.

  • Tri247Raced 2026 · article · Positive

    Results report for the first edition: women's leader exited a 28:16 swim and held on, men's race decided on the bike with a front group of five forming. Early 2027 world-championship slots were awarded.

  • GasteizHoy, winners reportRaced 2026 · article · Positive

    Local report on the first 70.3: 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim at Ullibarri-Gamboa, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run, finish at Plaza de Espana. Called a major novelty of the 2026 calendar.

  • GasteizHoy, photo galleryRaced 2026 · article · Positive

    Gallery notes 24.2 C (75.6 F) water at the reservoir, wetsuits allowed for age-groupers but not pros. Describes large crowds from Landa to the old town and says both races sold out, 3,000+ athletes from 85 countries.

  • GasteizHoy, swim videoRaced 2026 · article · Positive

    Describes the mass start in Landa, with the 70.3 athletes entering first and full-distance athletes following. Notes the new format debuting this year.

Show 3 more
  • Onda VascaRaced 2026 · article · Mixed

    Reports a demanding day with high temperatures across the whole course and a fatality during the swim leg of the combined event. Which distance the athlete was racing is not clear from the summary.

  • PJAMM Cycling course profileRaced 2023 · article · Positive

    Course-profiling site describes the full-distance bike as rolling wine country on excellent surface with a repeated 8 percent ramp and a steep final approach. Applies to the full-distance loop, not confirmed for the 70.3.

  • RaceRaves race pageRaced 2026 · aggregator · Mixed

    Lists a flat 1.9 km (1.2 mi) reservoir swim at 21 C (70 F), a rolling 90 km (56 mi) bike with c.500 m (1,640 ft) gain, and two flat run loops with c.240 m (790 ft). No athlete reviews yet.

Sources

Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.

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