IRONMAN Vitoria-Gasteiz
Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain · July · IRONMAN
Why people love it
- Very fast, smooth bike (3:54:33 split in 2024, about 46 km/h (28.6 mph) / 28.6 mph)
- Flat run (about 120 m (394 ft) / 394 ft gain) with big city-centre crowds
- Calm lake swim at about 20-22 °C (68-72 °F), wetsuit usually legal
- Compact green Basque city with great food
Watch out for
- Split transitions: lake T1 with 5:45 shuttles, confusing two-part T2
- Final 1 km (0.6 mi) of bike has roundabouts, curbs and an unlit underpass
- Hotels sell out and prices spike (up to about EUR 1,000 per night on aggregators)
- Few age-group race reports; no 2026 full-distance race found
Race
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 satisfactionLoved3.8
Slowtwitch posters call it excellent and fantastic, with big city crowds. Few age-group reports exist, and one reviewer complained about hotel prices. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
No age-group complaints, but a confusing two-part T2, shuttles at 5:45 and a controversial 2024 pro DQ over penalty timing. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.3
A flat run and a rolling bike on excellent roads, but a 15:30 cutoff, roundabout and underpass hazards, and split transitions. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.8
Pro records (7:36:38 in 2024) are not matched by age-groupers, whose median bike is 28.6 km (17.8 mi)/h (17.8 mph). Expect 1,000-1,100 m (3,300-3,600 ft) of climbing. · Medium confidence
- Course easeModerate3.5
A rolling bike with 8-10% ramps and a flat run (120 m (394 ft) / 394 ft), with modest heat. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalUsually4.3
Typical water is 20-22 °C (68-72 °F) against the 24.5 °C (76.1 °F) limit. The official decision comes on race morning. · Low confidence
- Water temperatureIdeal4.7
At 20-22 °C (68-72 °F) the water is within the comfortable 19-23 °C (66-73 °F) range. · Medium confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.3
A calm, clean lake, with some wind chop mid-lake in 2019. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.9
A single-lap lake with two left turns and a rolling start. In 2013 the buoys were misplaced, making the swim long. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceFine3.4
A calm, clean lake with a direct path to T1, but a long rolling-start wait (8:30 in 2019). We found no recent age-group swim reviews. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceSmooth tarmac4.5
PJAMM rates surface quality as excellent. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.5
Roundabouts and an urban finish approach were flagged. The closure level is not documented. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant3.2
Rolling Basque Alava countryside and lake. No scenery raves. · Low confidence
- WindSome wind2.7
A 2013 finisher met headwinds far above forecast, and a 2019 finisher reports strengthening afternoon wind on the open Alava plains. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.2
The course-record bike was 3:54:33 (about 46 km/h (28.6 mph) / 28.6 mph) on an excellent surface. The age-group median is only 28.6 km (17.8 mi)/h (17.8 mph). · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessRolling3.3
About 1,000-1,100 m (3,300-3,600 ft) per Atlas and Race-Mind, with three ramps near 8% and a pitch near 10% at the end. That is rolling. · Medium confidence
- Bike simplicitySome technical parts2.7
PJAMM flagged roundabouts, concrete curbs, an unlit underpass and a zero-visibility turn. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportStrong4.4
A four-lap city-centre run with thousands cheering and a Plaza Nueva finish party late into the night. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.6
We found no direct reviews. Expect standard IRONMAN aid. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful3.5
A green city centre (European Green Capital) with several dead turns. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsEasy3.9
Flat, shaded and cool in the evenings, but with dead turns and back-and-forth. TriRating found the 2022 run tougher. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.8
About 120 m (394 ft) over a four-loop city marathon. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant4.4
Typically 11-25 °C (52-77 °F), with cool mornings and evenings and highs in the comfortable 18-25 °C (64-77 °F) range. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.2
Oceanic climate. Wind was stronger than forecast in 2013 and 2019, and we found no cancellations. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely3.5
A Basque old town and green city, with a lake plus city streets rather than dramatic scenery. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.0
A multi-loop city run gives repeated viewing, though the lake T1 is less accessible. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeLow3.6
About 525 m (1,720 ft) above sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early2.6
Hotels fill in race week, some athletes stayed outside the city, and aggregator rooms sold out in 2023. · Medium confidence
- Hotel valuePricey2.2
Aggregator prices reached about EUR 1,000 per night, weekends cost about 3x normal, and direct bookings require a 2-night minimum. · Medium confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving3.0
T1 at the lake is about 5 km (3 mi) from the city with a 5:45 shuttle. T2 and finish are in the city. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection2.8
The local airport is small with limited routes. Bilbao is about 50 minutes away by car (65 km (40.4 mi) / 40 mi); hassle from the US. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity2.5
Split transitions (lake T1, confusing city T2), shuttles only and no parking at T1. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood4.3
Basque food culture and a compact old town. This is general knowledge rather than race reviews. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country (Alava), Spain
- Typical month
- July
- Latest or next date
- 13 July 2025
- Organiser
- IRONMAN
- First held
- 2019
- Distances
- 3.8 km (2.4 mi) swim, 180 km (112 mi) bike, 42.2 km (26.2 mi) run
- Cutoffs
- Finish 15:30
- Swim venue
- Landa lake (Lago de Victoria), Vitoria-Gasteiz (lake)
- Water temperature
- 20–22 °C (68–72 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Legal
- Swim start
- rolling
- Bike climbing
- 1,100 m (3,610 ft)
- Bike laps
- 2
- Key climbs
- ~0.5 km above 8% (climbed three times); lake rollers up to 6%; ~10% pitch near km 154
- Run climbing
- 120 m (395 ft)
- Run shade
- city streets and parks
- Air temperature
- 11–25 °C (52–77 °F)
- Humidity
- humid oceanic
- Altitude
- 525 m (1,720 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Vitoria Airport (VIT, limited routes); Bilbao (BIO) ~50 min drive
- Where to stay
- Vitoria-Gasteiz centre
- Booking
- No race-week reports found. Shuttles run from downtown lots/hotels to the swim start at 5:45; no parking at T1.
What racers and reviewers say
- PJAMM Cyclingarticle · Mixed
Course analysis: bike is two laps plus a final city stretch with excellent surface, an ~8% ramp climbed three times and a ~10% pitch near the end. Flags hazards in the final km (0.6 mi) (roundabouts, curbs, an unlit underpass) and a confusing two-part T2. Pleasant afternoons, cool mornings; shuttles to the lake leave at 5:45.
- Slowtwitch forum: Best European IronmanRaced unknown · forum · Positive
US posters ranking European fulls: friends of one called Vitoria-Gasteiz an excellent event, another called it fantastic but a hassle to reach from the US.
- Triathlon Atlasaggregator · Positive
Aggregated course data for 2027: ~21 °C (70 °F) average water, rolling start, ~1,000-1,100 m (3,300-3,600 ft) bike gain, flat multi-loop city marathon, 15:30 overall cutoff, and a tip that evenings get cool on the run. Swim in calm, clean Landa lake.
- TriRating 2024Raced 2024 · aggregator · Positive
2024 pro analysis: good conditions about 4 minutes faster than recent years, with course records in swim, bike, run and overall for both genders (Lopez 7:36:38, Matthews 8:24:23). Credits stronger field for fast times.
- TriRating 2025Raced 2025 · aggregator · Positive
2025 (women's pro race): conditions roughly average for Vitoria; Derron set a new overall course record of 8:21:48 with a 2:51:30 run.
Show 12 more
- Tri-Today: Kallin bike splitRaced 2024 · article · Positive
Reports Kallin's 3:54:33 bike (~46 km/h (28.6 mph) / 28.6 mph), the fastest long-distance split ever recorded at the time; Strava data put the bike at 179.4 km (111.5 mi), so not short. He then faded to 3:03 on the run.
- Tri-Today: 2024 race reportRaced 2024 · article · Mixed
Describes 2024 racing: packs in the women's bike, a 2:37:57 winning marathon, and Laidlow's disqualification for not serving a penalty promptly (a controversial men's race).
- Tri-Today: Derron 2025Raced 2025 · article · Positive
Derron won in 8:21:48 (swim 53:08); Haug withdrew on the run. Article is results-only and says nothing about conditions.
- City of Lancaster Triathlon Club blog: IRONMAN Vitoria-Gasteiz (2019)Raced 2019 · blog · Positive
Club member's report from the inaugural race (13:29:12, a PB). Water was clean and fairly calm, with some wind chop mid-lake; the rolling 8:30 start meant a long wait. The bike went into a strengthening wind, and the run was shaded, well supported and busy in the centre, though he suffered nausea from over-fuelling.
“take the pb and move on”
- Fundssociety: Iñigo Urbano's first Ironman (2013 edition)Raced 2013 · blog · Mixed
First-person account from the 2013 edition (earlier organiser, ~600 athletes), so dated. Swim ran long because of misplaced buoys, the three-lap bike met headwinds far stronger than forecast and nearly made him quit, and the four-lap run was lifted by big crowds in the central square. Water about 22 °C (72 °F).
“Soy un Ironman”
- Gasteiz Hoy: why triathletes choose Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025)Raced 2025 · article · Positive
Video report interviewing visiting athletes from France, Japan, Italy and elsewhere; they point to the charm of the city and the enthusiastic public as the main draw. Info points and the Plaza de Espana expo open from Friday.
- Gasteiz Hoy: pre-race atmosphere (2022)Raced 2022 · article · Positive
Local report on race week: about 2,500 athletes from 65 countries, hotels full and some athletes staying outside the city, expo tents between Virgen Blanca and Plaza de Espana, and many families enjoying the buzz.
- Gasteiz Hoy: 1,000 euros for a hotel night (2023 booking)Raced 2023 · article · Negative
Eight months before the 2023 race, aggregator prices hit about 1,000 euros a night, with direct bookings needing a two-night minimum (around 334 euros total). Some hotels had no rooms; weekends are typically about triple normal rates, with a few options near 90-105 euros.
“Muchos hoteles no tienen disponibilidad”
- Hoteles Silken: race-week guideRaced 2025 · hotel-review · Mixed
Hotel-chain guide (promotional) to the race: shuttles leave central locations 5:30-7:00 for the lake, do not drive since there is no lake parking, and registration is held in the city centre over two days. Confirms a city-centre base works without a car.
- Wanderlog: B&B Hotel Vitoria General Alava reviewshotel-review · Positive
Guests praise the hotel's handling of racing athletes: early breakfast, a tailored dinner menu and friendly staff, with a walkable location near the old town. Review dates unclear.
- Gasteiz Hoy: live coverage of IM Vitoria 2024Raced 2024 · article · Positive
Live blog describes thousands of spectators along the course and a finish-line street party in Plaza Nueva that continued late into the night, with live split tracking. Also records a drafting-penalty DQ in the pro men's race and a medical evacuation.
“La fiesta no decae en la meta de la Plaza Nueva”
- TriRating: IM Vitoria-Gasteiz 2022 analysisRaced 2022 · article · Mixed
Data analysis of the second edition: bike course record of 4:01 (about 15 min faster than 2019) alongside overall times 9 minutes slower than 2019 because the run was tougher. Shows a fast bike and a deceptively demanding run.
Sources
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