🧭 General Information – ASCEND XTRI

Welcome to ASCEND, the extreme triathlon of the Pyrenees, part of the XTRI World Tour and an official qualifier for the Norseman.
This is more than a race. It’s a journey of endurance and spirit through raw, wild mountain landscapes.

📍 Location & Date

Start location: Lourdes, France
Finish line: Col du Tourmalet
Date: July 25th 2026

The race covers 3 epic disciplines across the Hautes-Pyrénées:
🌊 A night swim in the lake of Lourdes
🚴 A 180 km ride across 4 legendary mountain passes
🏃 A mountain run ending at Col du Tourmalet (with optional summit at Pic du Midi)

📝 Registration

Opening soon: June 30th
Limited to 250 participants.
A valid triathlon license or a medical certificate is required.

🚗 Getting There

By car:

Lourdes is 2 hours from Toulouse and Biarritz.
Take A64 (Toulouse–Pau) or A65 (Bordeaux–Pau), then follow local access roads.

By train:

Direct trains to Lourdes SNCF station from Paris, Toulouse, and Bordeaux.

By air:

Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées Airport (15 min from downtown Lourdes)
Also nearby: Pau Airport (45 min) or Toulouse-Blagnac (2 hours)

🏨 Accommodation

We recommend staying in Lourdes the night before the race.
The town offers a wide range of hotels, guesthouses, hostels, and campsites.

👉 Partner rates will be announced soon.
👉 Accommodation near the Col du Tourmalet is also available for support crews.

🤝 Support & Logistics

Each athlete must be accompanied by a support team with a vehicle.
Support will assist the athlete throughout the event (logistics, nutrition, gear, etc.).

✅ A mandatory briefing will be held the day before the race in Lourdes.
✅ Bib pickup will take place the day before the race