Lanzarote, 194 days to go: the full-distance race that's won or lost on the bike

Why it's special

Lanzarote is a full-distance race like no other. It starts in the Atlantic at Playa Grande: a 3.8 km two-lap swim with an Australian exit, water at 18-20 °C, wetsuits almost always allowed. Then the main course: 180 km on a single loop with roughly 2,550 m of climbing and constant winds between 30 and 50 km/h. It finishes with a 42.2 km marathon over three laps of the seafront, flat on paper but exposed to strong sun and air temperatures between 22 and 30 °C, with hardly any shade. Cut-off: 17 hours overall, 2:20 for the swim. The 15 May 2027 date isn't confirmed yet: 194 days to go.

What decides the race

The bike. It's not just the climbing: it's the combination of hills and wind. Anyone who pushes too hard in the first third, with a tailwind, pays the price in the north of the island, where the trade winds turn against you. The benchmark is holding 70-75% of FTP on the favourable stretches and accepting a slower pace where the wind hammers you. Bike handling matters too: aero position on headwind climbs, control of the bike in crosswind gusts. Be careful with deep-section wheels.

The run is flat but deceptive: dry heat, sun until late afternoon, zero shelter. Anyone coming off the bike dehydrated never recovers. The nutrition plan is clear: 80-90 g/h of carbs on the bike, high sodium, bottles according to the aid station plan and not according to thirst.

What the athletes say

Public posts from the last edition describe a race that's extreme even for the pros. @ironmaneurope reports a record-breaking day: a third win on the island for Lucy Charles-Barclay, bike course record and overall record for Sam Laidlow, run split record for Patrick Lange, second among the men. @objtriatlon highlights Lange's marathon, finished in 2h33' in extreme heat after a bike leg averaging 38 km/h. @tripollathlete reports 13 DNFs at the last edition: 2 women and 11 men.

Among age-groupers the tone is different but consistent. @paolomorosini says he teared up after the first hour of the run, realising he would finish his first full on the toughest race on the circuit. @ester__jane describes a brutally hard day that she enjoyed from start to finish, closed out in 14h12', in her second consecutive year on the island. @ironwomanfit_ talks about a sixth full lived with first-timer emotions, finished with an age-group win. The common thread: here, finishing is already a result.

The countdown: what to do now

With more than six months ahead, the priority is twofold. One: train in real wind, long rides into headwinds and crosswinds, even on shallow wheels, seeking out the most exposed routes. Two: logistics. This is a race on a small, in-demand island: flights, bike shipping and accommodation need to be booked early; latecomers pay more and sleep further away. From March onwards: at least three long runs in the heat, cold-water swims practising the beach exit and re-entry, and a cooling strategy tested in training, never improvised on race day.

What to take away

• The bike is the race: conservative pacing in the first third (70-75% FTP), easy gearing for the north, stable wheels in crosswinds.
• Hydration and carbs are non-negotiable: 80-90 g/h on the bike with high sodium; the flat marathon is run on what you put in beforehand.
• Book now: small island, high demand. Flights, bike and accommodation get decided months in advance, not weeks.