The Basque star returns with ambition renewed.
SALARDÚ, SPAIN — July 2026.
Spanish trail runner Sara Alonso will begin the Peades d’Aigua race at HOKA Val d’Aran by UTMB with a clear objective: competing for victory rather than merely completing another high-level mountain challenge. The Basque athlete enters the 55-kilometer contest as one of the strongest favorites in a women’s field featuring several experienced international competitors. Alonso has acknowledged the quality of her rivals, but her recent performances and competitive mentality have encouraged her to approach the event with maximum ambition. Her presence gives the PDA one of its most prominent national figures as the European Major of the UTMB World Series begins in the Pyrenees.
The race will start from the mountain village of Salardú on July 2 and will take competitors across some of the most spectacular terrain in the Val d’Aran. Its route covers 55 kilometers, approximately 3,300 meters of positive elevation gain and around 3,700 meters of descent before reaching the finish. Runners will cross the Colomèrs area, home to the largest glacial lake cirque in the Pyrenees, while confronting technical paths, exposed sections and repeated changes in altitude. The combination of distance, elevation and difficult terrain makes the PDA a race in which tactical control can be as decisive as raw speed.
Alonso arrives after a demanding opening half of the season that confirmed her position among the leading figures in Spanish trail running. She won the Calamorro SkyRace and Acantilados del Norte before placing third at the 2026 Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon, where she completed the course faster than during her victorious performance the previous year. Her result at Zegama demonstrated that she remained competitive against an exceptional international field despite difficult weather, deep mud and intense pressure from other Basque runners. Those performances also strengthened expectations that she could challenge for first place when returning to the longer and more sustained effort required at Val d’Aran.
Her preparation was interrupted after Zegama when she was diagnosed with a kidney stone, forcing her to stop training temporarily and withdraw from the European Trail Running Championships. The medical setback created uncertainty over whether she would recover sufficiently to compete at her usual level in the PDA. Alonso nevertheless resumed preparation after receiving treatment and has indicated that her condition has improved enough to approach the race competitively. Her participation therefore represents another test of resilience for an athlete whose career has already included recoveries from injuries, illness and other unexpected interruptions.
The 2026 PDA women’s field includes American runner Helen Mino Faukner, Spanish athlete Nuria Gil and several competitors capable of influencing the race from its earliest climbs. Gil brings national championship credentials and extensive experience on technical terrain, although her own recent physical condition has generated uncertainty following injury problems earlier in the season. Other Spanish runners, including former PDA winner Inés Astrain, provide additional depth to a contest that could remain open until the final descent. Alonso will consequently need to manage her effort carefully rather than relying on an aggressive early attack against rivals familiar with long mountain races.
The race also carries significant consequences within the UTMB World Series because Val d’Aran serves as the European Major during the 2026 season. Finishers receive double the usual number of Running Stones, while leading athletes can secure direct access to the UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix. For Alonso, a strong result would reinforce her position within the international 50K category and support future objectives in races such as the OCC. The competitive value of the PDA therefore extends beyond the podium because it can shape qualification opportunities and strategic decisions during the remainder of the season.
Alonso’s development has been marked by her ability to combine the speed of a former track athlete with the technical skills required for elite mountain competition. She previously specialized in the 3,000-meter steeplechase before moving toward trail running while studying physical activity and sports sciences. That athletic background allows her to maintain a fast rhythm on runnable sections, although the steep climbs and prolonged descents of the PDA demand a different distribution of energy. Her challenge will be to preserve enough strength for the decisive final kilometers while remaining close to the leaders throughout the most technical sections.
Nearly 7,500 runners are expected to participate across the eight races forming the 2026 edition of HOKA Val d’Aran by UTMB. The event has become one of Europe’s most important trail-running gatherings, combining elite competition with races designed for different levels of experience and endurance. Against that international backdrop, Alonso will carry much of the local attention as one of Spain’s most recognizable mountain athletes and a legitimate candidate for the women’s title. Her declared intention to race for victory ensures that the PDA will begin with both sporting pressure and considerable public expectation.
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