La Sportiva Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB
Lavaredo 120K
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The La Sportiva Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB 120K is one of the most visually spectacular ultras in the Alps, looping through the Dolomites from Cortina d'Ampezzo across 120 km with 5868 m of climbing and a high point of 2459 m. Starting and finishing in the heart of Cortina, the course threads together iconic landmarks — Rifugio Auronzo beneath the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the sweeping plateau at Cimabanche, and the legendary switchbacks of Passo Giau — delivering a race that is as demanding as it is beautiful. With a total cut-off time of roughly 29 hours (a Saturday start leading to a Sunday 05:00 finish cut-off), this is not an event to underestimate. The combination of sustained high-altitude terrain, significant cumulative gain spread across long mountain segments, and late-race climbs above 2000 m means that smart pacing, solid fuelling and honest self-assessment are every bit as important as raw fitness.
Course & Terrain
The route begins and ends in Cortina d'Ampezzo at around 1211–1221 m, immediately immersing runners in the limestone towers and forest trails that define the Dolomites. The opening 18 km to Ospitale (1478 m) are relatively moderate and serve as a warning not to go out too hard — the real work starts afterwards. From Ospitale the course climbs toward Federavecchia (33 km, 1390 m) and then makes its most dramatic push to Rifugio Auronzo at 2271 m, the 49 km mark, nestled directly beneath the Tre Cime. This is the highest-traffic aid station on the course and marks the end of the first major block. After dropping to Cimabanche (66 km, 1520 m) — the first crew point after the start — the terrain rolls through Malga Ra Stua (77 km, 1564 m) before ascending back above 2000 m for the Col Gallina / Passo Falzarego checkpoint at 96 km (2057 m). The final section from there to Passo Giau (110 km, 2125 m) and back down into Cortina is relentlessly technical and unforgiving on tired legs. Trails alternate between rocky singletrack, grassy alp paths and forest doubletrack — poles are strongly worth considering for the repeated long climbs and quad-busting descents.
Decisive Climbs & Descents
Three sections effectively decide this race. The climb to Rifugio Auronzo approaching 49 km is the first major crux: arriving there above 2271 m with legs still intact and a comfortable buffer on the 10:00 Saturday cut-off is a strong indicator of whether your day will hold together. Blow up here and the cascade of subsequent cut-offs — spaced roughly 2.5–4 hours apart — becomes a constant chase. The second defining stretch is the push from Malga Ra Stua (77 km) up to Col Gallina / Passo Falzarego (96 km, 2057 m), which comes when fatigue is deep and daylight is fading. Runners who have been conservative earlier will move well here; those who went out too fast will suffer significantly. The third and most psychologically brutal section is the climb to Passo Giau at 2125 m with just 10 km to go — arriving there before the 00:30 Sunday cut-off essentially guarantees a finish, but the subsequent descent back into Cortina on wrecked quads demands respect. Descend with control and protect your knees: losing time here is painful but crashing is far worse.
Pacing & Fuelling Strategy
Given the cut-off structure, the real pacing target is arriving at each checkpoint with a 20–40 minute buffer rather than banking time early. The Ospitale cut-off (02:30 Saturday, 18 km in) is generous enough that almost everyone passes it — but it can lull runners into complacency about what lies ahead. Budget your effort as three blocks: start to Rifugio Auronzo (49 km), Auronzo to Falzarego (96 km), and the final 24 km to the finish. Fuelling should begin in the first hour and continue every 30–45 minutes throughout. With five aid stations between the start and finish crew points, runners must carry sufficient calories and fluid for segments of up to 17 km. The altitude above 2000 m can blunt appetite — train your gut to accept food when you don't feel like eating, because the climbs to Giau and Falzarego demand fuel even if your stomach protests. Electrolyte intake is critical given the extended duration; do not rely solely on water at high-altitude checkpoints where temperature drops sharply after dark.
Conditions to Expect
The Dolomites deliver highly changeable mountain weather, and the Lavaredo course spends meaningful time above 2000 m at night. Even in the summer race window, temperatures at Rifugio Auronzo, Falzarego and Passo Giau can drop to near zero after dark, and thunderstorms are not uncommon in the afternoon on the Auronzo section. A mandatory kit list typically includes waterproof jacket and trousers, thermal layer, hat and gloves — take the list seriously and do not strip down your pack to save weight at the cost of safety. Runners should also prepare for significant sun exposure during the daylight hours crossing open alpine terrain between roughly 06:00 and 16:00. Sun protection, sunglasses and adequate hydration during the warmer middle section of the race are easy to overlook when the focus is on cold night-time kilometres, but heat fatigue is a real factor on the exposed climbs to Auronzo and beyond Cimabanche.
Race-Day Mindset & Risk Management
Lavaredo is demanding enough that knowing when to stop is a genuine skill in itself. If a familiar injury signal — a returning knee pain, a niggling tendon — escalates in the first 50 km, the honest calculation is whether pushing to 120 km in the mountains serves your long-term season. A DNF at a well-marshalled checkpoint is not failure; it is protecting the races and training still ahead of you. The cut-off structure is tight enough by the back half that the course will make the decision for unprepared runners anyway, but experienced athletes should make that call consciously and early rather than grinding to a mid-mountain withdrawal after dark. For those who arrive at Cortina healthy and well-paced, the final descent into Cortina at dawn is a genuine reward. Use the two crew points at Cimabanche (66 km) and Falzarego (96 km) strategically — fresh socks, a change of top, pre-packed race food and a brief crew interaction can reset your mental state as much as any physical aid. Plan what you want at each crew point in advance and keep the stops short.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 1217 m · —
18.7 km · 1475 m · —
27.8 km · 1819 m · Sat 04:30
33.7 km · 1396 m · —
42.2 km · 1769 m · Sat 08:00
49.5 km · 2316 m · —
52.1 km · 2449 m · —
66.9 km · 1541 m · Sat 13:30
76.4 km · 1708 m · Sat 15:30
89.7 km · 1959 m · —
96.6 km · 2074 m · Sat 21:30
100.7 km · 2414 m · —
104.1 km · 2250 m · Sat 23:59
111.6 km · 2064 m · —
118.8 km · 1272 m · —
120.8 km · 1233 m · Sun 05:00
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