Puglia by UTMB
Puglia by UTMB – Le Maioliche di Laterza
Laterza → Castellaneta Marina
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
Le Maioliche di Laterza is the 85 km distance at Puglia by UTMB, a point-to-point route that starts in the ravine town of Laterza and finishes on the Ionian coast at Castellaneta Marina. With 1516 m of climbing over 85 km and a high point of only 349 m, it sits between the region's fast marathon-length events and the epic 144 km — long enough to demand real endurance and a night section, but with a low, rolling profile rather than a mountain one. The course drops from 324 m at the start to just 3 m at the seaside finish, tracing the gravine country of the Puglian interior before flattening out along the coast. This is a race defined by heat, distance and steady rolling terrain — one that rewards runners who pace patiently, fuel consistently, and keep moving efficiently through the tightening cut-offs rather than those chasing a single big climb.
The course: Laterza down to the sea
The route runs point-to-point over 85 km from Laterza (324 m) to Castellaneta Marina (3 m), with 1516 m of climbing spread across a rolling, generally descending profile that peaks at only 349 m. Early on it drops to Masseria Giacoia at 14.8 km (114 m), climbs back to Il Casone at 20.5 km (299 m), then reaches Castellaneta at 29 km (216 m). From there it works through Palagianello (39 km, 138 m), Grotte di Sileno (51.3 km, 133 m), Relais San Giovanni (62.8 km, 31 m) and Nafoura (75.8 km, around sea level) before the final push to the coast. The elevation pattern is a series of dips and reclaims rather than sustained climbs — the ground falls into the gravine and rises out of them repeatedly. Expect Mediterranean terrain: dry farm and forest tracks, the ravines around Laterza and Castellaneta, and the coastal flats near the Marina. It is a course that stays runnable throughout, so momentum and rhythm count for more than climbing legs.
Where the race is decided
There is no single defining climb, so the race turns on managing the accumulation of small rolling hills over a long distance. The most noticeable early feature is the dip-and-climb between Masseria Giacoia (114 m at 14.8 km) and Il Casone (299 m at 20.5 km) — a genuine reclaim of altitude early in the day that can catch out anyone who ran the opening descent from Laterza too hard. The race is truly decided in the long back half after Palagianello. From roughly 39 km onward the course grinds steadily down toward sea level through Grotte di Sileno, Relais San Giovanni and Nafoura, much of it likely in fading light or darkness. By Nafoura at 75.8 km you are essentially at the coast, and the final 9 km to Castellaneta Marina are flat running near sea level on tired legs. This is where consistent early pacing pays off — those who kept reserves through Grotte di Sileno close the flat finish strongly, while over-eager starters grind it out.
Pacing, cut-offs and crew points
The cut-offs tighten as the day goes on: Il Casone by Sat 12:00, Castellaneta by Sat 13:15, Grotte di Sileno by Sat 17:15, Nafoura by Sat 22:00, and Castellaneta Marina by Sat 00:00. The early controls at Il Casone (20.5 km) and Castellaneta (29 km) come up quickly, so avoid banking too much time debt in the opening quarter even though the overall window is comfortable. Crew points fall at Palagianello (39 km), Grotte di Sileno (51.3 km) and Nafoura (75.8 km) — build your support plan around these, staging fluids, food, a headtorch and spare batteries for the closing hours. Aid spacing generally runs in the 6–13 km range, with the longer daytime carries being the ones to plan fluid for. Reaching Grotte di Sileno with reserves intact is the key waypoint: it is the last major hub before the long, flat, likely-dark run to the Marina.
Fuelling and the conditions to expect
Puglia's low, sun-baked interior means heat and exposure are the dominant conditions for the daytime half of the race — the course never climbs high enough to escape the sun, topping out at 349 m. Expect dry, firm tracks through open farmland and the gravine, with little shade during the hottest hours. Carry more fluid than the aid spacing alone suggests on a warm day, start electrolytes early, and use the crew points to stay ahead of hydration. Because the profile is rolling and runnable, you keep moving continuously and burn carbohydrate steadily, so fuel from the early kilometres rather than waiting until you feel depleted. The second half brings a change of character: as the course descends to Nafoura and the coast near sea level, temperatures ease into the evening but humidity can rise, and you will likely need a headtorch for the run into Castellaneta Marina. Plan for both the hot, exposed daytime interior and the flat coastal night.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 324 m · —
14.8 km · 114 m · —
20.5 km · 299 m · Sat 12:00
29 km · 216 m · Sat 13:15
39 km · 138 m · —
51.3 km · 133 m · Sat 17:15
62.8 km · 31 m · —
75.8 km · -1 m · Sat 22:00
85 km · 3 m · Sat 00:00
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