PAST EDITIONS
ROSTER
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Adam Palin
Adrian Niski
Alex Kowalski
Ali Elamrani Joitei
Chariel De cock
David Masip
Graham Bryce
Guillaume Bourgeois
Ian Kowalski
Jakub Wolf
Maarten Vanhaverbeke
Marco Zanirato
Steve Morabito
Tomas Vajdiak
Yanick Ueltschi
Alvaro Madrazo
Amy Holman
Blair Benjamin
Cecilia Thomasson
Christiaan Pol
Emilio Castro Crecente
Daniel Townend
Ive Van Nuffelen
James Wong
Lázaro Méndez Alonso
Leon Weissmann
Robert Hofmann
Robert Huebser
Arturo Milazzo
Dana Wolf
Daniel Mendez Barrao
Goffard Camille
Joie Philippe
Jorge Cebrián Bonastre
Stafford Marquardt
Tim J Stoddard
The GranGuanche Audax Trail is a self-supported, single-stage, fixed-route, endurance cycling event across the Canary Islands. It’s not a race, it’s a collective adventure and a personal challenge to finish the route. There’s no cut-off time, there are no prizes, no medals, no brevet cards or finisher diplomas. The Audax is focused on the experience rather than the final results.
It’s a demanding route for experienced riders as it includes serious climbs, high mountains, and remote areas. Experienced means well-trained, technically skilled, and wisely equipped. Exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and night rides add even more risk to a challenging ride. Participants are fully responsible for their safety and logistics.
Route
The Audax follows the GranGuache TRAIL route from Lanzarote to La Palma with a few differences resulting in a slightly longer route.
The route mainly goes on double tracks but includes a few rocky single tracks, sandy sections, and about 3 hours hike-a-bike. It’s open to any kind of bike, we recommend mountain bikes with low gearing and min 2.2” wide tires (for low gearing we mean a 30t chainring on a 50t casette).
More information and recommendations about the route.
The Audax pace is the challenge to connect all the scheduled ferries in a non-stop ride, it’s only achievable by ultra-cycling athletes, the entry fee will be fully refunded to every rider fast enough to make it.
AUDAX
PACE
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Sun – 1st Day – audax starts at noon// Lanzarote
120km +2.450m » Next ferry in 7h – Avg speed 18km/h
Keep a steady pace, the route includes hike-a-bike sections and sandy single tracks.
≈ Ferry: Armas 19:00 (35min) or Fred Olsen 20:00 (25min) – Last Ferry
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Sun – 1st Night // Fuerteventura
160km +2.600m » Next ferry in 12h30min – Avg speed 13km/h
Generally goes on fast gravel roads, includes a few hike-a-bike sections, tailwind may help. No resupply options at night.
≈ Ferry: Fred Olsen at about 08:00 (120min)
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Mon – 2nd Day, 2nd Night // Gran Canaria
210km +5.600m » Next ferry in 20h
Includes endless double tracks on rocky terrain, about 1 hour of hike-a-bike and a long unpaved descent.
You may have time for a few hours sleep at the harbour, the ferry is the next morning.
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Tue – 3rd Day // Tenerife
≈ Ferry: Fred Olsen 06:00 (80min)
170km +4.600m » Next ferry in 10h – Avg speed 18km/h
It’s the big challenge of the Audax pace. Includes 30 minutes hike-a-bike.
≈ Ferry: Fred Olsen 19:00 (150min) or Armas (19:30)
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Tue – 4th Night, Wed – 4th Day // La Palma
190km +6.450m
This final loop is one hell of a ride with a massive elevation gain, you will finish on Wednesday afternoon.
Sunday 24/Nov/2024 – 10:00 to 12:00 | Lanzarote, Orzola :: Accreditation and Briefing
Sunday 24/Nov/2024 – 12:00 | Lanzarote, Orzola :: Grand Départ
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There’s no established cut-off time. We will be at the finish line until the next Sunday. There’s plenty of time for all the participants to complete the route. After that, participants will have to collect their bags in an established facility and ship back the tracking device.
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Because of the nature of the islands and the lack of facilities at the start and finish line, there will be no official pre-event gathering or finisher party.
The entry fee is 280€.
The Audax will be open to a maximum of 99 participants.
Participants can only register as SOLO, there’s no PAIR category.
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Tracking
GPRS tracker device rental and live tracking will be provided by followmychallenge.com
A refundable deposit of 100€ against tracker device loss or damage will be required for each rented tracker to be paid on PayPal the week before the start. The deposit will be refunded via PayPal when the tracker will be returned at the finish line.
Personal GPRS and SPOT devices will not be tracked.
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Included
Small bag transfer (max 30 litres – 10kg) from the start line to the finish line. If you don’t make it to the finish line we can ship your bag to your home address, shipping costs will be at your charge.
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NOT Included
Accommodations.
Bike box transfer.
Ferries: the route is connected by 4 ferries for about 200€.
Insurance: you must have liability, death, accident and health insurance covering emergency rescue and repatriation. Insurance must be valid in Spain for the whole duration of the event and include cycling activities. We will ask you to provide a copy of your policy.
In case the rider has to cancel:
Before 15/Aug/2024: 120€ refund.
From 15/Aug/2024 to 1/Oct/2024: 60€ refund.
After 1/Oct/2024: No refund.
The entry is not transferable to other Audax events.
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In case the organization has to cancel:
If the Audax has to be cancelled under Force Majeure events like natural causes, social actions or infrastructure failures, there will be no refund.
Fly to Lanzarote – fly back from Tenerife South
The route starts in Lanzarote, just a 40km ride from Lanzarote airport.
The route ends in La Palma, a small island with just a few international flight connections. To fly back home, you must take the ferry back to Tenerife and fly from Tenerife South airport.
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Resupply
The route requires some planning in stages and resupplies, as it could be a long ride to the next town.
Water sources are scarce, so you must buy all your water.
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Please find more information about the route HERE
Bike box transfer is available for an extra fee.
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With hotel accommodations.
Available from 250€ pp –
Including hotel accommodation in Lanzarote and Tenerife
(service is subject to hotel availability)
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Without hotel accommodations.
Available for 60€ pp –
Only bike box transfer, provided by Vadebicis bike shops
Drop your box at Vadebis Lanzarote – 4 km from Lanzarote Airport (ACE) // Pick it up at Vadebicis Chafiras, Tenerife – 4 km from Tenerife South Airport (TFS)
(before booking, please check each bike shop’s open times and closure days)
1. Leave no trace
Leave everything as you found it, or better.
Respect Natural Parks rules, don’t cycle or step outside the official paths.
Camp only in camping areas and never start campfires.
Dispose of, remove and recycle waste. Respect animals and plants.
Audax’s direction takes this rule seriously, if we have any evidence of Participants not complying with these principles, we will immediately impose disqualifications.
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2. Be nice to people
Be considerate of others, there is no space for racism, sexism, homophobia or any other kind of discrimination.
Rescue of any other Rider injured or in danger is the priority.
Audax’s direction takes this rule seriously and will immediately impose disqualifications.
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3. Audax and Self-support principles
In the spirit of Audax, participants are allowed to draft each other. This will encourage participants to ride in groups between ferry connections, plan stages, and share meals and accommodations.
Participants are not allowed to assist, support or resupply each other and must not receive any 3rd party assistance, private lodging or resupply.
Accommodations or any service can be booked by Riders only after the event starts.
Ferries can be booked before the event starts to avoid long lines at the ticket office.
Audax’s direction approaches those principles with common sense and an open mind but still can impose penalties or disqualifications before, during and after the event.
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4. Safety and local laws
Riders must sign and agree with the rider agreement and be older than 18.
Riders are fully responsible for knowing, observing and complying with local laws.
Small parts of the route may be forbidden for cycling, Riders are responsible for pushing the bike across those sections.
In case of road interruptions or closures, Riders are responsible for finding a way to turn around the interruption and join the official route again.
Observance of local laws has priority over following the route track.
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5. Tracking
Riders should follow the official track from start to finish. If they temporarily leave the route they must return to the point they left. The tracker file will validate each ride.
Riders are responsible for their tracking device. If a device is switched OFF or dies because of low batteries the participant will be considered withdrawn.
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6. Insurance and Responsibility
Audax Direction will not provide insurance, emergency rescue or marshall. Audax Direction will not be responsible for any direct or indirect damage that may occur to you or other parties.
Riders must have liability, death, accident and health insurance covering emergency extraction and repatriation valid for the whole duration of the event. We will ask for a copy of your insurance before the event.
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7. Code of Honor
A fair and safe Audax depends on fair and honourable Riders.
Other pace scenarios are just a planning resource,
not an achievement.
5 DAYS
PACE
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Sun – 1st Day – Audax starts at noon // Lanzarote -> Fuerteventura
≈ Ferries to Fuerteventura: Fred Olsen 20:00 (25min)
Sleep in Fuerteventura
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Mon – 2nd Day // Fuerteventura -> Gran Canaria
≈ Ferry to Gran Canaria: last ferry in the evening (120min)
Sleep in Gran Canaria, San Bartolome
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Tue – 3rd Day // Gran Canaria -> Tenerife
≈ Ferry to Tenerife: Fred Olsen 20:00 (80min)
Sleep in Tenerife, La Laguna
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Wed – 4th Day // Tenerife -> La Palma
≈ Ferry to La Palma: Fred Olsen 19:00 (150min) or Armas 19:30 (195min)
Sleep in La Palma, Puntallana
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Thu – 5th Day // La Palma
You will finish late at night.
8 DAYS
PACE
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Sun – 1st Day – Audax starts at noon// Lanzarote
Sleep in Lanzarote, Playa Blanca
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Mon – 2nd Day // Fuerteventura
≈ Ferry to Fuerteventura: first ferry in the morning (30min)
Sleep in Fuerteventura, Pajara
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Tue – 3rd Day // Fuerteventura -> Gran Canaria
≈ Ferry to Gran Canaria: last ferry in the evening (120min)
Sleep in Gran Canaria, Ingenio
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Tue – 4th Day // Gran Canaria
Sleep in Gran Canaria, Tejeda
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Wed – 5th Day // Gran Canaria -> Tenerife
≈ Ferry to Tenerife: Fred Olsen 14:00 (120min)
Sleep in Tenerife, La Laguna
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Thu – 6th Day // Tenerife -> La Palma
≈ Ferry to La Palma: Fred Olsen 19:00 (150min) or Armas 19:30 (195min)
Sleep in La Palma, Santa Cruz
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Fri – 7th Day // La Palma
Sleep in Tazacorte
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Sat – 8th Day // La Palma
You finish in the evening.
