Saturday, 5^th September 2026. Casto, Italy hosted the opening leg of a demanding double-header this weekend, with Vertical Nasego serving as stage 12 of the WMRA World Cup before stage 13 follows on tomorrow at Trofeo Nasego. Conditions matched the intensity of the racing, with temperatures climbing into the 30s and testing athletes across both fields.

Vertical Nasego ranks among Italy's most demanding uphill-only races, and its reputation is well earned. The 4.2km course starts gently enough, but gradient increases sharply in the closing stages - nearly half of the route's 1,000 metres of elevation gain comes in the final kilometre alone. The terrain grows steep enough that competitors are forced to use their hands for parts of the last section.

Classic mountain running returns to Heiligenblut

The WMRA World Cup reaches a key mid-season point this weekend with the Grossglockner Mountain Run, one of the classic mountain-running races on the international calendar.

Set in the heart of the Hohe Tauern, the race starts in the village of Heiligenblut and climbs towards one of the most recognisable mountain landscapes in Austria: the Grossglockner, the Pasterze glacier and the high alpine road leading towards the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe.

Castro Daire, Central Portugal — 19 April 2026

The 2026 Mountain Running World Cup season got underway in spectacular fashion, with São Brás Cross in Central Portugal providing a worthy and atmospheric curtain-raiser. This year's World Cup competition is the most ambitious yet, spanning four continents and ten countries across 16 races - a global showcase that balances beloved calendar staples such as Sierre-Zinal and the Grossglockner Mountain Run with fresh venues designed to showcase exciting new venues and landscapes.