101km of Dust, Grit, and Madness in Ronda
¡Hola from the pain cave!
Last weekend, I threw myself headfirst into one of the wildest events in Spain: La Legión 101 de Ronda. Just me, my mountain bike, and about 3,200 other mad souls who all thought, “Sure, let’s ride 101 km with 2,700 metres of climbing — how hard can it be?” (Spoiler: Very.)
The atmosphere at the start? Electric. Think Tour de France meets military parade, with a healthy dash of chaos. The La Legión Española
⚡ Frankie’s Fast Facts
| Detail | Stat |
| 📅 Date | May 10, 2025 |
| 📍 Location | Ronda, Málaga, Spain |
| 🏁 Distance | 101 km |
| ⛰️ Elevation gain | 2,700 m |
| 🚵♀️ MTB Starters | 3,200 |
| ⏱️ Finish time | 6h 40min |
| 🥈 Result | 2nd Elite Fem / 9th Overall Fem |
| ❤️ Max Heart Rate | 192 bpm |
| 💓 Average HR | 170 bpm |
| 🔥 Time in Z5 (Anaerobic) | 1 hr 3 min |
| ⚙️ Time in Z4 (Threshold) | 4 hr 44 min |
| 🧗♀️ Hardest Climb | El Muro (wall) of alcala del Valle 220m @ Max 28% |
| 🎽 Bib Number | 5747 |
🧠 Race Report: Blood, Sweat, and… Cheers?
The 101 isn’t just a race — it’s a full-blown military operation. There’s a cannon blast instead of a start gun, a sea of camouflage, and an atmosphere thick with adrenaline and sunscreen.
The route is relentless — rocky climbs, white-knuckle descents, loose gravel corners that laugh at your tyres — and legions (pun intended) of spectators screaming encouragement like you’re about to win the Olympics. It’s overwhelming in the best possible way.
I went in with a plan: pace smart, stay fuelled, and don’t explode on the first climb. That plan lasted all of 20 minutes as after my first fueling I had stomach cramps, You need to train your body to take on so many carbs per hour and this is where I struggle, Being small I dont store a massive amount of fuel, So it becomes an excercise in eating. Whilst bars are great Gel’s do tend to upset the stomach after so many. The early climbs were punchy and brutal, but I kept grinding and managed to stay near the sharp end. Somewhere around kilometre 70, the suffering got philosophical — but the finish line energy and the feeling of nailing a podium spot made it all worth it.
The course? Brutal but beautiful. Imagine sweeping views, rocky climbs that feel like staircases, and descents that test your brakes and your bravery. The sun cooked us, the dust choked us, and I loved (almost) every second of it.
The climbs just kept coming — one in particular had me convinced I’d accidentally entered a mountaineering event. By the last 10km, I was hallucinating about ice baths and Pizza.
The crowd support was unreal — especially in the villages where people lined the streets cheering like we were racing the Vuelta. I may have even high-fived a small child while gasping for oxygen. No regrets.
Video highlight:
🎥 Giving it the beans for the line, Seems odd pushing for the line after 6 hours in the saddle, Like 1 second will make a difference.
“Fast, but exhausted.”
A few snaps from the da🙌 Thanks to My Sponsors
These efforts aren’t solo missions — they’re team efforts in disguise.
Massive thanks to:
- Flow Bikers – for the expert MTB prep that kept my machine race-ready and humming through the chaos.
- LUCK Cycling Shoes – for my tailor-made MTB shoes that felt like socks but performed like armour.
- MASmusculo – for keeping me hydrated, carbed up, and functioning like a machine (even when I felt like a crumbling tortilla). (Use Frankie for a 10% discount)
- The Andalucian cycling Experience For the Support to enable me to compete in races Like this around our local area.
- Jackstone My Main Title sponsor Jackstone Espana.
And to all my amazing partners listed on my sponsors page: your support fuels these legs and these dreams. You make every kilometre possible — and a little prettier!
One taken somewhere between “Why am I doing this?” and “This is actually amazing.”
Final thoughts?
It was epic. It was exhausting. Will I do it again? Never say never. However my Primary goal as always is to make it to Pro level on the roads, The experience has given me some ideas to stay sharp in the off season by taking part in some gravel races, Despite the result, I’m not built for Mountain biking.
La Legión 101 isn’t just a race; it’s a right of passage. If you ever get the chance to ride it… bring legs of steel, a good sense of humour, and maybe a spare soul for when yours leaves your body halfway up a climb,and finally for those that think I did this on a 10,000 Euro MTB think again, I call it my bone shaker for a reason, Less than a grand from wallapop and you’re competing. Get out there.
Hasta la próxima,
Frankie
