Last Sunday more than a hundred runners started from Ribes de Freser the beginning of an adventure through the Pyrenees that ended this Saturday in Salardú (Val d'Aran). The Pyrenees Stage Run (PSR), organized by BiFree Sports, has closed the seventh edition with the satisfaction of seeing how the 50 participating teams have enjoyed a shared experience in the only stage race of this style that takes place in the Pyrenees. A sporting event that is sponsored by TUGA Active Wear and the Patronat de Turisme de la Costa Brava Pirineus.

The challenge ahead of them was to complete the 220 kilometers and more than 15,000 meters of positive uphill, on a route that passes through five of the most iconic natural parks in the Pyrenees, following the classic GR11. One more year the Pyrenees Stage Run has been characterized by the great atmosphere and coexistence among all the participants stage after stage, with the invaluable collaboration of all the staff and volunteers who live the race with great passion.

An enviable route and respect for the environment

All the participants have enjoyed a fascinating journey through the Pyrenees through places as iconic as the Puigmal summit, the Madriu Valley –already in Andorra and considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO–, the endearing refuge of Baiau, the Collada dels Tres Estanys or the Saboredo Refuge, in the emblematic Aigüestortes National Park.

In addition, always with a philosophy of seeking the minimum environmental impact by an organization that is especially careful with the preservation of the terrain where the entire test takes place, minimizing the marking of the route -even leaving some adventure sections where each team had to orient yourself with your GPS watch–, and making a scrupulous collection of the waste generated throughout the week.

“A very special edition”

The co-director of BiFree Sports, Tomàs Llorens, highlighted that "this year the PSR has been a very special edition because we have again had 120 runners as in 2019 and we have changed the first three stages, a change that runners have liked a lot and repeaters have found it very successful.” Llorens also added that "the last day was very nice, everyone was very happy with the last party in Salardú and the awards ceremony and we are really looking forward to come back next year and now we are already thinking about the next edition" he concluded.

The final classifications of the 2023 edition

Once the last stage of the PSR was finished, it was also time to give out prizes and gifts to the winners of all the categories, but all the finishers have also received recognition for completing the race. All of this, with the same spirit as always since this race was created seven years ago.

As for the final results, in the men's category the winning team was the Turmells Team made up of the Catalans Alexandre Urbina and Roger Embid. The two have taken the victory clearly and convincingly, winning each and every one of the seven stages.

In the women's category, the Austrians from the Summitsox team, Nina Lang and Veronika Hamminger, have also shown their strength from the start and have won all the stages, crowning themselves the champions of this seventh edition.

Finally, the Mountain Goats team made up of the Czech runner Kamila Subova and the Slovakian Jakub Turcan prevailed in the mixed category, after having a nice sporting duel with Team Riko made up of the Belgian couple Lien Van Ballaer and Benjamin Vleugel.

You can check all the results at this link.