[Editor’s Note: This article was written by guest writer and runner, Deki Fourcin.]
Just before midnight on Friday night, February 21, over 870 runners embarked on the 2024 Transgrancanaria Classic 126k, the third race in the 2025 World Trail Majors, and the first European race of the series.
Caleb Olson of the United States and Norway’s Henriette Albon came home champions in an epic race that kept us on the edges of our seats until the very end. Olson ran a spectacular race, never far from the front, and storming to a course record in 12:17:25, over 25 minutes faster than Pau Capell’s 2019 record of 12:42:40. Henriette Albon paced her race to perfection, holding back in the opening miles before powering into the lead in the second half, crossing the line in 15:02:50.
The Transgrancanaria Classic starts on the beach in Las Palmas, in the northeast of the island, and winds 78.3 miles (126 kilometers) to the finish in Maspalomas on the southern coast. The course entails more than 22,300 feet (6,800 meters) of elevation gain, most of which is concentrated between 12 and 56 miles (20k and 90k), culminating with the giant volcanic peak of the Roque Nublo, before a grueling descent to the finish.
The stacked fields included numerous past winners and podium finishers, as well as a hefty sprinkling of top runners taking part in the race for the first time, promising a thrilling and highly competitive race.
Returning champions in the men’s race were Spaniards Pau Capell (four-time winner between 2017 and 2020) and Miguel Heras (second in 2024 and winner in 2010), alongside Ionel Manole (Romania), who finished third in 2024. Also present was Jonathon Albon (U.K.), who was sixth in the 2024 Western States 100.
In the women’s race, Claudia Tremps (Spain) (second in 2024 and third in 2023) was back for the seventh time in pursuit of glory. Other favorites were Yngvild Kaspersen from Norway, fifth-place finisher in the 2024 Western States 100, and Maryline Nakache of France, who came second in the 2024 Diagonale des Fous.
The start of the 2025 Transgrancanaria Classic. Photo: Transgrancanaria/David Delfour
2025 Transgrancanaria Classic 126k Men’s Race
Caleb Olson is a relative newcomer to the ultrarunning scene but already has an impressive list of achievements to his name, including the fastest-ever Western States 100 debut on his way to fifth place in 2024. In the lead group from the very start, Olson took control of the race around 80k in and dominated to the finish.
Jonathan Albon is known for his strategic pacing and speedy descents, and he didn’t disappoint on the course. Sticking with the leaders in third position for the majority of the race, Albon made his move around 100k, powering past Josh Wade (U.K.) into second place. Wade, who came in eighth at the 2024 Transgranaria, kept the pressure on the leaders throughout and finished in third place.
Olson led through the first two aid stations at 11k and 19k, going into the first big climb two minutes ahead of Wade and three minutes ahead of the rest of the pack. The chasing group included Spaniards Abel Carretero, José Ángel Fernández, Miguel Heras, and Zaid Ait Malek, as well as Albon and Ionel Manole. The course was unforgiving on the Spanish contingency, with all of those in the lead pack withdrawing over the course of the race.
The Tejeda aid station at 80k is a critical point in the race, as runners head into the final major climb before the leg-destroying 2,000 meters of descent to the finish. Wade and Olson came through within seconds of each other, with Albon four minutes behind, and Heras 20 minutes behind the leaders. Olson took off toward the summit, rapidly putting distance between himself and Wade. Further back, Manole used the climb to his advantage, coming from behind to move past Heras into fourth position.
By 100k, Albon had put his excellent downhill skills into play over the first portion of the descent, overtaking Wade and beginning to gain on Olson. Manole continued to move smoothly, holding on to fourth place. Heras dropped out at this point in the race, with the Romanian Catalin Sorecau, who had been advancing impressively through the ranks, moved into fifth.
Olson was looking strong through the final aid station at 112k, coming through around six minutes ahead of Albon. With 14k, it seemed that his victory was inevitable, and Caleb Olson continued to increase his lead to the finish line, flying to a new course record in 12:17:25. Jonathan Albon remained focused on the chase, battling through the heat to finish in 12:25:06. Josh Wade rounded off the podium in a fantastic 12:40:17, meaning that all of the top three finishers were under the previous course record of 12:42:40.
Caleb Olson, the 2025 Transgrancanaria Classic men’s champion. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Miguel Travieso
Ionel Manole crossed the line in fourth place, in 13:04:46, concluding a tactical race. This was his second participation in a 2025 World Trail Majors race after finishing in the same position at the Hong Kong 100k earlier in the year. Rounding off the top five was Catalin Sorecau, finishing in 13:53:41.
Abel Carretero withdrew at 32k, Fernández Jiménez and Zaid Ait Malek Oulkis withdrew at 80k, and Miguel Heras withdrew at 89k.
Jonathan Albon takes second at the 2025 Transgrancanaria Classic. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Miguel Travieso
2025 Transgrancanaria Classic 126k Men’s Results
- Caleb Olson (U.S.) – 12:17:25
- Jonathan Albon (U.K., lives in Norway) – 12:25:06
- Josh Wade (U.K.) – 12:40:17
- Ionel Manole (Romania, lives in Spain) – 13:04:46
- Catalin Sorecau (Romania) – 13:53:41
- Victor Richard (Belgium) – 14:15:51
- Adur Mendizabal (Spain) – 14:26:11
- Estanislao Rivero (Spain) – 14:27:10
- Andy Fìor-Berry (U.K.) – 14:32:15
- Albert Martinez (Spain) – 14:35:27
The 2025 Transgrancanaria Classic men’s top three: (left-to-right) 2. Jonathan Albon, 1. Caleb Olson, 3. Josh Wade. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Miguel Travieso
2025 Transgrancanaria Classic 126k Women’s Race
Claudia Tremps had her eye on the prize from the start. She put on an impressive performance, going out hard and leading the first half of the race almost exclusively. Ultimately, however, Tremps was forced to accept silver for the second year in a row after Henriette Albon moved from behind to take control in the second half.
Claudia Tremps working through the night section to take second at the 2025 Transgrancanaria Classic. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Ian Corless
Albon stormed over the final climbs and down to the finish, crossing the line over an hour ahead of the rest of the field. Impressively, this was her first race over 100k, after successful results over shorter distances, including a win at the 2024 Ultra Trail Snowdonia 50k and third at the 2024 Trofeo Kima.
Martina Klančnik Potrč (Slovenia), finished in third place. She ran a consistent race, sticking with the two leaders from early on and fighting for her place on the podium until the very end.
Tremps flew through the first aid station at 11k in the lead, and by the second aid station, at 19k, was over five minutes ahead of the rest of the pack. Viktorija Senutiene (Lithuania) followed in second, two minutes ahead of Eevi Bengs (Finland) and Yngvild Kaspersen. Tremps continued to lead up the first big climb, passing through the third aid station two minutes ahead of Senutiene, Klančnik Potrč, and Markéta Šimková (Czech Republic). Maryline Nakache was in fifth, followed by Henriette Albon. Kaspersen dropped out of the race at this point.
Albon picked up the pace from there, taking a turn in the lead through the aid station at 53k, ahead of Tremps and Klančnik Potrč, before settling in behind Tremps at 67k. The three leaders had separated from the rest of the field, with Šimková and Nakache following 12 and 13 minutes behind.
Albon made her definitive move coming into the Tejeda aid station at 80k. Powering ahead toward the highest point of the course seven minutes ahead of Tremps. By 89k, just below the summit, Albon had stretched her lead over Tremps to 17 minutes. Klančnik Potrč chased the leaders, followed by Nakache, then Bengs, who had moved past Šimková. With almost all of the elevation gain safely behind them, it was time to see whose legs would hold out over the 2,000 meters of descent and 40 kilometers to the finish.
By 101k, after the first stretch of downhill, Albon’s lead over Tremps had increased to almost 32 minutes, and it seemed like her victory was all but sealed. We were in for a thrilling fight for the rest of the podium from here, with Klančnik Potrč closing in on Tremps and Nakache working hard to move into third.
Albon cruised through the final descent, crossing the finish line to claim victory in 15:02:50. She was greeted on the line by her husband, Jonathan Albon, second-place finisher in the men’s race.
Henriette Albon, the 2025 Transgrancanaria Classic women’s champion. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Miguel Travieso
Tremps held onto second place, finishing in 16:09:20, digging deep in the last kilometer to keep her position. Klančnik Potrč rounded off the podium, crossing the line less than two minutes later in 16:11:07.
Nakache wasn’t far behind, coming over the line in 16:18:13, and Bengs closed the top five, finishing in 16:43:20.
2025 Transgrancanaria Classic 126k Women’s Results
- Henriette Albon (Norway) – 15:02:50
- Claudia Tremps (Spain) – 16:09:20
- Martina Klančnik Potrč (Slovenia) – 16:11:07
- Maryline Nakache (France) – 16:18:13
- Eevi Bengs (Finland) – 16:43:20
- Viktorija Senutiene (Lithuania) – 16:43:24
- Marketa Simkova (Czech Republic) – 16:55:23
- Maite Maiora (Spain) – 16:59:31
- Anna Fisher (U.S.) – 17:14:55
- Elisabeth Rios (Bolivia) – 18:23:01
Martina Klančnik Potrč, the 2025 Transgrancanaria Classic third-place woman. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Miguel Travieso
