Banbridge CC’s off-road Epic Series specialists Johnny McRoberts and Gareth McKee have once again partnered up to take on another round of the notorious Epic Series. Having previously taken on the Absa Cape Epic and the Swiss Epic, they now switch their focus to the Andora Epic in the Pyrenees.
Covering 204km with 6,500m of arduous climbing and 7,500m of technical descent through wild forests over 4 gruelling days, the event will demand everything the Banbridge riders have. We’ve provided an overview of each of the 4 stages below. Full event details can be found on the Andora Epic Website.
Stage 1 – Raw mountain biking at its finest. Thursday, 2nd July.
Stage 1 is the event’s most technical challenge, offering a true high-mountain MTB experience with two spectacular natural descents. Starting in Pal (Caubella), the route climbs sections of the Pal-Arinsal World Cup course before continuing to Coll de Cabús. Riders then tackle a first alpine descent into the Setúria Valley and, after returning to Coll de la Botella (refreshment point), enjoy a second, faster descent toward the Camí Ral. The stage finishes with a gentler section through mountain villages such as Ordino, Sornàs, and La Cortinada, ending in La Massana.
Stage 2 –Big mountains, big rewards. Friday, 3rd July.
The Queen Stage is the event’s most demanding and spectacular day, combining major climbs, alpine scenery, and one of Andorra’s iconic descents. Starting in Canillo, the route climbs toward Grandvalira, passing high-mountain landscapes and landmarks such as Llac de Pessons (2,350 m). Riders enjoy a mix of natural singletracks and fun bike park sections before returning to Canillo for the second feed zone. A final climb to Coll d’Ordino leads into the legendary Beixalís descent, finishing in style at the finish line in La Massana.
Stage 3 – 1,600 meters of pure descending! Saturday, 4th July.
Stage 3 offers one of the most spectacular experiences of the event, starting at Naturland Cota 1600 and climbing through alpine trails to the Roca de Pimes Refuge (2,160 m), the highest point of the stage. The highlight is a thrilling 1,300-meter descent, combining flowing bike park sections and natural singletracks down to Comabella and Sant Julià de Lòria. After a short recovery section, the stage ends with fast, scenic kilometres through riverside paths, historic bridges, and mountain landscapes, finishing in La Massana.
Stage 4 – The Grand Finale. The iconic Commençal. Sunday, 5th July
The final stage is the grand finale of the Andorra Epic, featuring a demanding and spectacular route crowned by the legendary Commençal descent. Starting in La Massana, riders climb toward Pal and the Pal-Arinsal World Cup area, combining road, trails, and bike park sections. The course continues over Collada de Muntaner and includes a mandatory hike-a-bike at Pas del Contrabandista before reaching Coll de la Botella for the final feed zone.
From there, the stage finishes with more than 1,000 meters of continuous descending back to La Massana via the iconic Commençal trail, delivering a fitting and dramatic end to four days of high-mountain racing in the Andorran Pyrenees.
