Michael Coy
Over the weekend Friday 9 to Sunday 11 May, some 9,000 athletes took part in Ronda’s 101km race.
For 25 years, the “Legion” has been promoting an event which, it argues, is about health, and offers the youth of Andalucía a model of how to live, which is better than resorting to (for example) drugs.
The “Legion”, based in Ronda, is the Spanish Army’s spearhead regiment. Now 100 years old, the Legion is well-known in Spain for pushing physical limits.
Civilians are challenged, every May, to walk, run or cycle a difficult route. There is also a children’s option.
The “101” is so popular that a ballot system has been introduced to limit the number of participants.
The winners of the 2025 edition were José Quillo Márquez in the men’s MTB (runners’) race, in four hours and 8 minutes: Lorena Tamayo completed the women’s MTB race in 5 hours and 35 minutes.
As for the walkers, the men’s podium was made up of Dani García with 8 hours and 55 minutes, while the women’s podium was mounted by Ana María Cerván with a time of 10 hours and 47 minutes.
There is also a team event. The Trail Runners Avanza de Jaén walking team took the win with a time of 12 hours, and the women’s team, Fuerza y Honor, took the win with a time of 16 hours, 39 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the mountain bike category, the following were the positions and times:
Men
1. David González Tirado (03:58:25).
2. Pablo Guerrero Bonilla (04:01:47).
3. Alejo Fuentes Ojeda (04:07:08).
Women
1. Victoria Mayoral César (05:16:44).
2. Paqui Sabina Bocanegra (05:44:41).
3. Cristina Martínez (06:11:11).
