Cross de los Tres Refugios 2026

Cross de los Tres Refugios is a 30 km mountain race in Spain’s Sierra de Madrid, starting at Puerto de Navacerrada. It is part of the four-race Copa de Hierro circuit. This is a hard trail race, not a simple run through the hills, with 1,850 meters of climbing and the same amount of descent. Technical sections create an uneven effort: much of the uphill work comes after halfway, when runners already have around 15 km in their legs. The route climbs Bola del Mundo and La Maliciosa, then drops steeply toward Cantocochino by way of Cuerda de Porrones and winding trails. From Cantocochino it climbs again through La Pedriza, passing Charca Verde and Puente de los Manchegos before continuing through high mountain pastures and following the Manzanares River toward its source. The race suits mountain runners who can handle long climbs, rough descents, and a course that saves some of its hardest work for late in the day.