April | 2026 | IAN CORLESS

The 40th edition of the MDS LEGENDARY is here and it’s unlike anything that’s come before it.

Six stages. 270 kms. A route that raises the bar once again.

This year’s course delivers both scale and variety. It opens with a steady 35km to find your rhythm before stepping up to a longer 40.5km day for stage 2.

Stage 3 pulls things slightly shorter at 29.1km ahead of the stage 4 ‘long day,’ but by this point, the cumulative load is already building.

Then comes the centrepiece.

Stage 4 stretches to a record-breaking 100km, the longest single stage in MDS Legendary history. With two staggered starts and a 40-hour cut-off, it’s a true test of pacing, resilience, and decision-making under fatigue. This is where the 2026 and 40th edition will be defined.

With a 40-hour cut-off, the need to rest, recover and reset quickly is important. A classic marathon distance of 42.2km follows on Stage 5, before the final 23.2km push to the finish and the glory of medal.

Across the six days, the route totals 270km’s with 2612m+ of climbing, in the Sahara, every metre and every step counts, this will be tough.

Since its creation, the Marathon des Sables has built its reputation as one of the toughest footraces on earth. The 40th edition honours that history while pushing into new territory, with its longest stage ever and one of its most demanding overall distances.

An epic edition.

An iconic race.

A route that will be remembered.

Race Summary:

Day 1 – Stage 1 35km 285m+ 0700am start – 1000h cut off

Day 2 – Stage 2 40.5km 486m+ 0600am start – 1135h cut off

Day 3 – Stage 3 29.1km 413m+ 0700am start – 0620h cut off

Day 4 – Stage 4 100km 721m+ – two starts, 0500/0700am – 4000h cut off

Day 5 – Stage 4 continuation/ rest day

Day 6 – Stage 5 42.2km 424m+ 0630am start – 1205h cut off

Day 7 – Stage 6 23.2km 238m+ 0630am start – 0440h cut off

270km and 2612m+