The Ibiza race will bring together 4,500 runners this Saturday, setting a new participation record. For the first time, 50% of registrations are women, an unprecedented figure in Spain for half marathons of this scale.
Ibiza, April 8, 2026
Lourdes Oyarbide from Álava will begin a new sporting chapter this Saturday at the Ibiza Half Marathon, making her debut over the 21-kilometre distance as a runner. After more than a decade competing at the highest level of international women’s cycling, the former professional cyclist will take on her first major challenge in the world of running in Ibiza, having already taken part in some trail races.
Oyarbide was Spanish road race champion in 2019 and Spanish time trial champion in 2017. She retired from professional cycling in 2024 at the age of 30, after twelve seasons in the international peloton and notable performances in some of the world’s most prestigious events.
For six seasons, she raced for Movistar Team at the top tier of women’s cycling, as part of the generation that helped drive the professionalisation of the sport in Spain. Throughout her career, she also competed for teams such as Bizkaia Durango and Laboral Kutxa.
A graduate in Industrial Design Engineering and Product Development from the University of Mondragón, Oyarbide has always combined elite performance with academic training. Following her retirement, she also embarked on a solo bikepacking journey of more than 300 kilometres across Thailand, an experience she described as one of the most enriching of her life.
Used to challenges and constant reinvention, she now swaps her cycling race number for running shoes to take on a new sporting challenge in Ibiza, while maintaining the competitive spirit that made her one of the leading figures in Spanish cycling in recent years.
International athletes on the starting line
From a sporting perspective, the race will feature Kenyan runner Meshack Kirwa Kipkurgat, recent winner of the A Coruña Half Marathon with a time of 1:01:12. Also lining up will be Nickson Kiplangat, who recently recorded 1:03:31 in Nantes, and David Kiplagat, with a personal best of 1:02:12.
In the women’s race, Ugandan athlete Annet Chesang stands out, with a personal best of 1:12.
Record participation and gender parity
The Ibiza Half Marathon, taking place this Saturday, April 11, will also set a new participation record after selling out all 4,500 bibs, becoming one of the half marathons with the highest female participation both nationally and internationally.
For the first time, full parity will be achieved: women account for 50% of registrations, an unprecedented figure for races of this distance and a clear sign of the growth of women’s running in recent years.
A course through the island’s most iconic landscapes
The race route will connect the municipalities of Sant Josep de sa Talaia and Ibiza Town, passing through some of the island’s most representative landscapes, further strengthening Ibiza’s positioning as an active sports tourism destination beyond the peak season.
