Schedule, route, and closures: everything you need to know about getting around during the El Corte Inglés race.

BarcelonaOne of Barcelona's most iconic races arrives this Sunday, May 11th, thanks to El Corte Inglés. There are 40,000 registered participants, up from 30,000 last year, and a now familiar route that will cross the city from Diagonal to Plaça Catalunya. This 45th edition will donate the funds raised to the Xana Foundation.

This is all you need to know to follow the race or avoid the traffic disruptions it will cause.

A route full of iconic spaces

When the starting gun sounds at 9:00 a.m., right in front of El Corte Inglés on Diagonal, the runners will head up Passeig de Gràcia. The 10-km route will follow Aragó, Viladomat, Gran Vía de las Corts Catalanas, Marina, Caspe, and Ronda de Sant Pere streets until reaching the finish line at the intersection of Passeig de Gràcia and Plaça Catalunya.

Which streets will be closed?

From 5 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Sant Pere ring road, from Carrer Pau Claris to Plaça Catalunya, will be closed, as will the Besòs and Llobregat roads in the same square. In the same area, traffic will also be restricted on Passeig de Gràcia between Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and Plaça Catalunya. Finally, it is worth noting that Carrer Bergara and the Ronda Universidad ring road, between Rambla Catalunya and Carrer Balmes, will be closed.

How will this affect public transport?

Barcelona Metropolitan Transport (TMB) recommends using the metro on Sunday mornings and middays, as some bus lines may have route and schedule disruptions.

Specifically, 38 bus lines will be affected by the race: D40, D50, H6, H8, H10, H12, H16, V3, V5, V7, V9, V11, V13, V15, V17, V19, V21, 12, 27, 33, 34, 39, 47, 54, 55, 59, 63, 67, 68, 78, 113, 141, and the Red and Blue routes of the Barcelona Bus Turístic.

Athletes from around the world

Although Catalans Artur Bossy, Meritxell Soler, and Cristina Silva are favorites to take a spot on the podium, the El Corte Inglés Race will also feature athletes from other bands around the world vying for first place. In the men's category, the most notable are Bilal Ziadi, a Spaniard of Moroccan origin, the Russian Iskander Yadgarov, and the Frenchman Eliott Tissier. In the women's category, Moroccan athlete Douae Ouboukir will also be participating.

The organizers emphasize that the female participation rate is very even with the male, and they highlight the cross-age nature of the event, as more than 55% of participants are between 18 and 35 years old. The athletes will run in support of the Xana Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides comprehensive assistance and support to children and young people affected by serious illnesses and their families.