The Vätternrundan route, printed
The 2026 course, 314.9 km, from Motala, Sweden.
- Styles
- 19 colourwaysto choose from
- 300 DPIsharp at every size
- Price
- From £24.95delivered free
- Paper
- 240 gsmsmooth fine-art paper
The 2026 course is already drawn on the map, with the distance beneath it. Add your name and your finishing time, choose a style, and preview the finished artwork before you buy. Prices from £24.95, and delivery is free.
A night-long lap of Lake Vättern from Motala, south down the eastern shore to Jönköping and back up the west through Hjo and Karlsborg, ridden through the pale Swedish June night.
Riders leave central Motala at the northern end of the lake and turn south down the eastern shore, with the water on their right for most of the night. The road runs past Ödeshög and Gränna, where the land falls steeply to the lake, and reaches Jönköping at the southern tip at around 110 kilometres. There is no mountain anywhere on the lap. The climbing comes in short rises along the shore, and the hard part is the length of open, flat road, exposed to whatever wind is crossing the water.
From Jönköping the route turns north up the western side, through farmland and forest to Hjo and on to Karlsborg, then rounds the top of the lake near Askersund and bends back east and south to Motala. The organisers set closing times at the depots: Jönköping shuts on Saturday morning, Hjo in the afternoon, and the finish line in Motala at midnight. For most riders the night section passes in a long dusk rather than darkness, and the lake stays in view for much of the day that follows.
Vätternrundan was first held in 1966, and its 61st edition on 12 and 13 June 2026 drew almost 20,000 riders from about 70 nations, more than half of them starting for the first time. The start runs in waves from 19:30 on Friday evening through the night, with the fastest groups leaving on Saturday. Stig Johansson has started every year since 1966, riding the route anyway in 2020 when the event was cancelled, and finished again in 2026 at 80 on a bicycle built in 1937. On the map the route is simply the outline of the lake.
Questions
When do Vätternrundan riders start?
In waves from 19:30 on Friday evening, with groups leaving every few minutes through the night into Saturday. The 2026 edition began on Friday 12 June.
Which direction does the route go round the lake?
Clockwise from Motala: south down the eastern shore to Jönköping, then north up the western side through Hjo and Karlsborg and back round the top of the lake.
Can I add my finishing time?
Yes. The title and the line beneath it are yours to write, so your name, your finishing time and your club all fit. The 2026 course and its distance are drawn for you, and you see the finished artwork before you buy.
Is this an official Vätternrundan print?
No. Maps & Son is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the organisers of the Vätternrundan; the name says which course is mapped. The course is drawn from a route file we use with permission.
Can I change the map?
Yes. The designer opens with the course drawn and the map framed around it. Move the map if you like, choose from 19 styles, and preview the finished artwork before you buy.
How much does a race route print cost?
Prints start at £24.95, printed on 240 gsm smooth fine-art paper, with delivery included to the UK and 25 other countries. Sold as A4, A3, A2 or A1 prints, unframed, at standard sizes so a ready-made frame will fit.
Other courses
Maps & Son is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the organisers of the Vätternrundan. The course is drawn from a route file we use with permission. For the race itself, see the organisers' website.