Established in 2000,[1] it is usually held in mid-November and is traditionally the first competition of the IAAF's cross country season, which culminates each year in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

[2] The Oeiras Cross Country has featured athletes such as Kenenisa Bekele, Paul Tergat, Gebregziabher Gebremariam and Felix Limo.

[3] The race can be of high importance to Portuguese athletes as the results are often used to decide the national squad for the European Cross Country Championships.

[7] The course in Jamor is adjacent the Estádio Nacional,[8] the home ground of Portugal's national football team,[9] and is the same circuit that was used for the 1997 European Cross Country Championships and the men's 1999 European Club's Cross Country Cup in 1999.

[14] The competition has been sponsored by a number of patrons over its short history, including: Vodafone, Sport Zone, Banco Português de Negócios, Energias de Portugal and Finibanco.