“A real mess of rocks”: Niçois Sébastien Civetti looks back on his 100k at the Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB 2026

An amateur trail runner since 2017, the Maralpin Sébastien Civetti took on an immense challenge this weekend at the Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB, traveling from Auron to the Promenade des Anglais. After 27 hours 10 minutes and 44 seconds, he completed the 113 kilometers and 5,400 meters of positive elevation gain. An experience as magnificent as it was grueling.

Starting from Auron on Saturday morning, 1,169 runners hoped to reach the Promenade des Anglais, 113 kilometers further on.

Among them, Sébastien Civetti, 38 years old, originally from the Nice area. Full of ambitions for his first participation in a UTMB event, he hoped to be among those who would complete the Côte d’Azur course.

Mission accomplished, not without difficulty, in a race where 426 runners dropped out. He shares his feelings about this very difficult race.

What is the prevailing feeling after managing to finish this race?

“Every race has its own truth. On this kind of distance, even if you’ve planned everything, you never know how it’s actually going to be. My first objective was to finish. After that, I’d also set myself a time goal: to arrive before nightfall. Well, that one completely fell apart pretty quickly, I was struggling very early on. There was a course modification that lengthened the route and wasn’t necessarily accounted for in my split times. But I’m very happy because in the end, the sun set and when night came, the sensations came back and things went very well. The morning was difficult again, my legs were completely destroyed, but I’m still very pleased with my race.”

So there were quite a few ups and downs. How do you maintain clarity when things get a bit more difficult, particularly with equipment, during moments of solitude, or at night?

“What’s good about UTMB races is that you don’t lack anything, with the mandatory equipment you have everything you need. When I was cold, I had my windbreaker, in the dark I had my headlamp and even a backup headlamp. I like the night, the advantage of night is that you focus a bit more on yourself, because you see less. You’re a bit more focused on the race, on your pace. You look ahead and, at the same time, you stay concentrated.”

Did you spend a lot of time alone, or on the contrary, were you able to create bonds with other runners?

“ You’re constantly crossing paths with people. You cross, you uncross. What was funny was that at one point, I had someone behind me for 7-8 km, so we talked a lot at night. I asked him several times if he wanted to pass me, but he didn’t want to, my pace suited him. And since he was behind me at night, I couldn’t see his face, I didn’t know his name. So I thought “that’s nice, I’m talking with someone, but I absolutely have no idea who it is”. And right at the end of the race he passed me, he called out to me, I recognized his voice and I could finally discover the face of my fellow runner, it’s the kind of funny thing that happens. Generally with people you cross several times in a race, a certain sympathy develops, you exchange a few words, you encourage each other.”

Now that you’re a finisher of a 113km, does it make you want to line up again for races that long and that difficult?

“So yes, but not right away” (laughs)! I’m not saying never again, but not right away. As for saying it’s a technical trail, it really is technical, there’s not a single kilometer of descent that goes easily, it’s very demanding.”

What does this course look like?

“ It’s simple, it was a real mess of rocks. There are rocks everywhere, they’re not neatly arranged, you always have to think. The positive thing is that you always have to stay focused, at no point do you think, I’ll just switch my brain off and coast down. It’s constantly a mental effort to find the best line. There was only the first descent where it was dirt paths, it was less rocky. After that, the further you go, the harder it gets.”

And in terms of organization, how did you find this race?

“ Really great, the volunteers are really nice, the environment is top-notch, you feel like you’re in a cocoon. The only small negative point is that when you start among the last runners, there’s a shortage of supplies at the aid stations. Otherwise, really, the course is magnificent, the atmosphere is perfect. The finish in Nice I’ll remember, when people see you’ve done 100 kilometers they’re totally behind you. I really hope this won’t be the last edition, it’s one of the most beautiful races I’ve done, not easy, but the crossing of the department is fantastic. It would be a real shame if it ended.”