For the Nice – Cannes 2026 marathon, 600 employees from the Alpes-Maritimes department will receive a free race bib. A good way for some of them to get back into sports, but also to build connections beyond the professional aspect.
Several dozen municipal employees gathered mid-week last for the launch of the “1 agent 1 bib” operation. This scheme gives employees of the local authority and its affiliated organizations (SITCAM, SMIAGE, firefighters from SDIS…) the opportunity to participate free of charge in the Nice – Cannes marathon 2026 which will take place on 8 November.
In addition to the race bib, the 600 employees will be able to benefit from weekly sports coaching, with a free session every Wednesday at 12 noon at the Charles Ehrmann track until 4 November. The coaching is provided by Didier Molina, coach for Azur Sport Organisation, and Marc Raquil, world champion and double European champion in the 400 metres in the 2000s.
For Charles-Ange Ginésy, president of the Alpes-Maritimes department, this initiative is essential: « Thanks to these 600 free race bibs, some of our employees improve their physical fitness, others discover the benefits of running. This allows people with sometimes sedentary professional lives to get back into sports. This is the third year this scheme has existed and it’s always a resounding success. »
Each employee has the option to register for the different formats offered by Azur Sport Organisation. Some opt for the relay marathon, with two to six runners, while others prefer the individual option. For the 2026 edition, 25,000 runners are expected at the Nice – Cannes marathon, a record.
A sporting and social interest
On the agenda for this first session, a few laps of the track, then a VMA test. An opportunity for coach Didier Molina to get to know his team: « It’s a pleasure to see the people we’ve coached for two years, and it’s also a pleasure to see new faces and teach them how to train properly on the track. My greatest joy is seeing people who were walking during their first sessions in previous years and who are now able to run. »
To assist him, he will have Marc Raquil, the star attraction and patron of the initiative: « I’m thrilled to be back at the Charles Ehrmann track, the track where I qualified for my first Olympic Games in 2000. I’ll try to give them as much advice as possible so they’re in top form on the day. »
Finally, while the sporting interest of this initiative is quite obvious, there is also a whole social dimension behind the project. Many of these employees interact by email or phone in their professional daily lives, but had never had the opportunity to meet before.
« This is my second year. Last year I did the marathon as a duo, this year it’s the big step and I’m preparing for the marathon alone. I’ll come every Wednesday, it’s really great. I’ve been able to build quite a few connections with other runners among the department employees and now we also do outings together outside of Wednesdays », says Nicolas Feuillet, second cook at the Roquefort-les-Pins school.
A sentiment shared by coach Didier Molina, who recalls the sessions from previous years: « Last year I kept hearing: ‘Oh my goodness, it’s you from the service… !’ It’s really fun to see people make connections with each other, it can only be beneficial for the city. »
After this first intense session, faces were quite red. Eight more sessions for all local authority employees before the Nice – Cannes marathon on 8 November.
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