The Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB begins this Friday in the Alpes-Maritimes. Professionals and amateurs alike are all ready to push their bodies to the limit over the five distances on offer. Yesterday afternoon on the Promenade des Anglais at the time of bib collection, the atmosphere was festive for many runners who sometimes travel several hundred kilometers for the event.
No respite in Nice this weekend on the sports front. After the Ironman 70.3 World Championships two weeks ago, the Côte d’Azur capital is once again tuning in to host the Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB.
On the program, five races that will take place from Friday to Sunday. The flagship race, the 100 miles (168 km), will start from Auron today at 1 p.m. Participants will have to face 9,000 meters of positive elevation gain across the Mercantour before finishing their course on the Promenade des Anglais.
The first arrivals are expected around 9 a.m. Saturday morning for the men, and noon for the women.
Other races, shorter but equally demanding, will follow the 100 miles. The start of the 100 kilometers will be given Saturday morning at 8 a.m. from Roubion. Two 50-kilometer races are also on the program. The first will depart from Levens this Friday at 5 p.m., the second from Col d’Eze Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m.
Finally, for the more cautious, the 20 kilometers between Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Nice will begin Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m.
A record 5th edition
Building on the success of road racing and trail running, as well as the growing media coverage of long-distance racing, Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB establishes its permanent presence in the Alpes-Maritimes for a 5th consecutive edition.
This year, over 7,500 runners are expected, a record. On the Promenade des Anglais, some amateur runners have traveled several hundred kilometers to participate in the event. Germans, English, Italians, Portuguese, all come to test their level on the Mercantour trails, renowned for their technical difficulty, especially on the descents.
This is the case with Tom Godard, an amateur trail runner from Loire-Atlantique, for whom Nice was an obvious choice: «this is the first time I’m participating in a UTMB race and I’m delighted it’s happening in Nice. It’s a race that comes at the right time for me, it comes at the end of the season so I was able to prepare other major events earlier in the year, plus here the weather conditions are perfect. I also came because at my club at RACC trail Nantes, some guys participated in this race last year and they only had positive things to say about it.»
Further along the Promenade des Anglais at the UTMB village, several hundred runners are present to collect their bibs. In the midst of this hustle and bustle, many companions take the opportunity to spend time browsing the village stands. And yes, because if 7,500 runners are registered, you have to count several thousand more people who come to support their loved ones during aid stations during such demanding races.
Who are the favorites?
On the elite side, ambitions are huge for the favorites who dream of performing on the flagship distance. Frenchman Mathieu Delomier hopes to succeed in his race over a distance where he has little frame of reference: «running for that long really attracts me, last year I wanted to take a first step in the 100 miles and I gave up after 130 kilometers, so the goal now is to go all the way. I’d say it attracts me but it also scares me.»
Facing him is tough opposition. Portuguese runner Igor Lysyi, a multiple 100-mile winner is eager to tackle the formidable Côte d’Azur course: «running here is special, it won’t be easy given the terrain. I’m going to focus mainly on my race strategy, eat well, and enjoy the moment.»
Same sentiment from Brit Kallum Pritchard who fears the elevation gain: «I live in London so I don’t have many mountains around me, stairs have been my best friends during this preparation.»
Photo: Ulysse Vincelot
So whether elite or amateur runners, all will be at the start this weekend of a race that will push them to their limits, as beautiful as it is difficult.
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