Under a vast blue sky and dreamlike conditions, the Roc d’Azur experienced an intense day with the highlights being the victories of the Austrian Alban Lakata and the British Sally Bigham in the Roc Marathon Mondovélo.
At the starting line of the Roc Marathon Mondovélo, people spoke German, English, Dutch, Italian…and sometimes even French. But when it comes to talking about the Roc d’Azur, the language becomes universal. With one word that always comes up: pleasure. There is no doubt that the 2000 runners at the start of the Roc Marathon Mondovélo, Friday’s main event, enjoyed the maximum pleasure.
If the elite athletes, including the day’s big winner Austrian Alban Lakata, completed the course challenges in under four hours, the more modest participants sometimes took more than seven or eight hours on the trails of the Massif des Maures. For everyone, from the first to the last, there was the joy of having participated in a race unlike any other.
Winner of the Roc d’Azur in 2010, Austrian Alban Lakata eventually won the sprint after 3h43’03’’ of effort. European champion last May in Germany, Lakata consistently led the race. Only a small fall about fifteen kilometers from the finish gave him a few scares.
In the women’s race, the British Sally Bigham was once again in a league of her own. She won for the fourth consecutive time in the Roc Marathon, ahead of the French Hélène Marcouyre, once again second (twice second in the Roc d’Azur and the third time second in the Roc Marathon). Belgian champion Alice Pirard completed the podium.
Alain Prost is getting a taste for it! He was undoubtedly the one who signed the most autographs in the finish area of the Roc Marathon Mondovélo and posed the most for photos. As soon as he crossed the finish line, Alain Prost responded to all the volunteers, spectators, and fans of the four-time Formula 1 world champion. And always with a smile. Present last year, the former driver, at 58, stood out again, finishing 374th out of over 2000 participants, in 5h43’.
MID ROC
In 2h13’41’’, Belgian Samuel Maryns claimed the Mid Roc (44km, 1250m of positive elevation). He came in ahead of French Romain Massas by 1’51’’ and Loïc Maryns by 2’14’’.
