Thousands of runners take on Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB

The flagship race started in Auron on Friday afternoon, taking runners across around 165 kilometres of demanding mountain terrain towards Nice.

While professional and semi-professional athletes competed at the front, many amateur runners took on the challenge with the main goal of simply reaching the finish.

The event also included races starting from Roubion, Levens, Èze and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, with a new night race from Levens introduced this year.

Participants represented 82 nationalities, with only around 20 to 25% coming from the Alpes-Maritimes.

French success in the flagship race

France’s Clément Désille won the men's 100-mile race after a close battle with compatriot Mathieu Delomier.

Désille finished in 22 hours and 27 minutes, just over a minute ahead of Delomier, while Laurent Mendez completed an all-French podium.

Slovenia’s Martina Klancnik Potrc won the women's race in 29 hours, 25 minutes and 52 seconds, ahead of French runners Nanihi Dantin and Marianne Leroux.

Finland’s Juuso Simpanen and Germany’s Beliana Hilbert took the men's and women's victories respectively in the 100k event, while runners from France, Iceland and Britain were among the winners across the shorter distances.

Villages welcome runners from around the world

Beyond the competition, the event also brought thousands of runners and supporters into communities across the hinterland.

Roubion, a village of just 120 residents, welcomed around 1,200 runners for the start of one race, with local businesses extending their opening hours and accommodation in high demand.

Levens, meanwhile, hosted the start of the new night race, with around 650 runners expected.

The routes also passed through communities including Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, Peillon, Tourrette-Levens, Bairols, Tournefort and Rimplas, giving international participants an opportunity to discover different parts of the region before completing their races on the Promenade des Anglais.