A remote duel between Cristofer Clemente and Courtney Dauwalter in the 100M race of Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB
A remote duel between Cristofer Clemente and Courtney Dauwalter in the 100M race of Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB
The third edition of the Ultra Trail Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur (159 km and 8,200 m elevation gain) was both beautiful and intense, delivering a thrilling storyline.
Cristofer Clemente Mora (UTMB Index 860) won the race this Saturday, finishing in 21h22’14”.
The Spanish runner took the lead from the very first kilometers, but the victory wasn’t secured until the final stretch, as only 13 minutes separated Cristofer Clemente Mora from Courtney Dauwalter (UTMB Index 849) at the finish line.
Dauwalter finished second overall and was the first woman to cross the line.
The 100M adventure began yesterday at noon, high in the Auron mountains, with runners discovering the Rabuons refuge (2,523 m), the highest point of the race.
In a mineral-rich landscape, the runners explored the region’s geological treasures, alternating between forests, ridges, and typical villages (Isola, Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée, Utelle, Levens, Drap).
After the mountains came the sea.
From the Col de la Madeleine, located midway through the race, participants enjoyed an exceptional view of the azure waters during the long descent, leading them to the finish arch on the Promenade des Anglais.
Cristofer Clemente Mora: “First of all, a huge thank you for this incredible welcome. The course was more technical than expected, especially in the descents, but I really enjoyed myself and had a lot of fun. Despite the much cooler temperatures than I’m used to, I did my best to manage, especially by following the advice on gear. My goal was to stay in the fight and make things tough for my competitors, and today, it was my day. I’m thrilled with this victory.”
It was truly a remote duel between the two runners.
Courtney Dauwalter, 10th at Isola (Km 36), trailed the Spaniard by 27 minutes but steadily closed the gap, eventually closing in on Clemente Mora within 50 km of the finish.
She completed the 100M in 21h35’57”.
Courtney Dauwalter: “I feel extremely lucky to have experienced this race in such a beautiful setting. During the last climb, seeing Nice and the sea gave me chills, and I was really happy to have come here. I knew the course would be demanding, technical, and very difficult, especially with the rain overnight, but I loved every moment. It’s hard to compare this result to my other wins this year.”
Two French runners completed the men’s podium.
Nicolas Cerisier (UTMB Index 778), after a cautious start (24th at the first checkpoint), took 3rd place overall and finished as the 2nd man in 22h28’25”.
Vincent Fabre (UTMB Index 740), 4th overall, took 3rd place among the men with a time of 22h56’36”.
Enrica Dematteis (ITA – UTMB Index 695) finished 2nd in 26h33’34”, and Agathe Lebel (FRA – UTMB Index 642) came in 3rd with a time of 26h37’57”.
Text Credits: UTMB
Photo Credits: UTMB
