At Marseille-Cassis, Hyundai's “Tous Finishers” salutes the back of the pack

Friday night on the Corniche: the warm-up act

The weekend couldn't have started better. On Friday evening, with excitement building among the runners, Hyundai put on a tailor-made night for its guests as part of its Run to Progress program. The venue was well chosen: the Nhow hotel on the Corniche, with an unbeatable view over the Mediterranean. On the menu: a warm-up of cocktails and canapés. Forty-eight hours before race day, the brand gathered several of its ambassadors, including Laure Manaudou and Alain Bernard, with sports journalist François-Xavier de Chateaufort as host. The evening featured reflex challenges, exclusive activities and conversations with the champions. A perfect way to load up on positive energy and draw inspiration from the best before the big challenge two days later.

It was also a chance for guests to find out more about the Hyundai universe. The carmaker used the occasion to present the new IONIQ 3, a very comfortable, enjoyable car to drive and, above all, 100% electric.

Marseille-Cassis: every finisher celebrated, from first to last

Sunday, October 25 was finally here: 20,000 runners set off from the CEPAC Vélodrome to take on the Gineste. Many were regulars at this French classic, but plenty were new faces. With its unusual profile, a first half climbing to the Col de la Gineste and a second half dropping down to Cassis, and its postcard scenery, Marseille-Cassis is the ideal race to push your limits and enjoy yourself.

As every year, the elites shot off the front, followed by a huge wave of amateur runners, each with a story to tell and a personal challenge to meet. Everyone at their own pace. And while the morning was a lot longer for the rest of the field than for the winners, Kiprop Kimutai (58:36) and Alessia Zarbo (1:09:04), the emotions are the same from first to last.

It was precisely these last runners that the “Tous Finishers” operation was built for. Four members of the Finishers team took their place at the back of the pack and ran the 20 kilometers alongside them. Their mission: cheer the runners on, help them through the rough patches, from the climb to the Col de la Gineste to the descent into Cassis, and above all leave nobody alone before the finish line.

At the finish, among the vineyards of Cassis, the operation ended in smiles, joy, pride and, above all, the urge to do it all again. Fittingly, the last five women across the line each won a bib for the 2027 edition. A reminder that running is first and foremost about sharing and human experience. With this operation, Hyundai and Finishers show that finishing Marseille-Cassis deserves to be celebrated, whatever the time on the clock. From the elite runner who tears up the stopwatch to the woman running in tribute to a loved one who recently passed away, every participant has a story. Zed, the very last finisher and founder of the run club She Runs 13, opened up after the race: “I lost my auntie last Tuesday. In the end, I told myself I had to do it for her. Thank you to the Hyundai team. ”

“Tous Finishers” x “Run To Progress”: positive initiatives to get people running

The idea behind “Tous Finishers” makes perfect sense at a race like Marseille-Cassis. This year, 56% of participants were lining up for the first time. The field ranged from 17 to 87 years old and was 38% women. For many of them, the goal wasn't necessarily a time, just getting to the finish line in Cassis. After all, performance is a deeply personal notion, different for everyone.

Launched in 2024, the “Run To Progress” program brings together the initiatives and races supported by Hyundai in Europe. 2026 has been a busy year for the brand, with Laure Manaudou as an ambassador, from her first marathon in Paris all the way to Marseille-Cassis.

Olympic champions in the pack

On the start line of this Marseille-Cassis, among thousands of runners, several Hyundai ambassadors had pinned on a bib too, including three names well known to the French public. No podium to aim for today, but the three swimmers were determined to win a medal anyway, the finisher's medal this time: Alain Bernard covered the 20 kilometers in 1:50:28 and Laure Manaudou in 2:20:43.

For Laure Manaudou, who ran her first marathon in Paris in the spring in 4:30, the race didn't go as planned. After weeks of intense training, an injury flared up a few days before the start. In a message posted after the race, she admits some frustration at a time far from her target, but keeps hold of what matters: “Sport reminds us of one essential thing: nothing is ever guaranteed. Weeks of effort don't always bring the result you hoped for. And yet, despite the difficulty, the joy of crossing that line is intact. With the pride of having gone all the way, even when things don't go as planned. ”

She also thanks Hyundai, which supports her in her sporting challenges: “The more challenges go by, the more I feel part of this great family. ” The message she takes from her race echoes that of “Tous Finishers”: in Cassis, the finish line matters more than the time on your watch. France's first female Olympic swimming champion closed by hinting that the story is far from over: “Marseille, I haven't said my last word. ”

In the end, this Marseille-Cassis 2026 sums up what running is today. We can be inspired by ever faster times, but what really moves us are the personal stories and the challenges met by everyone who pins on a bib. “Tous Finishers” showed just what sport has to offer at its best: a human experience rich in emotion and sharing. Honoring the last finishers means shining a light on people who deserve it just as much as the first. And as the saying goes, the last shall be first... For the last five women across the line, the 2027 edition has already begun, bib in hand.*

Find all the details of the Run To Progress program on Hyundai.com