Millau 100km 2025: Stéphanie Gicquel and Benjamin Polin Rewrite the Records
For its 53rd edition, the Millau 100km delivered an exceptional show thanks to Stéphanie Gicquel (8:02:34) and Benjamin Polin (6:19:18), who smashed the race records. Between the icy morning, the punishing slopes of the Col de Tiergues, and Millau’s unique atmosphere in Aveyron, the race reminded everyone why it remains the ultimate challenge for ultrarunners.
At 10 a.m., the field set off along Avenue Jean-Jaurès on Saturday, September 27. The thermometer barely touched three degrees Celsius. Many runners wore gloves, some exhaling puffs of mist with every breath. The temperature contrast with the previous day was striking, but that’s Millau: the thermal swings are part of the scenery. And as usual, the early chill was just a prelude—the sun would soon bake the long stretches toward Saint-Affrique.
The 100 km route stayed true to tradition: a fast opening along the Tarn River, rolling hills around the 20 km mark, then the centerpiece after passing under the viaduct: the Col de Tiergues, with an 8% gradient to tackle both ways. In total, nearly 1,200 meters of elevation gain. A road ultra, yes, but with a profile worthy of a mountain marathon.
| Stéphanie Gicquel: Faster Than Ever
Already considered one of the benchmark centurions, Stéphanie Gicquel reached a new level on Saturday. Clocking 8:02:34, the Carcassonne native shaved 19 minutes off her own 2023 time (8:21:34) at Millau. At this level, such a leap is monumental and confirms her continuous rise over the past two years.
The secret? Perfect management of the conditions. To counter the cold start, the long-distance specialist came prepared: gloves, icy towels around her neck and wrists—a paradoxical move that maintained a “cool zone” in the early kilometers, anticipating the heat to come.
The only setback: digestive troubles from the ice-cold water she drank early on. But she held firm—and even more impressively, in the final ten kilometers, Gicquel surged like a marathoner in full control: 4:00 per km, sometimes 3:47, after over 90 km in the legs. The surreal pace electrified spectators gathered at the finish line.
This new record adds to an extraordinary trajectory: three months earlier, Gicquel had won the Ultra Marin in Vannes, and last winter, she set the world record for 24-hour track running (249.126 km in December 2024 in Phoenix). As France’s top endurance runner—holder of the national 24-hour road record (253.6 km) and best national performance over 100 miles (14:17)—she now joins the elite circle of athletes winning four major ultra-trail races (100-mile events with over 1,500 starters), alongside Kilian Jornet and François d’Haene. Millau confirms she now competes on a whole new level.
| Benjamin Polin: A Record for the Ages
On the men’s side, the 2025 edition was always set to be historic—but few expected Benjamin Polin (31) to dominate so decisively. Finishing in 6:19:18, the double French 100 km champion (2022, 2023) and double French marathon champion (2024, 2025) erased the legendary 1990 mark of Jean-Marc Bellocq (6:28:31). Thirty-five years of history gone in one morning in Aveyron.
A duel was anticipated with Gabriel Noutary (eventually 2nd in 6:52:46), but the man who works in a local electricity union outside his ultra-running career quickly imposed an unstoppable pace. By the 50 km mark, the gap was massive. Polin transformed the race into a solo demonstration, every step confirming his supremacy. No faltering, no hesitation—a surgical management of effort, leading to triumph in downtown Millau.
By breaking a record standing for over three decades, the 15th-place finisher at the 2024 100 km World Championships in India elevated his status. Polin joins the rare group of runners capable of redefining the limits of a legendary race. The local favorite, Lucas Gaquière, took third in 7:04:09.
| The Marathon: A Nod to the Centurions
Alongside the 100 km, the highly regarded Millau Marathon delivered suspense and performance. Simon Dubocage ran a smart race over 42.195 km, navigating the Tarn gorges and iconic stretches under the viaduct to finish in 2:34:39, ending his career on a high note with a course record.
On the women’s side, Coralie Blanchard surprised everyone, completing her first marathon in 2:58:40, the fastest time in the history of the women’s race, proving Millau is as much a ground for breakthroughs as for legends. Despite its “flat” reputation, the course tested energy management: long straightaways, rolling false flats, and technical descents demanded focus and anticipation. Marathoners shared Millau’s unique atmosphere with the 100 km runners, exchanging cheers and feeding off the collective adrenaline.
Beyond the times, Millau remains a shared adventure. Whether finishing in 6 hours or 15, everyone faces the same climbs, the same viaduct, the same doubts. The biting morning cold, the scorching heat in Saint-Affrique, the seemingly endless false flat before descending back to Millau—all part of the experience.
Dorian VUILLET
Journaliste
