© Orange Vélodrome Trail
Orange Vélodrome Trail 2025 : When Marseille’s Stadium Turns Into the Ultimate Urban Playground
On Sunday, November 16, Marseille’s Orange Vélodrome offered far more than soccer nets and chants from Olympique de Marseille fans. Instead, 3,500 runners stormed the stadium, turning its stands, tunnels and endless staircases into an unconventional racecourse. The Orange Vélodrome Trail turned the legendary arena into a vertical playground—4 km or 8 km, solo or in teams—where burning legs, labored breathing and wide smiles all crossed paths.
Sun-soaked stands, echoing corridors, a pristine pitch lit by the morning light: the Vélodrome morphed into an urban maze like nowhere else in Europe. And this time, the event’s motto—“Experience something truly unique inside the Orange Vélodrome”—wasn’t an overpromise. This sixth edition of the Orange Vélodrome Trail drew crowds of OM supporters and local runners ready to tackle either distance, with the team relays adding an extra dose of friendly chaos.
The stadium’s 2,000 steps quickly reminded everyone that this wasn’t your average Sunday jog. “It was really, really tough,” admitted one participant after crossing the line. “I only found out a month before the race that there were all these stairs—so many stairs. But in the end, I finished in 42 minutes and I’m super proud of myself.” A sentence that summed up the entire edition: a challenge, a discovery, and a sense of pride—always with a bit of Marseille’s signature playlist in the ears.
Others discovered the Vélodrome from the inside for the very first time. “I was nervous at the start—I don’t train much, so I jumped into the unknown… but it went really well, except for the climbs!” said one runner. Another added: “It was incredible! I did the 8K, and it was my first time inside the stadium. Seeing all this made the race unforgettable.”
Even the hidden corners of the venue left their mark. “I loved it. Doing the 8K and exploring the stadium, seeing the pool and all the backstage areas where the players walk through—I didn’t expect that. It was amazing!”
| Jules Giraudon-Paoli and Audrey Armelin dominate the solo 8K
For some, pace and time were secondary. For others, the stopwatch mattered. French runner Jules Giraudon-Paoli set the tone right from the opening meters, powering through the staircases and tight bends with total control. He crossed the line in 30:08, an exhibition of consistency that earned him the men’s U23 victory.
Just behind him, brothers Mathis and Raphaël Deschamps delivered one of the most intense finishes of the day: 31:37 vs 31:39. Two seconds apart—enough to tell the story of a sibling duel fought step for step inside the stadium’s reverberating corridors.
In the women’s race, France’s Audrey Armelin set a steady pace and never looked back. Her 34:29 earned her the overall 15th place and the women’s win. Pauline Martin (34:55) and Isabelle Daveau (36:68) completed a tight and competitive podium.
| 4K winners: Éric Camguilhem and Stella Quelen take control
Shorter distance, same adrenaline. Éric Camguilhem controlled the men’s 4K from the start, finishing in 18:25, while Damien Clanet (18:57) and Aaron Penalver Debee (19:01) sprinted it out behind him.
In the women’s field, Stella Quelen excelled on the stair-heavy course, winning in 24:32, ahead of Pauline Roustan (24:50) and Perrine Pistouley (25:37). On such a compact route, every corner mattered—and the top three ran it with impressive precision.
| Team relays: strategy, shared effort… and plenty of laughs
The team formats in both the 4K and 8K added a social and tactical layer to the event. Runners debated strategies—who starts fast, who maintains the pace, who finishes strong—before handing off in the tightest parts of the stadium. The relays captured exactly what makes the Vélodrome Trail special: not just the speed, but the shared experience, the camaraderie, and the unmistakable Marseille energy.
✔ All results from the 2025 Orange Vélodrome Trail are available online
Dorian VUILLET
Journalist
