Italy’s Davide Foccoli and French champion Léna Gérault triumph in the Roc Marathon by Škoda

  Italy’s Davide Foccoli wins the Roc Marathon by Škoda ahead of teammate Stefano Goria. France’s Léna Gérault takes victory in the women’s race

Bruno Armirail is expected on the start line of the Roc d’Azur CIC (55 km) on Sunday 11 October

CIC invites visitors to take part in an immersive experience and games at its stand.

Ride FFC: an all-women’s group rides the Canyon Rando Gravel Estérel Families and children take centre stage on Saturday 10 October

Today on the Roc d'Azur CIC

Concentration, excitement, nerves… Emotions ran high as riders gathered for the Roc Marathon by Škoda at 7 am. In the half-light of dawn, an impressive procession assembled on the start line. By the time the starting gun sounded half an hour later, the sun was rising over the Base Nature François Léotard, as though cheering on the intrepid riders. A true “maxi Roc d’Azur CIC”, the Roc Marathon by Škoda covered much of Sunday’s course, with an additional 45 km through the area around Valdingarde, at the foot of the Rocher de Roquebrune. Riders crossed the iconic Massif des Maures, tackling key sections including the Fournel descent, the Col de Valdingarde and the Bougnon. Among the headline names, France’s Luca Martin was there to enjoy himself after a busy season crowned by an overall victory in the Cross-country Mountain Bike World Cup. The rider from the French Riviera has grown up with the Roc d’Azur CIC, progressing from the Roc Kid through the junior ranks to the elite races. “I like marathon racing, but today I’m here to ride with my friends and enjoy myself,” he explained. Alongside him was Jolanda Neff, a leading figure in cross-country cycling who has won Olympic and world titles in the discipline, as well as a mountain bike marathon world title. The Swiss rider was discovering the event for the first time. “I’m delighted to be here,” she said. The Canyon Rando Gravel Estérel (70.4 km), starting from Cap Estérel in Saint-Raphaël, also brought plenty of action to the day. In the evening, spectators enjoyed the distinctive atmosphere of the CIC Roc Ruelles de Fréjus, a fast-paced, original format winding through the narrow streets of the old town.

Champions of the day

 Winning the Roc Marathon by Škoda (100.6 km) took exceptional strength, especially this year. On highly technical trails made extremely muddy by the weather, the leading specialists quickly pulled clear as the demanding course whittled down the field. One rider stood out: Davide Foccoli. The 24-year-old Italian, 12th last year, attacked more than 50 km from the finish and was never caught. He won in 4h32′17″. “It’s a wonderful victory. I rode a large part of the race on my own. I was a little worried because it’s a long course, with a lot of mud this year. But I was in good shape and my legs felt particularly strong. It’s a great result for the team,” said the winner. His Scott Racing Team completed a one-two finish, with fellow Italian Stefano Goria taking second four minutes later in 4h36′49″. “I finished 15th in 2025. This was my goal for the end of the season. Davide made a good move halfway through the race; he was very strong. I decided to be patient behind him and stay on the wheels. Then I attacked on the Col du Bougnon to secure second place,” he explained. Both riders will start the Roc d’Azur CIC on Sunday. The Netherlands’ Tom Schellekens (4h39′31″) completed the podium after an exciting sprint finish. The first French rider, Léo Bartoletti, finished 20th in 4h51′57″. In the women’s race, France returned to the top step of the podium thanks to national mountain bike marathon champion Léna Gérault. The Team Creuse Oxygène Guéret rider, who also won in 2022, fought a close battle with Claudia Peretti. Gérault got the better of her rival late in the race, winning in 5h26′54″, a few minutes ahead of the Italian champion (5h32′11″). New Zealand’s Samara Maxwell finished third in the marathon event (5h37′27″). “It’s a great event and a very tough one. It’s my longest race of the year. Fortunately, there are often men around, which gives you visual reference points. But I eased off a little, riding in energy-saving mode as I do in training. Claudia caught up with me before the Car Brûlé descent, around the 70 km mark, but I still had something in reserve and was able to make the difference. The final section is particularly demanding—your muscles are asking ‘why?’—but that’s part of the appeal of the race,” she said. Gérault is expected to line up for the Roc d’Azur CIC on Sunday, where she will share the trails with Bruno Armirail. The newly crowned European individual time trial silver medallist will be one of the attractions of the event’s flagship race.

See all the results

The Village

A key showcase for cycling and outdoor

At the Roc d’Azur CIC, brands are looking above all to raise their profile. Thule is focusing on experiences and personal connections. The brand is launching Thule Camp, a “Club Med”-style campsite where customers can spend time with its ambassadors, and offering a “Test Zone” where visitors can try its products.“We want to build and bring together a community. Our ambassadors play a major role in that: Kilian Bron, Nicolas Fleury and others. They know the equipment they use, whether bike racks or strollers, inside out, and they’re the best people to present it,” explains Clémence Margueritat, Marketing Manager at Thule. Canyon, a premium partner of the event, is also expanding its outdoor offering, particularly its gravel range. “We’re seeing new types of riders emerge, from versatile amateurs to technology enthusiasts. It’s very interesting,” says Rodolphe Beyer, CEO of Canyon France.

CIC focuses on an immersive experience

Title partner of the Roc d’Azur since 2024, CIC is strengthening its presence at the exhibition. “CIC is deeply committed to promoting cycling in all its forms, whether in competition or everyday life. Through our partnership with the Roc d’Azur CIC, we want to connect with the public and get closer to the organisations and businesses involved in cycling,” explains Patrice Cauvet, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of CIC. The bank also supports exhibitors with a range of services designed for professionals, helping them manage sales and customer relationships. For visitors, the stand offers several activities, including the legendary timed “montée infernale” challenge. A QR code will also allow visitors to continue the experience throughout the exhibition with a series of smartphone mini-games. Prizes are up for grabs, too. Full programme of activities

Ride FFC: an all-women’s group The Roc d’Azur CIC encourages women’s participation in cycling, and this edition offers a fine example. For the first time, an all-women’s group took part in a Roc event as part of Ride FFC. Twelve riders, including Laëticia Le Corguillé (Olympic BMX silver medallist and four-time French champion) and Cathy Moncassin-Prime, completed the Canyon Rando Gravel Estérel (70.4 km) together, wearing French national cycling team jerseys. A memorable experience. “Savoir rouler à vélo” initiative As it does every year, CIC’s “Savoir rouler à vélo” (“Learning to Ride a Bike”) initiative, organised through the French Cycling Federation (FFC), brought together four primary school classes, or 150 pupils. CIC gave them helmets and educational booklets, while the children practised on a training course to learn safe cycling habits. A signing session was also held with French national team cyclist Marion Bunel. On Thursday, pupils from Fréjus had taken part in an activity about marine biodiversity and learned about pollution.