EVENING FACT Veni Vici, the race of the furious!

Nordic walking, hiking or running, Come vice explored the wishes of its riders. And its runners are furious! A 13 km hiking race, a 27 km Nordic walk and four trails of 14, 27, 45 and 82 km spiced up the event which attracts thousands of participants. For a fourth edition, the proposals pleased amateurs and professionals alike.

From medieval Uzès to Roman Nîmes, passing over the Pont du Gard, it was about running, but also going back through history with sneakers on. The organizers warned: “ You will have the chance to explore one of the most remarkable works in the world inherited from ancient builders: the Nîmes aqueduct, built 2,000 years ago. Unique and magical. »

The routes

The Veni vici must be a beautiful, popular and friendly festival, not just reserved for runners and which highlights the Gard region. This is done with a new “hiking” formula, open from the age of seven and which offered a best of Pont du Gard site. We have the right to love nature, history, heritage and to enjoy the clock!

This hike, ideal for a family audience, was an ideal way to discover the most emblematic part of the Nîmes aqueduct created in the 1st century at your own pace, with no time limit.

On a unique hiking route which highlighted the superb environment on the Pont du Gard site, the Sunday runners were entitled to a real sporting course (320 meters D+), a little smoother and less technical than the 14 km run.

The 14 km, moreover, is the ideal distance to discover the Veni vici while running. Even the uninitiated and occasional runners have their place on this distance with a difference in altitude (320 D+) and a very reasonable difficulty. A good introduction before aiming longer in the following years.

The tone was set straight away with a start at the foot of the imposing Pont du Gard, early in the afternoon. It's hard to find a more magical setting! “ You will take the best of the places on the right bank and left bank on a playful, nervous and green route which will make you discover the best of Pont du Gard site and gain height to dominate the monument listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. »

Let's move on to more and more serious things…

The 27 km seemed to be the ideal compromise for those who did not yet have the legs to do the full 82 km or 45 km between Nîmes and Le Pont du Gard. “ You will be entitled to a departure at the foot of the superb Duchy of Uzès on Saturday mid-morning, in the opposite direction to the route proposed last year. You will immediately be immersed in a green atmosphere in the Eure valley where the Roman aqueduct of Nîmes had its source. Then, you will cross the charming towns of Saint-Maximin and Argilliers, passing through the hills which will smell of thyme and rosemary. »

Afterwards ? Towards Pont-du-Gard, then a festival of Romanness with the succession of remains of the arches of the aqueduct, until the final crossing of the majestic Pont du Gard.

But there was another route. Why should there be only ones for runners? With the 27 km “Nordic walking”, the Veni vici was also aimed at sports walkers who don't like to hang around too much on the way, allowing them to play with the clock and poles (authorized but not obligatory) for those who do. wished.

Come on, let's move on to races longer than a marathon…The 47 km solo was the perfect compromise to discover the Veni Vici. A median “marathon” distance between the full 82 km (which scares some) and the 27 km which others find a bit too short.

« Prepare yourself for a festival of climbs and descents in the first ten kilometers, with crossings of villages and magical sites like Saint-Bonnet-du-Gard, the site of the astonishing Sernhac tunnels dug by the Romans (through which the water towards Nîmes), the castles of Lédenon then Cabrières… »

A finish in the heart of Nemausus, a bit of a hassle passing through the Tour Magne, descending to the Gardens, passing through the Maison Carrée and ending passing through the arenas to arrive on the Parvis.

Finally and for the more tired, the 82 km. “ This is the queen distance of the Veni vici. The most beautiful and varied. Which gets better by 10 km in order to offer you great new things and because, as the saying goes, the longer it is, the better it is! You will be entitled to a complete journey up the Roman aqueduct (in the direction of the water) which supplied Nîmes more than 2000 years ago, starting from the Fontaine d'Eure in Uzès. If you were with us in 2023, prepare to lose all your bearings, it will never go up and down in the same places. »

Rankings

Germany, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Spain, Estonia, USA, Finland, Georgia, Israel, Italy, Malta, Mexico, Portugal, Romania, United Kingdom, as well as Slovakia, Switzerland and Ukraine, the participants of the Veni vici are at international!

There were 727 on the 82 km, 1,422 on the 47, 2,288 on the 27 (442 in Nordic walking) and some 2,577 on the 14!

On the 47 km it was the Lyonnais Virgile Moriset who arrived first at the arenas, completing the race in 3h36. On the podium, David Agoguet took second place in 3h41 and Antoine Holuigue in 3h44.

For the women, it is Mary-Charlotte Turco who comes first with the exceptional time of 4h43 ahead of Sonia Larralde in 4h51.

On the 82 km, another victory for the “goat” who finished his race in 6h57, ahead of Fabrice Arène (who lived up to his name) who arrived in 7h03, just ahead of Aurélien Collet in the same minute.

For the women, it was the Italian Camilla Magliano who flew through the race, achieving the incredible time of 7:09!

For the final results, it's here.