Marie-Hélène Bidart winner of the 100 km of Millau: “Honestly it's a big surprise!”

Marie-Hélène Bidart remporte les 100 km. Midi libre – Maxime Cohen

Pour sa première participation aux 100 km de Millau, Marie-Hélène Bidart remporte la course en 8h45'45.

For the edition to be successful, two great winners are needed. Gabriel Noutary's humility and talent splashed the roads of southern Aveyron, Marie-Hélène Bidart followed with her panache.

The Toulouse native could not rely on her experience as a 100km runner. It was her first! Nor on that of her coach… "It was the first time he had prepared an athlete for a long race", she confided. Yet, with a smile, and a few cramps in sight of the finish, she made her way, almost alone in the lead. “I had never exceeded the marathon distance but I had prepared well, she explains. Until the marathon I was very well and after I put the doubts on myself all by myself.”

Go carefully , she took the lead of the race after 25 kilometers and was not caught again. This is evidenced by the lead she had at the finish over her competitors. Nearly 25 minutes over Claudia Bernasconi, her runner-up. “Honestly, it's a big surprise, I didn't expect it!”, she admits with a hint of euphoria.

Top 5

1. Marie-Hélène Bidart 8:45’45
2.Claudia Bernasconi 9:10’52
3. Rajae Casado Souini 9:12’52
4. Marie-Laure Roussel 9h17’33
5. Carole Souchon 9h48’11

«I haven’not walked once»

He there was no comparison. On the Tiergues hill, the forty-something from Toulouse was nevertheless at ease. “I didn't walk once, which is amazing… The climbs were good for me because it's hard to keep up a flat rhythm. On the climbs you get into the swing of things and you move forward and you realize that you're not not doing too badly."

It finally held. In August, she had already come with her coach to the race routes to do a reconnaissance of the second part. “I stayed in my bubble, I knew there were strong girls… It's not like in a marathon where you look at your watch to the nearest second. There, between the first and second part, the difficulty is not comparable…In fact, you shouldn't worry about Millau!"

Not sure that the Toulousaine will be at the start next year. More used to marathons and trails (she notably did the Grand Trail des Templiers last year in 10h52’46), she wanted to take on the challenge. "I know it's the hardest, I wanted to do a 100km and this one! This was a discovery but I'm not sure I'll come back next year." Behind her, the competition didn't come back. Claudia Bernasconi finished in 9h10’52 and Rajae Casado Souini in 9h12’52.

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