Hidden GC potential? Nacer Bouhanni sets astonishing marathon time in Valencia

Nacer Bouhanni has stunned followers with an eye-catching marathon performance in Valencia, clocking 2h 31m for the full 42.2km — an extraordinary pace of 3:34 per kilometre and by far the most impressive post-retirement result yet from the former French sprinter.

The run, uploaded to Strava on Sunday morning, showed Bouhanni completing 42.41km around Valencia with a best estimated marathon effort of 2:30:45.

The effort drew instant praise from fellow riders, with Bouhanni's compatriot and former sprint rival Arnaud Demare responding beneath the activity: “Solid! In two years already a great performance, you’re not far off cracking this climb.”

Bouhanni, a six-time Grand Tour stage winner and one of France’s most prolific sprinters of the 2010s, retired at the end of 2023 after years disrupted by injury. But his Valencia outing suggests that the explosive power which once made him a feared finisseur has translated into a remarkably high baseline of endurance on foot.

The Frenchman is the latest in a surprising wave of recently retired pros discovering a second sporting life away from the peloton — and producing times that turn heads even in the running world.

Tom Dumoulin set the tone last year when he produced 1:10:04 for a half marathon before completing his debut marathon in 2:29:21, describing afterwards how brutally hard the final kilometres felt despite his background as a Grand Tour winner.

This autumn, Tony Martin — the four-time world time trial champion and famously powerful “Panzerwagen” — lined up for his first ever half marathon, finishing in 1:24:00. Despite openly admitting it was “incredibly tough and painful”, the German confirmed he intends to return next year to improve his time.

Bouhanni’s run, however, stands out even against those performances. As a 70-win career sprinter with a heavier power-based build than pure GC riders or time trial specialists, a 2h 31m marathon is an exceptional benchmark — the kind of result that typically demands not just aerobic depth but dedicated, disciplined running preparation.

There is no indication yet whether Bouhanni plans to commit fully to marathon running, but the Valencia result confirms a clear pattern rather than a one-off. He has produced fast times before — including a previous marathon effort in the 2:34 range — and this new 2h 31m benchmark shows that his progression on foot has continued well beyond retirement.

Framed alongside similar post-career displays from Dumoulin and Martin, Bouhanni now stands out as one of the quickest ex-pro cyclists to test themselves over 42km. And judging by Demare’s playful verdict, the wider cycling world is clearly paying attention to how far he can push this new discipline.