Nacer Bouhanni didn't always have the best reputation within the cycling peloton. The French sprinter hung up his bicycle at the end of last year but never stopped being active. Bouhanni dipped his feet in boxing but above all - running.
Turns out he was working towards a marathon participation, having already completed a fast half marathon in Paris earlier this year. But last weekend in Frankfurt, the full course 42 kilometers and 195 meters awaited the winner of three stages at Giro and Vuelta.
And he succeeded! Nacer Bouhanni completed the classic distance with a staggering time of 2 hours 34 minutes and 36 seconds. It may be surprising that an ex-sprinter would set such a fast time in the marathon, but all things considered, the sprinters in road cycling are of course endurance athletes who still have a good finish.
To give you an idea of how great perforamnce it was, WielerRevue lists that the fastest time on maraton course set by ex-pro cyclist is 2 hours 26 minutes of Leonardo Calzavara who raced for few smaller Italian teams in late 90s. A more well-known name Adam Hansen, the current head of CPA, clocked a time of 2 hours 30 minutes.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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