It was pitch dark outside when Adrien Lhermet, Benjamin Fayet, Sandrine Beranger, and Sébastien Raichon crossed the Adventure Race World Championship finish line at 4 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The French athletes of 400 Team were muddy. They hadn’t slept in 5 days. But they still had enough energy to celebrate for the cameras, embracing one another and waving France’s flag triumphantly.
They’d not only won the title of Adventure Racing World Champions, but they’d also dethroned the two-time title holders, the Swedish Armed Forces Adventure Team. 400 Team set off from the final transition point 13 minutes in front of the Swedish team for the last 68.4-mile mountain bike ride.
The 400 Team beat the Swedes by 2 hours and 10 minutes, finishing the 348-mile course in 90 hours, 47 minutes, and 15 seconds. According to ARWS, the 400 Team is the first French team to win a world championship since 2013. This was the 400 Team’s 30th ARWS race.
“On my bike, I couldn’t stop crying,” Raichon, the 400 Team captain, said in a press release. “The emotions were overwhelming.”
In third place, Estonian Tactical Foodpack finished in 93 hours, 52 minutes, and 30 seconds. In fourth place, Brazil Multisport finished in 97 hours, 47 minutes, and 30 seconds.
As of this writing, many teams are still racing. You can check out the full results and track those who haven’t finished yet on the ARWS tracking webpage.