Saturday, May 6, 2023

Forissier and Mairhofer produce brilliant first Cross Triathlon world titles show in Ibiza


 

The Cross Duathlon World Championship was another magnificent display of action on an incredible set up in Ibiza. After a 1km swim in the emerald Balearic Sea it was a long run up into transition before two gruelling bike laps up into the hills that surround the famous town. Three distinct sections presented three different challenges, with gravel, rocks, trails and tarmac at various points, scything switchbacks and rapid descents on each of the 10km loops.

A 5km run wrapped things up, combining technical sections, beach passes and rocky headlands, before hitting the chute for glory.

 

Women's Review

On a sun-kissed Friday afternoon in Ibiza’s San Antonio, it was Italy’s multisport queen Sandra Mairhofer who once again made the transition from ski to swim look like the most natural thing in the world, this year’s champion in the snow of Norway scooping up the summer Cross Triathlon world title with a typically dominant mountain biking display.

Some 20 seconds back off the 1km swim, there was no stopping her once out on two wheels, the advantage growing over the 20km bike and then hammered home on the run to finish 40 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Loanne Duvoisin, Alizee Paties of France with bronze.

“That was a great course and this feels like my favourite title of them all so far!” admitted Mairhofer. “When you are up against girls of this talent, you don’t feel any pressure because you know how good they are. But I was really happy with my swim and just felt really good on the bike. My preparations weren’t ideal, i’ve been ill and had a lot of travel, so to pull it together today feels amazing.”

Spain’s Marta Borbon Llorente led teammate Marina Munoz Hernando and Irene Moro Betrian out of the 1km swim a full 20 seconds ahead of Anna Zehnder (SUI) and Mairhofer, another pre-race favourite Duvoisin 40 seconds back as she started the long run towards transition.

Mairhofer then set about destroying the opening kilometres of the lower bike segment, carving out 40 seconds over Alizee Paties (FRA) who had moved her way into second and by now Duvoisin was already up into third but still adrift by over a minute off the front.

Mairhofer was able to maintain 30 seconds over Paties on the descent into transition, and then stretched it out to a minute as she attacked the first segment once again. It was full concentration from then on to not fall foul of the notorious unpredictability of cross courses, and emerging onto the 5km run, the gap was by now enough to know that victory should be hers.

Duvoisin and Paties joined the embrace at the line after nearly two hours of fierce competition, Solenne Bouillon (FRA) crossing in fourth and Munoz completing the top five.

For the full results, click here. https://www.triathlon.org/results/result/2023_world_triathlon_multisport_championships_ibiza?mc_cid=347381b070&mc_eid=6139649918

Men's Review

It was an emotional first cross triathlon world title for Felix Forissier of France on Friday afternoon as he came through a tough Ibiza course to take the tape. There had been plenty of incident over the 20km bike as first defending champion Arthur Serrieres was out of the race then Arthur Forissier was unseated, but Felix kept his cool and his concentration to go on and take the tape with a gutsy run, edging Lukas Kocar (CZE) into second, Arthur Forissier with bronze.

“I am so happy,” said a smiling Felix Forissier. “It is such a great feeling to be able to compete with my brother. Two years ago, he was world champion and I thought then that maybe one day that could be me. He was pushing the pace and I just wanted to not lose sight, but when he came off, Kocar was pushing it hard too. I knew I had the legs to catch him and then it was my time to push!”

Spain’s Kevin Tarek Vinuela Gonzalez was first out of the water by 12 seconds from Michele Bonacina, Eric Lagerstrom (USA) out third from the 1km swim and setting himself up well for the mountain bike.

The younger Forrisier, Felix, was 30 seconds back, defending champion Serrieres a minute off the front after an unusually poor swim, along with Forissier senior.

The brothers worked their way through the field to hit the front by the end of lap one, Lagerstrom and Kocar both going well as the leaders bunched together, Ruben Ruzafa sitting 40 seconds back trying to make up ground.

With the front six bunched on lap one and Serrieres finding himself stuck off the back, the defending champion took it upon himself to try and make things happen, but the risky, rocky line resulted in a puncture.

One fix later he was back at the top of the course, but the fix hadn’t lasted, and that was to be the early end to the French star’s hat-trick hopes. Arthur Forissier also came off hard to allow Lukas Kocar to take the lead and push the pace, Felix giving chase.

The powerful Kocar began to take control on the bike, Frenchman Maxime Chane briefly into silver position before Felix made another surge to move ten seconds ahead of his brother.

Lagerstrom was now 90 seconds back and falling out of medal contention, while Forissier made up precious seconds on the Czech leader in transition and then made sure he applied the pressure as early as possible, surging to the front and putting 10 seconds into Kocar over the first 1500m.

The lead stretched out even further from there, and Felix Forissier took the tape and the gold by 25 seconds, Kocar 20 seconds ahead of Arthur Forissier, Maxim Chane in fourth and the legend Ruben Ruzafa crossing in fifth.

For the full results, click here. https://www.triathlon.org/results/result/2023_world_triathlon_cross_championships_ibiza/583947?mc_cid=347381b070&mc_eid=6139649918

ABOUT WORLD TRIATHLON

World Triathlon is the international governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of triathlon and all related multisport disciplines around the world, including duathlon, aquathlon, cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in Sydney 2000, with a third medal event, the Mixed Team Relay, added to the programme at Tokyo 2020, while para triathlon was first added to the Paralympic programme at Rio 2016. World Triathlon is proudly committed to the development of the sport worldwide, with inclusion, equality, sustainability and transparency at our core as we seek to help triathletes at all levels of the sport to be extraordinary. 

www.triathlon.org

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