Triathlon - Another world best time in Roth: Ditlev wins with Lange out
Magnus Ditlev won the Challenge Roth for the third consecutive time and broke his world record from the previous year again. The 26-year-old Dane led a lonely race over the overall 3.8 kilometer swim, 180 kilometer bike ride, and 42.2 kilometer run and finished in an unofficial 7:23:24 hours.
In 2023, the almost two-meter-tall Dane finished in 7:24:40 hours. The Norwegian Kristian Blummenfelt came in first at the Ironman Mexico in 2021 in 7:21:12 hours, but this time is not recognized as a record in the scene due to the strong current.
Early withdrawal of Lange due to a kick
Lange, who won in Roth in 2021 and aimed for a sub-2:30 hour marathon with a special shoe, dropped out after not even 20 kilometers on the bike. He received a "heavy kick" against his left ribcage at the beginning of the swim. After the swim, the pain was just too great, and he also had breathing problems.
"This is a harsh defeat," he said in the vicinity of the Triathlon Arena in Roth. "It hurts twice as much not to perform according to expectations here at my favorite race." It will take a few days to process this, said Lange, who still has the Ironman Frankfurt in his program on August 18 and the World Championship in Hawaii in October, where he has already won the title twice.
As for Roth, the probability is very high that he will start again next year. "We'll see, but I'm going to bet on it," Lange told Bayerischer Rundfunk.
- Despite the setback at Challenge Roth, Patrick Lange still plans to participate in the Ironman Frankfurt and the World Championship in Hawaii.
- Lange, a renowned triathlete, was aiming for a sub-2:30 hour marathon at Challenge Roth with a special shoe, but had to withdraw due to an incident during the bike ride.
- The German triathlon scene does not recognize Kristian Blummenfelt's time of 7:21:12 hours at Ironman Mexico as a record, attributing the strong current as a significant factor.
- In his favorite race, Challenge Roth, Lange had an early withdrawal due to a "heavy kick" against his left ribcage during the swim, causing him intense pain and breathing problems.
- Cycling, running, and swimming are the three disciplines that make up the triathlon, as showcased in events such as Challenge Roth and Ironman races.
