Jelle Geens defends Ironman 70.3 World Championship title in dramatic sprint finish
The 32-year-old Belgian managed to edge out rival Kristian Blummenfelt in one of the most exciting middle distance races in memory, as Casper Stornes showed Norway‘s strength by rounding out the podium
There were two Norwegians on the podium, but this time the top spot went to Belgium, as Jelle Geens defended his Ironman 70.3 crown in style in Marbella.
The full distance championship seven weeks ago had seen a Norwegian sweep of the podium in Nice, but the 32-year-old former short course athlete was in no mood for a repeat on the Costa del Sol.
But it was only by the narrowest of margins after Geens was running shoulder-to-shoulder with Kristian Blummenfelt in the final sprint, before managing to grab the inside line into the finish chute and hold on to win by seconds.
Casper Stornes capped the best season of his career with another fine show to place third, as Germany’s Jonas Schomburg and Rico Bogen, the 2023 champion, finished fourth and fifth respectively. Britain’s best-placed finisher was Cameron Main in 37th, with the strength of the field illustrated finished one by another Norwegian Gustav Iden being just one position ahead.
The result also meant that Tokyo Olympic champion Blummenfelt cemented his position at the top of the Ironman Pro Series standings ahead of Stornes, and with it collected the $200,000 first prize.
The race followed an equally exciting day in the women’s Ironman 70.3 World Championships where Lucy Charles-Barclay took first place on the podium.
What happened in the swim?
The spotlight was first on Alessio Crociani, as the Italian used his get-out speed to quickly pull clear of the field from the gun.
With almost 70 men on the start-list for the wetsuit-legal swim and a host of fast-swimming newcomers coming from a short course background, there was no surprise that a huge pack of men formed behind, including all the pre-race favourites.
Crociani negotiated the light swell and cool waters of the Mediterranean with ease to come into T1 first in 22:21, but GB’s Main, who has stepped up to 70.3 racing in the past 12 months, including a first win in Ironman 70.3 Knokke-Heist in September, was handily placed in third.
The young Scot, in his sixth 70.3 of the year, could look around at a host of Ironman world champions and Olympic medalists – including France’s Vincent Luis and Norway’s Stornes – joining him in transition less than 30sec down on Crociani.
What happened on the bike?
After a congested opening period on the bike as the field tried to make progress out of town without incurring drafting penalties, the race started to sort itself out on the first climb.
That was the cue for the South Africa’s Jamie Riddle and Germany’s Jonas Schomburg to make aggressive early moves, but once they’d crested the 600m ascent, the power bikers such as Magnus Ditlev, Mathis Margirier and Bogen started to take over.
As they completed the rolling stage of the course and approached the latter stages a front group of nine were all within 30sec, including defending champion Geens and the two Norwegians, Blummenfelt and Stornes.
Bogen set the fastest bike split of 2:08:54 and was also the first out of transition, but it was still anyone’s race at they headed out for what promised to be an absorbing half-marathon.
What happened on the run?
Geens might have ceded a few seconds in transition, but he started at a blistering pace on the run, bridging up to Blummenfelt as it looked set to be a two-way battle for the win.
Behind them Schomburg was holding up well in third, with Stornes in close attendance in fourth place, and Bogen running strongly in fifth.
As the run went on it looked increasingly evident that it would come down to a sprint between the leading duo, although there was a brief period where it looked like it might become tactical and Stornes began to close,.
At the finish it was Geens, who had taken the headwind for most of the half-marathon, who won out, posting a 1:07:35 run split and a finish time of 3:42:52.
Ironman 70.3 World Championship. Men’s results
- Jelle Geens (BEL) 3:42:52
- Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) 3:42:55
- Casper Stornes (NOR) 3:43:52
- Jonas Schomburg (DEU) 3:44:37
- Rico Bogen (DEU) 3:46:29
- Magnus Ditlev (DNK) 3:46:50
- Jamie Riddle (ZAF) 3:48:42
- Simon Westermann (SUI) 3:48:50
- Vincent Luis (FRA) 3:50:07
- Miguel Hidalgo (BRA) 3:50:27
Tim Heming
Freelance triathlon journalist 
