Challenge Almere-Amsterdam 2024 results: De Boer and Svensson become European champs

Last year’s runner up Marlene De Boer went one better in style at Challenge Almere-Amsterdam as she notched a course-record victory in the women’s race to the delight of the home fans, while Sweden’s Jesper Svensson hunted down Britain’s Josh Lewis to take the men’s title.

Long Distance European Championship titles went to the pair of them in what is the second oldest long distance triathlon in the world.

Here’s how it all panned out in near-perfect conditions in the Netherlands…

Pro Men – Svensson denies Lewis elusive win

It was no surprise at all to see Lukazs Wojt (GER) lead it out in the water but there were a number of strong swimmers in behind and no fewer than six men were in close proximity heading out of T1.

And it was Lewis who forged clear early on the bike from Wojt, Svensson, Ogngen Stojanovich (SRB), Florian Angert (GER) and Andrew Horsfall-Turner (GBR).

And that was how things remained for the first of two bike laps – Lewis going further clear by halfway, Svensson coming next at 2:30 behind, with a further two minutes back to the rest.

But the big mover on the second lap was home hope Pim Van Diemen who first caught Svensson to move into second and then set about reducing the deficit to Lewis.

That gap was down to 1:22 at T2, with Svensson now 2:40 off the lead – though the stats suggested he was the fastest of the the three on the run.

However in the first half of the marathon that wasn’t how it played out as Lewis actually extended his advantage.

Josh Lewis Challenge Almere Amsterdam 2024 running course — Josh Lewis looked good early on the run [Photo credit: Challenge Family]

After 21.1km and the second of four laps, Lewis crossed the timing mat 3:48 ahead of Svensson who was now up to second, with nearly nine minutes back to Milan Brons (NED) in third.

The status quo remained for the next 5km but between 26km and 31km the whole complexion of the race changed as Lewis – searching for the first win of his middle and long-distance career – slowed dramatically.

So much so that with just under 10km remaining, Svensson cruised past and into the lead.

By the 36km mark he had put two minutes into Lewis and was surely about to notch his first full-distance win since IRONMAN Barcelona in 2018.

And that was what happened as he kept on strongly, in contrast to this race last year when he faded into fourth on the run. He stopped the clock in an impressive 7:41:26.

Lewis just had enough in hand to take second, six minutes back, with a fast-finishing Lars Lomholt (DEN) having moved into third. No one looked fresher than him when he crossed the line, just over a minute behind Lewis, after a fastest-of-the-day 2:39 marathon.

“Third time’s a charm,” said a delighted Svensson afterwards, referencing his second place in 2021 and fourth last year.

“I can’t say I had an amazing day, Josh was killing it out there and I wasn’t gaining any time on the first two laps of the run. I was so tired but I just went all-in and kept going.”

Jesper Svensson wins Challenge Almere 2024 — Jesper Svensson crosses the line in triumph [Photo credit: Jenny Lucas-Hill]

Pro Women – Wire-to-wire for De Boer

It was Alanis Siffert (SUI), at 22 the youngest woman in the field and making her full-distance debut, who was first out of the water out in 51:05 – a new Challenge Almere-Amsterdam swim course record.

Chloe Sparrow (GBR) was just three seconds behind, with De Boer in third at this point in 52:54.

But on the bike it was one-way traffic for De Boer who moved into the lead early on and powered clear of her rivals, 2:20 ahead of Siffert after 40km.

Michelle Vesterby, almost double Siffert’s age and who was racing the last race of her illustrious career which has featured three top 10s at Kona, worked her way up to second only for an untimely penalty to undo the good work.

It all left De Boer in splendid isolation and starting the second bike lap she had a massive seven minutes in hand of the chasers.

That was up to close to 10 minutes by the start of the run, with Siffert and Jana Uderstadt (GER) vying for second.

Given the form she was in, there was no way De Boer was going to relinquish that lead and she maintained control throughout to shatter the course record by nearly 10 minutes with a time of 8:22:30.

She still looked full of energy on the line as she made it three wins on the trot following her victory at IRONMAN Sweden in August and a first place finish at IRONMAN 70.3 Poznan at the start of September.

Marlene De Boer Challenge Almere Amsterdam 2024 wins — Marlene De Boer was a class apart [Photo credit: Challenge Family]

It was Siffert who was a hugely impressive runner-up on her full-distance debut, just under eight minutes behind, with Uderstadt rounding out the podium in third.

With 10km to go, De Boer was told that she was on track to not only win, but also break the course and Dutch record and she said afterwards: “I actually thought; let me just finish. It was really tough. But that it eventually worked out, makes me speechless.

“To win here, in front of so many people I know, that’s amazing. Actually, I just can’t believe it. Winning and a Dutch record. Wow.”