Search
shop

Can Sebastian Kienle right a ‘wrong’ at Challenge St Pölten?

Former IRONMAN World Champion looking to mark final year as a pro with victory in Austria this weekend after last Sunday's near-miss.
News Director
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Sebastian Kienle heads the men’s field at Challenge St Pölten this weekend, bidding to right what he – and others – feels was a wrong – and you can watch how he gets on right here.

The triathlon legend is enjoying a farewell season as a pro, ticking off plenty of bucket list races and he looked to be in with a strong chance of adding another victory to his incredible palmares at Challenge Fréjus last Sunday.

For he’d worked his way into the lead on the bike only to be hit with a controversial five-minute drafting penalty.

Advertisement

‘Tough to swallow’

After paying tribute to eventual winner Bart Aernouts, he said of that episode: “This is definitely tough to swallow, it leaves a bitter taste because I felt really good and I hope I do next week.”

Seven days on he’s lining up in the Austrian countryside in a race you can watch live via the video embed below – with the English language commentary coming from our Chief Correspondent John Levison.

But he’s unlikely to have things all his own way as fellow Germans Nicolas Mann (winner 12 months ago) and Ruben Zepuntke line up against him.

All thrive on the bike and run so the testing St Pölten course should play to their strengths – and Kienle’s.

And Mann comes goes there in prime form following his first IRONMAN 70.3 victory at Marbella a couple of weeks ago where he attacked on the bike and opened up what would prove to be a decisive gap.

Kiley and Iemmolo stand out

In the women’s race, Australian Renee Kiley and France’s Julie Iemmolo, third at Challenge Fréjus, are among the favourites. Look out too for Germany’s Daniela Kleiser. The Age-Group winner at both the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship and Challenge Family’s The Championship in 2021, she was recently third at IRONMAN 70.3 Marbella – and is a very speedy runner too.

And in a break from the norm, ‘ladies first’ is the motto on race day when as the professional female athletes will jump into the Ratzersdorfer See first at 7am local time and open the race.

The professional men and the entire AG athlete field will follow 20 minutes later.

Jonathan Turner
Written by
Jonathan Turner
Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, and is accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories and providing unrivalled coverage for endurance sports.  
Discover more
Challenge The Championship Marjolaine Pieree
How to qualify for Challenge The Championship – and why it should be on your triathlon bucket list
Cadomotus aero triathlon cycling shoes
Can your triathlon cycling shoes make you faster? How shoe choice could speed up your triathlon finish times
French Riviera T100 bike course Esterel
Is this the ultimate middle distance triathlon bike course? We rode the French Riviera T100 bike course and it’s EPIC
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
Challenge St. Pölten 2024 - image credit Jose Luis Hourcade / Challenge Family
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
latest News
The PTO's CEO Sam Renouf
PTO reveal ambitions of matching Roth and Kona as French Riviera T100 triathlon course details unveiled
Sam Long St George 2024 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
‘No No No’ – Sam Long says he felt ROBBED by swim cancellation at ‘69.1 Chattanooga’
IRONMAN World Championship 2024 Nice Age Group Swim Start
IRONMAN to review World Championship slot allocation model after fears raised for Age Group women
Jonny Brownlee / Jonathan Brownlee - Super League Triathlon London 2023
Did the Brownlee brothers nearly join pro cycling’s Team Sky after 2012 Olympic heroics?
Kristian Hogenhaug interviewed after The Championship 2025
Danish triathlon star highlights blistering bike split as key to The Championship success.
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...