The city of St. Pölten, the capital of the State of Lower Austria has been hosting major international triathlon events for two decades now.
On Sunday, the fourth edition of Challenge St. Pölten took place, a race which saw a repeat winner from 2023 in the men’s race, Tom Hug, joined by five first-time visitors to a Challenge Family professional podium.
Germany’s Laura Zimmermann took the title for the Pro Women in what was a very tight battle, just holding off Great Britain’s Chloe Sparrow, who was making only her second professional start. She wasn’t the only Brit who reached the podium either… check out how it all played out below.
A regular on these pages, photographer José Luis Hourcade (www.joseluishourcade.com) was on hand to capture the race in pictures, as well as some of the amazing scenery that this region has to offer
Challenge St. Pölten Gallery 2024
Pre-race focusThe Pro Women start the day off in St. PöltenEarly battles in this ‘two lake’ swim courseThe Pro Men start 20 minutes laterThis is NOT transition! Athletes run 200m between the Viehofner See and Ratzersdorfer See as part of this ‘two lake’ courseDiving in for the second part of the swimChloe Sparrow (GBR) and Hannes Butters (GER) built big leads during the opening discipline, leaving their chasers with plenty of work to doThe bike course starts with a flat and fast motorway sectionDefending champion, Tom Hug (GER) had to overcome a bike crash this year, losing most of his nutrition in the processGermany’s Maurice Clavel was initially part of the chasing groupAthletes were soon off of the motorway and into some amazing surroundsPassing through one of the many wineries and vineyards of the regionTwo minutes up after the swim, Hannes Butters started to catch the Pro Women out on the 90km bike courseChloe Sparrow maintained her swim lead throughout the bike leg, reaching T2 around half a minute clearLaura Zimmerman in chase of Great Britain’s Chloe SparrowSarah Schönfelder (GER) was the fastest on the bike, reducing that gap to the Brit and moving into second place at T2Much of the bike course is with the World Heritage are of WachauDefending champion Daniela Kleiser would take fourth place this time aroundTom Hug quickly passed Hannes Butters to take a decisive lead early in the runOndrej Kubo (SVK) ran his was to second placeAfter 11th (2022) and 5th (2023) here previously, Will Draper ran strongly to a first career Challenge Family podium finishThe two-lap run course takes athletes past the finish straight and transition areaIt took until later in the run for Laura Zimmermann to finally pass Chloe Sparrow who almost went gun-to-tapeChloe Sparrow ran strongly to hold second place at the finishBack-to-back Challenge St .Pölten titles for Tom HugA first challenge family victory for Zimmermann – her winning margin was just 30 seconds over Sparrow
TRI247's Chief Correspondent, John has been involved in triathlon for well over 30 years, 15 of those writing on these pages, whilst he can also be found commentating for events across the UK.
Discover more
Go behind the scenes at Challenge Roth with the latest episode of the TRI247 podcast
The triathlon cycling shoe that promises a 10-watt saving: Cadomotus Chronos Aero triathlon cycling shoes review
Five things you need to know about the Challenge Roth bike course
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
The entry-level tri suit with a serious amount of performance for the price point – TRI-FIT VANGUARD review
latest News
Start list for IRONMAN Lake Placid REVEALED – and it’s stacked with world class names
IRONMAN Vitoria-Gasteiz 2025: Olympic star wins by MORE than half an hour for first full-distance win
WTCS Hamburg 2025 Mixed Relay World Championship: Hauser anchors Australia to glory
IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea 2025 women’s results: Kat Matthews a class apart
IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea 2025 men’s results: Britain’s Harry Palmer defends title in style
Barkley marathons
Follow the madness of the 'Race that eats its young' on RUN247
Shop with
Our premium marketplace for boutique endurance sports brands
CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC
We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.
Monthly
Yearly(50%Discount)
£7.95/month
Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.
VIP access to a library of NEW premium content, plus full access to the TRI247 archives.
Expert training tips and advice
Exclusive columns and insights from triathlon legends
Member-only discounts on your favourite triathlon brands and services
Plus early access to our new video platform, 247+
You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:
Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.
VIP access to a library of NEW premium content, plus full access to the TRI247 archives.
Expert training tips and advice
Member-only discounts on your favourite triathlon brands and services
Plus early access to our new video platform, 247+
Shape the future of TRI247+, have your say and help us build something game-changing
You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
