Olympic silver medallist Hayden Wilde helped create a bit of French triathlon history last weekend – while also giving himself a useful tune-up ahead of the next WTCS event in China next Friday (27 September).
The Lindahls Pro+ Triathlon Series brings together the best French clubs over five races, with 16 vying for the men’s crown this year. Each club enters five athletes per stage, with the first three counting and at the end of the series those who top the men’s and women’s standings are declared French champions.
The competition has been running since the 1990s but Wilde’s team of Lievin Triathlon had never won the men’s title – until now that is.
Title race down to the wire
The fifth and final race was at St-Jean-de-Monts, and though they didn’t hit their usual high standards, the Lievin men did just enough as they and Les Sables Vendee Triathlon both finished on 90 points, well clear of 11-time winners Poissy Triathlon on 79.
The title was decided on countback in terms of most wins and it went to Lievin, with Wilde instrumental in that having won the third race in Bordeaux in what was his final race before that epic Olympic battle with Alex Yee in Paris.
Aussie Matt Hauser was Leivin’s highest-placed athlete at St-Jean-de-Monts in eighth, with Wilde 12th, as French duo Pierre Le Corre and Dorian Coninx led the way.
Injury update from Hayden Wilde
Writing on his Instagram page, Wilde said: “@lievintriathlon FRENCH D1 Champions for the first time ?
“Wasn’t our best race as a team but we worked together to make sure we got the job done.
“@lievintriathlon what a ride and a dream for the club, happy to play a little part of it for our history books.
“Performance wise I was happy to race after the London supertri. I wasn’t able to run for a week due to an inflamed peroneal tendon didn’t want to take any risks on the run leg but happy I pulled up 100%
“Next up china, Weihia for the World Series.”
And also heading to China is none other than his great rival Yee, who followed up his Olympics triumph in Paris with victory in the first supertri race in Boston.
But since then Wilde has hit back in style with victories at both Chicago and London.
