Search
shop

Triathlon PHENOM Hugo Milner defies Storm Bert to book spot at European Cross Country Championship

The season is far from over for up-and-coming British triathlete who continues to excel in Cross Country despite some challenging conditions.
News Director
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Triathlon star Hugo Milner overcame epic Cross Country conditions in Liverpool at the weekend after Storm Bert brought destruction to large parts of the UK.

Milner has really made his mark in swim / bike / run in the last couple of seasons – but he’s also hit new heights in the Cross Country sphere too.

Last season saw him win the Liverpool Cross Challenge – in front of none other than track and field great Carl Lewis – before going on to just miss out on a medal when finishing fourth at the European Cross Country Championship in Brussels.

Advertisement

Turkey on December menu

The Liverpool event again counted as the British trials for the Euros, which this year will be held in Antalya, Turkey on 8 December – and Milner booked his place there with a runner-up spot in incredibly testing conditions in the North West of the UK which had been battered by snow, wind and then heavy rain.

The men’s senior race was one of the last to take place too so by then the ground had been churned up even more, with the muddy conditions ramping up the challenge.

As the defending champion – and the man who animated the 2023 Euros before just being run out of a medal late on – Derby athlete Milner was the favourite for a repeat victory.

But it was Tomer Tarragano from Brighton and Hove AC who just proved the stronger.

Hugo Milner Liverpool Cross Challenge 2024 Photo copyright: Paul Bannister
Hugo Milner tackles the mud in Liverpool [Photo copyright: Paul Bannister / Instagram @bannersrunningsnaps/]

The top four go to the Euros, with Tarragano and Milner joined on the senior men’s team by Scott Beattie and Ellis Cross.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen next up

Milner will be aiming to go at least one better than last year at the Euros and is relishing taking on legendary Norwegian runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen, a two-time Olympic champion – more about that later this week.

And speaking afterwards to Athletics Weekly, Milner said of the Liverpool race: “Training has been going really well, so I knew I was going to have a good race, but it’s always difficult to tell how other people are going to do. 

“So I just focused on my own race and knew that I could push it on the last lap, but in the end it just wasn’t enough for the win. But still happy with second.

“I’m a bit disappointed not to get the win, but Tomer had a great race, so credit to him.”

Milner made his World Triathlon Cup breakthrough just over a year ago when powering through with a 29:33 10km run to take the title against a strong field in Miyazaki, Japan.

And he’s continued the good work in 2024, following up with another win at the Europe Triathlon Cup Quarteira when short-course great Vincent Luis was second.

He rounded off the campaign with a superb 10th at the WTCS Grand Final in Torremolinos, with his blistering 28:47 easily the quickest run of the day.

If he can continue that rate of progress than he looks a strong contender not just for a Team GB spot at the 2028 Olympics, but in with a real shout of a medal. Indeed fellow triathletes have described him as “the sport’s biggest X Factor“.

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
Laura Siddall Challenge Roth 2025 finish line
PremiumLaura Siddall: 10 things I’ve learned from my professional triathlon career
Ruth Astle finishing IRONMAN Vitoria 2024
PremiumHow to cope with a DNF: Elite athletes share their stories
PremiumIs your evening workout routine wrecking your recovery? Expert physiologist on how to improve recovery and what NOT to do
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumTriathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
03/07/2025 - Tour de France 2025 - Grand départ Jour 2 - Lille - Présentation des équipes -Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike)
PremiumWhat triathletes can learn from the Tour de France pro peloton
latest News
Jan Frodeno Cheesehead PTO Tour US Open 2023 Milwaukee
Triathlon legend Jan Frodeno goes outside his comfort zone to take on epic UTMB challenge
Matthew Marquardt wins IRONMAN Lake Placid 2025
Matthew Marquardt reveals why he would do IRONMAN Lake Placid again “in a heartbeat”
Premium‘The difference from triathlon is so big – there’s no comparison’: Maya Kingma on life in the Women’s WorldTour peloton
Sam Laidlow wins IRONMAN Leeds 2025
Sam Laidlow hails ‘special’ IRONMAN Leeds crowd after one fan sign turned chiller into thriller
Alex Yee wins Super tri Toronto 2025
Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee says “I’ve still got it” after roaring back to action with terrific Toronto win
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

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

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.

£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.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/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.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...