Search
shop

Olympic triathlon medallist Léo Bergere primed for perfect finish to memorable season at IRONMAN 70.3 Worlds

He's more than played his part in an absorbing short-course season but French star now fully focussed on 70.3 World Championships.
News Director
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Lots of the focus ahead of the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in Taupo, New Zealand next week has been on home favourite Hayden Wilde.

The Kiwi arguably looks the man to beat – but there’s a fellow Olympic medallist from Paris lining up against him who also has strong claims and has flown a bit more under the radar than ‘The Falcon’.

That’s France’s Léo Bergere who has more than played his part in an incredible short course season alongside Wilde and Olympic champion Alex Yee.

That trio not only filled the podium in Paris but also in the WTCS Grand Final in Torremolinos – and the overall standings in that series.

And just to round off the short-course campaign in fitting style they were also one-two-three in the supertri finale in Neom, Yee taking the race win and Wilde the title.

Advertisement

Rare opportunity

But while Bergere has yet to register a win in 2024 it’s been another magnificently consistent season at the top level for the 2022 World Champion, with top-four placings in all but one of his races.

Could that elusive victory come on the other side of the world – and at middle-distance?

For with the 70.3 Worlds so late in the year, and with Paris done and dusted, it’s given Bergere a first opportunity to race the event despite qualifying in each of the last three seasons.

He headed to New Zealand this week and speaking beforehand in a beautifully shot video back in the south of France, which is embedded below, he said: “This year I took on the challenge to be on the start line at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships.

“You’ve seen me doing at least one 70.3 each year – each time I take the qualification for the World Championship but I never had the opportunity in terms of the race calendar.

“I dream about it so this time is my turn – I want to go there and I’m really motivated.”

‘I want to succeed’

And for the first time in his career, Bergere has been able to go to a 70.3 race on the back of an extended training block.

He explained: “This is what pushed me to continue my season and a little thing – this is the first time that I have had more than one month to prepare for a long distance. That was not the case the previous times because every long distance I did was really part of my short distance preparation.

“So I jumped on the TT bike only two weeks before the races but here I took a bit more time to prepare for this race and at the moment everything’s gone well and I’m enjoying myself.

“This is a race where I will not have the pressure that I usually have – but I want to succeed.”

And the worrying thing for Bergere’s rivals is that despite limited preparation time for his last three 70.3 races, he still won every one of them.

He triumphed in Lanzarote in 2022, then put the middle-distance experts in their place at Oceanside last season after a fantastic run battle with Jason West, before booking his Taupo spot with victory at 70.3 Valencia in April this year.

Leo Bergere Paris 2024 Olympic Games finish
Léo Bergere wins bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games [Photo credit: Wagner Araujo | World Triathlon]
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
TRI247 podcast p/b Challenge Family episode 2
Go behind the scenes at Challenge Roth with the latest episode of the TRI247 podcast
Cadomotus Chronos triathlon cycling shoes
The triathlon cycling shoe that promises a 10-watt saving: Cadomotus Chronos Aero triathlon cycling shoes review
Challenge Family Roth
Five things you need to know about the Challenge Roth bike course
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!)
TRI-FIT VANGUARD tri suit review
The entry-level tri suit with a serious amount of performance for the price point – TRI-FIT VANGUARD review
latest News
Lionel Sanders at the press conference ahead of 70.3 World Championship 2023
Huge injury update as Canadian triathlon superstar Lionel Sanders confirms brutal diagnosis
Sam Dickinson second place ironman 703 jonkoping 2025
British Olympic hero Sam Dickinson bidding for home glory at IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea
Kat Matthews IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Taupo New Zealand 2024
IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea: Date, start time, who’s racing and how to watch live
Laura Siddall Challenge Roth run 2023 photo credit Challenge Roth
Laura Siddall signs off amazing pro career in fitting place at beloved Challenge Roth
Kristian Blummenfelt wins 703 Aix en Provence 2025
Triathlon rival accepts superstar Kristian Blummenfelt’s challenge with cheeky Insta message
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...