Kristian Blummenfelt, the 2021 Olympic Games champion, has had a mixed start to the 2024 season as he prepares to defend his title in Paris this summer.

The Norwegian, who has finished 10th and 31st at WTCS Yokohama and WTCS Cagliari so far this year, has some work to do before race day in the French capital on July 30.

Known for his extensive pre-competition training camps, Blummenfelt spent time in Sursee ahead of Cagliari, and explained why in a recent video on his YouTube channel.

The next generation

With the Swiss Triathlon Performance Centre based in Sursee, the facilities there are aplenty, with accommodation and food onsite, plus a swimming pool, which was used at the 2023 Arena Games Triathlon.

Additionally, Blummenfelt benefited from the company of other athletes based in the area, with the former IRONMAN World Champion filmed training with some young German and Swiss talent during his time on camp.

The city, which is in central Switzerland, is only at 504m of elevation, but is very close to the Alps, which the 30-year-old said was one of the main attractions for training on the bike in the surrounding area.

“It’s got some beautiful scenery”

With a nearby pool for swimming and a running track for intervals, cycling in Sursee is where Blummenfelt was able to get away from the monotony of lengths and laps, with the PTO Tour Asian Open winner praising the local scenery.

“Something I really like about this place is that it has a lot of good roads for cycling. Sursee is maybe 30-40 minutes away from the Alps, so it’s a quick trip over to get some big climbs and on the other side it’s quite flat, so it has a good mix of both.

“It’s not like I have to only do flat riding or only hills for two weeks, I can mix it up, which is quite nice. It also has a lot of greenery and nature, with cows and horses around, so it’s got some beautiful scenery.” 

All eyes on Paris

Now back at his usual haunt of Sierra Nevada after Cagliari’s disappointing display, which was hampered by a puncture on the bike, it remains to be seen whether or not Blummenfelt will return to Sursee ahead of the Games.

Having prepared for the Tokyo Olympics in Thailand and Japan, with heat acclimation a big factor in his decision making, the prospect of a race like Paris, which requires less specific preparation, leaves some unanswered questions.

Without training partner Gustav Iden at the Olympics, who will Blummenfelt train alongside to ensure he is in the best possible shape to compete in Paris? Will Kenji Nener, who will represent Team Japan, be called upon as he has been in the past?

With a lot of ground to catch up on, especially if he is to compete with the likes of Alex Yee and Hayden Wilde, the remaining eight weeks will be crucial for Blummenfelt and his team. More likely than not, the next two months will decide if the Olympic gold medal returns to Norway in July.