It was triathlon’s biggest off-course story of an epic swim/bike/run summer – Kristian Blummenfelt apparently heading to pro cycling in 2025 with Tour de France glory the ultimate aim.
The Norwegian great hit the headlines just ahead of his failed Paris 2024 Olympics title defence when coach Olav Aleksander Bu told media he was “90 percent certain” to be in pro cycling from 2025.
Bu said that the ultimate aim for Blummenfelt and the ‘Norwegian method’ was to compete for wins in cycling’s most iconic race, the loftiest of ambitions.
Then, a few weeks after Paris came the news that Blu had done a U-turn on that plan, with Bu admitting the big reason was the money on offer. Remember that Blummenfelt is already reportedly the highest-paid triathlete in the world.
So has Blummenfelt made the right move? Would he have thrived in pro cycling? We asked triathlon legends Mark Allen and Chris McCormack for their take on the path he has now chosen.
Mark Allen on Blummenfelt decision
Allen, six-time IRONMAN World Champion, believes Blummenfelt made the right call, both for the sport of triathlon and crucially for himself.
He told TRI247: “If he stays in triathlon I think that’s a real good move. One, he’s exciting to watch race, you never what you’re gonna get out of the guy. He’s shown that he’s vulnerable, he’s shown that he’s invincible – you get the full monty with him.
“I think had he gone to cycling, and I hope he doesn’t take it the wrong way, that would have been a big risk – like he may just have flailed. That would have been disappointing for him and a loss for us that maybe he exited for two or three years and never floated to the top in that sport.”
Allen also fears that Blummenfelt may not have had the pure talent and tools to excel in the pro peloton, reasoning: “I’m not sure what the intrigue was for him to go cycling. You know we’ve had a lot of cyclists come into our sport and it’s fun to see that happen. Cam Wurf went the other direction and he got into cycling and he excelled. Just looking at Kristian’s body type and stuff, I don’t know.
“You know what, it’s not like how we saw Taylor Knibb just absolutely dominate the women on the bike in triathlon. He didn’t exhibit that same dominance that I saw anyway. So if I was a cycling team I’d be like ‘why do you think you’re as good or better than every cyclist on the team?'”
Macca on Kristian’s triathlon choice
McCormack meanwhile, two-time IRONMAN World Champion, has a very similar take on Blummenfelt’s choice, telling us: “I think it’s great for triathlon. I think Kristian’s one of the biggest names in the sport. He brings a lot of personality and a lot of attention to the sport.
“The Norwegians are dominating endurance sports across the barrel. It’s definitely a golden era of Norwegian endurance racing and Kristian spearheads that along with Jakob Ingebrigtsen and others. So it’s great to have him in triathlon and stay there.”
Macca also agrees with Allen on what the chances of cycling success might have been for ‘Big Blu’, believing things could have got ‘ugly’ had he gone through with the much-hyped sport switch.
“It’s one thing to say you’re going across to cycling and you’re going to win the Tour de France. It’s another thing to actually do that, and I think it would’ve been a big eye-opener for him. I’m sure he is aware of that, and I just think it’s better he stays where he is because it would’ve been quite ugly for him in that pro peloton.”
What’s next for Blummenfelt?
Now of course we wait to see what Blummenfelt will do for the next Olympics cycle, with Bu admitting that a tilt at the L.A. 2028 is now a possibility.
The 30-year-old superstar from Bergen would likely categorise his 2024 campaign as a failure, with the biggest goal being the defence of that Olympic title won in Tokyo. He would finish only 12th behind Alex Yee in the Paris spectacular.
Blummenfelt’s other target was the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, and he was 35th there after seeing his hopes severely impacted by projectile vomiting during the bike leg.
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