Brains as well as brawn required for Olympic glory in Paris says Léo Bergere

Much has been written about Kristian Blummenfelt, Alex Yee and Hayden Wilde, the three medallists at the Tokyo Olympics, in the countdown to the men’s race at Paris 2024.

All have enjoyed great success again but it’s actually two Frenchmen who have been crowned WTCS world champions in the last two seasons – Léo Bergere and Dorian Coninx.

Bergere’s consistency has been incredible – not once in 2022 or 2023 did he finish outside the top six in a World Triathlon event – and he followed up his 2022 world title with overall victory in this season’s Super League Championship Series.

We sat down with him to chat through the last 12 months and talk about the incredible strength in depth France has at the moment – and how well they work together. Though that does mean that despite his achievements, he’s actually still to seal his place at next summer’s Games on home turf in Paris!

Allez les Bleus!

He, Coninx and Pierre Le Corre were all in the top six of the final WTCS standings as well as the World rankings, which Bergere topped, and the trio regularly train together, along with Vincent Luis.

It’s something Léo sees as a big plus point, telling us: “Yeah, we’ve always been trying to be smart and there have been a lot of friendships from the beginning because we are more or less all from the same generation and grew up together.

“We have so many great memories and it helps to be with such a strong and compact group. We are usually training in the same area, especially in the summer, where we often go up to the Pyrenees for an altitude block at Font Romeu.

“So it can happen quite a few times that I’m going for a run with Dorian, or doing a workout with Pierre or an easy ride with Vince. It’s all very natural and we’ll have a chat and a good time.”

But when we ask how tough it’s proving to be to lock down his Olympic spot, he adds: “Yeah I’m in a good position for telling you that because I’ve gone so close to qualification and yet so far! It’s because the guys were better in the last few races so it only motivates me to work better and harder this winter to be really good next year.”

‘Seeing things a bit differently now’

Bergere readily admits that his world title win at the end of 2022 was a significant step for him as it also marked his first WTCS triumph: “I would say that until then I was really missing that victory. I’m not talking about the world title but more about the race victory in Abu Dhabi.

“It unlocked some things in my mind, and I would say this year was much more about experiencing race strategies than racing for the title. So I’m happy about all the information I could learn this year and I’m seeing things a bit differently now.”

Bergere would end up third in his bid to defend his WTCS title, behind Coninx and Hayden Wilde, but he remains hungry for more success.

He saw off Wilde for the overall Super League crown in Neom and also made it two wins out of two when stepping up to middle-distance by winning IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside in April after a great running battle with Jason West.

But he feels the time focussing on tactics and strategy this season will be crucial in the biggest race of 2024, explaining: “In Paris, not only the strongest will win, but maybe someone that can use his brain.

I know there are some races where you can just go all out without thinking too much and win the race because you’re just the strongest. But in Paris, it’s maybe not the case.

“You’d also better be a good runner to win in Paris – and there is no room at all for any mistakes.”

He’s keen too to highlight the current strength in depth at the top of the men’s racing: “There are five or six big names but then there are 12 other athletes that can almost win or finish on the podium so it makes the racing even more exciting and you really need to be on top of your game to be on the podium at every race.

“I’ve come to a point where I can appreciate being on a podium, maybe not winning a race, because I know what it takes to win this race and also what it takes to be on the podium. And with so many guys with the same level at the moment, it’s already a good achievement to come third in the world.

“I was disappointed not to win the title again, but after a bit you’re thinking, okay, I’m here today and I know where I want to be tomorrow.”