Lucy Charles-Barclay makes dramatic Kraichgau U-turn amid visa difficulties

British long-distance star and PTO World #2 Lucy Charles-Barclay WILL race at IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau on Sunday after all that furore about the Brexit rules around overseas travel.

LCB looks to be making the most of her final days available in the Schengen zone after sharing social media stories from transition on Saturday.

The 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion, who until Saturday was seemingly going to have to miss the race amid visa difficulties, having used up almost all of her 90 allocated days in Europe in the first half of 2023, has confirmed she will after all now be racing in Germany.

With IRONMAN South Africa winner and defending champion Laura Philipp also in the field, it is set to be an enthralling battle two of the best women in the sport.

“Life is too short to wait around”

In an Instagram post less than 12 hours out from the start in Kraichgau, Charles-Barclay shared that she had decided at the last minute to travel out to Germany, and is excited to take on the rest of the field.

“Because life is too short to wait around for bureaucratic red tape. I had two days left in Europe, and I’m taking them! ‘A throw of the dice will never abolish chance!”.

LCB loving Kraichgau course

Charles-Barclay, who has only raced once so far this season, where she finished third at the PTO Tour European Open, looks to be in fine form after a great block of training at altitude, adding that a quick course recce on Saturday has got her even more excited to race in Germany.

“Thank you Cube Bikes and Ironman Europe for making this possible. I’ve had a few hours to check out the course, and I’m now even more excited about the race tomorrow.”