T100 world champ sets out EXPLOSIVE start to season, with full IRONMAN just a week before title defence

Marten Van Riel, the first T100 Triathlon World Champion, will take in a full-distance IRONMAN race before beginning the defence of his title.

The brilliant Belgian excelled at middle-distance racing last season, winning three T100 races including the grand finale in Dubai.

That saw him crowned the overall champion as well as ending the campaign as the PTO’s world #1 ranked athlete.

‘Not an easy double’

He rounded off the year by taking in his first full-distance race but a freak bike crash at IRONMAN Cozumel meant he wasn’t able to book a spot at the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice later this year.

But that objective is clearly still a target as he’s just announced on Instagram how he is going to start his season:

“I’ve been patiently waiting for a race to explode on 😤.

“T – 3 weeks ➡️ @ironmantri South Africa

“T – 4 weeks ➡️ @t100triathlon Singapore

“Not an easy double but the only way to take a slot for IM worlds in Nice and be competitive in the T100 overall ranking as I will have to be in top shape for that in June. Let’s see if I’ll regret.”

Super competitive

IRONMAN South Africa takes place on Sunday March 30 and is the first full-distance race of the season. As the African Championship it features five IMWC slots for both men and women and as part of the IRONMAN Pro Series it looks sure to attract a stacked field.

T100 Singapore takes place exactly a week later for the men and there will be more competition than ever this season for Van Riel over the 100km distance.

That’s because fellow short-course stars such as Olympic silver and bronze medallists Hayden Wilde and Léo Bergère are also focussing on the T100 this season as are Jelle Geens and Vincent Luis.

The T100 races in June which Van Riel refers to are San Francisco (1st), Vancouver (15th) and Fréjus in France (29th).