Search
shop

Van Riel set to SACRIFICE T100 Singapore performance to qualify for IRONMAN World Championships

The Belgian superstar has big goals for the 2025 season.
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

T100 World Champion Marten Van Riel has warned fans that his focus ahead of his early-season race double-header is to qualify for the IRONMAN World Championships in Nice in September.

The Belgian star is set to compete in just his second full-distance race on Sunday, March 30 at IRONMAN South Africa – just seven days before the T100 Triathlon World Tour opener in Singapore on Sunday, April 6.

The 32-year-old is yet to qualify for this season’s full-distance showcase in France having finished seventh at IRONMAN Cozumel in November due to a bike crash when leading the race.

T100 Singapore sacrifice

On his YouTube channel, the PTO world number one detailed his current plans for the 2025 season, and discussed his reasoning for completing races in back-to-back weekends.

“The plan for 2025 was an interesting puzzle to put together because I want to do T100 Triathlon World Tour and IRONMAN World Championships in Nice,” Van Riel admitted.

Marten Van Riel high fives finishing straight T100 Ibiza 2024 photo credit PTO
Marten Van Riel bossed the T100 in 2024 [Photo credit: PTO]

“Obviously after last year in Cozumel where I had the crash it means I still need to qualify, so I had to fit in at least one full-distance race.”

“I chose IRONMAN South Africa. I think that was the best choice in the end, I will have to do T100 Singapore one week later – which is going to be very hard to back up a hopefully good performance from South Africa.

“It was the best choice because otherwise I’d have to do an IRONMAN later on in the season, like maybe somewhere in June, which is a very important period for the T100 Series because there is three races. I’m maybe sacrificing one T100 event now.”

All eyes on June

Following his hopeful IRONMAN qualification in South Africa, Van Riel will turn his full attention to the T100 Series. A training camp with two IRONMAN World Champions in the Spanish mountains is the plan ahead of a trifecta of T100 races in June.

“I hope with this schedule I keep both options open, so we are starting IRONMAN South Africa, T100 Singapore, then I am going to go on an altitude camp in Sierra Nevada, Spain to visit my friends Kristian (Blummenfelt) and Gustav (Iden).

“Then I will do all T100 events in June – San Francisco, Vancouver and French Riviera. Then I’ll do another training block at altitude again, and then hopefully, if I am qualified, Nice World Championships then.”

Stuart Dick
Written by
Stuart Dick
Stuart is a graduate of the University of Sunderland with a masters' degree in Sports Journalism. He spends a lot of his time running and cycling around West Yorkshire, England.
Discover more
Laura Siddall Challenge Roth 2025 finish line
PremiumLaura Siddall: 10 things I’ve learned from my professional triathlon career
Ruth Astle finishing IRONMAN Vitoria 2024
PremiumHow to cope with a DNF: Elite athletes share their stories
PremiumIs your evening workout routine wrecking your recovery? Expert physiologist on how to improve recovery and what NOT to do
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumTriathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
03/07/2025 - Tour de France 2025 - Grand départ Jour 2 - Lille - Présentation des équipes -Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike)
PremiumWhat triathletes can learn from the Tour de France pro peloton
latest News
Sam Long - T100 San Francisco 2024 bike
‘No No No’ – culture shock and bike crash for American star Sam Long in Italy
Georgia Taylor Brown wins supertri Chicago 2024 photo credit supertri
Georgia Taylor-Brown on enjoying her busy “year off” and wanting “to go out on a bit of a high”
challenge roth race ranger
Challenge Roth publish RaceRanger anti-drafting data from both pro races in a first for triathlon
Sam Laidlow celebrates Challenge Roth win 2025
IRONMAN Leeds 2025: Date, start time and how to follow live
Anne Haug wins Challenge Roth 2024 [Photo credit: Simon Fischer | Challenge Roth]
Triathlon legend and current world record holder Anne Haug announces her retirement
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...