Search
shop

All hail the ‘king’ – Lange accepts he’s second best again to Ditlev

German favourite has taken on Challenge Roth winner five times - and has so far been beaten on every single occasion.
News Director
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Having called him his “kryptonite” beforehand, Patrick Lange has hailed Magnus Ditlev as “the king of Roth” following the Dane’s second successive victory in the race, with 2021 winner Lange runner up on both occasions.

The pair have met five times before and it’s a landslide 5-0 in Ditlev’s favour, which has included two other wins (Challenge Budva and 70.3 Gdynia), meaning few people know his talents better.

Advertisement

‘I gave it my all’

“Magnus is truly the king of Roth. I have never beaten him and I have to accept second place again this time,” said Lange.

“To me it’s important I know that I gave it my all on the course and that’s what I did. It was an incredible atmosphere again – though after last year I wouldn’t have thought it possible to get even better.”

And Lange, a two-time IRONMAN World Champion, admitted: “I already knew in T2 I wouldn’t be able to catch up. It was still a mega day. I showed a good catch-up to the others and still made it exciting at the end. I gave everything.”

So close to sub-2:30

Lange had the consolation of the fastest-ever run split in what was a record-breaking full-distance race, though he admitted he wished he could have shaved 28 seconds off his time.

“To get so close to 2:30 hours for the marathon, including a bathroom break, that was the only thing that pained me.”

Patrick Lange crosses the finish line Challenge Roth 2023
Patrick Lange crosses the finish line at Challenge Roth 2023 [Photo credit: Challenge Roth]

Writing on Instagram he added: “As soon as my feet hit the ground I had one goal in mind at that was to get the fastest possible marathon done.

“I finished with a time of 2:30:27h, setting a new best for the long-distance marathon.

“Thanks to the amazing team at challenge Roth, the volunteers and the amazing 300.000 spectators along the course. The atmosphere in Roth was world-class, surpassing all previous years! Amazing energy at this race.”

Jonathan Turner
Written by
Jonathan Turner
Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, and is accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories and providing unrivalled coverage for endurance sports.  
Discover more
Dave Ellis / Luke Pollard - World Para Triathlon Championships Pontevedra 2023
Golden opportunity – British Triathlon launches search for LA2028 paratriathlon guides
IRONMAN Lanzarote 2024 - Anne Haug on run course
Best marathon shoes for Ironman – the ‘legal’ super shoes you CAN wear to level up your run split
Challenge Sanremo 2024 - Photo: Jose Luis Hourcade
How to fuel your triathlon training: Expert nutritionist tips to help you nail every session
swim start IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2024 photo credit Tony Svensson IRONMAN
Level up your Ironman swim split – must-read tips from an expert swim coach
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
latest News
Taylor Knibb 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Taupo New Zealand
US triathlon phenom Taylor Knibb hails great rival Kat Matthews for record-breaking IRONMAN Texas win
Richard Varga Jonny Brownlee Arzachena
Triathlon legend Jonny Brownlee reveals ‘Last Dance’ motivation behind latest challenge
IRONMAN Kona 2022 Age Group Results
How will “re-imagined” IRONMAN World Championship at Kona actually look for Age Groupers?
Lucy Charles-Barclay IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2023 Finish
IRONMAN World Championship goes ALL IN on Kona again with men and women to race on same day from 2026
Laura Philipp and Kat Matthews on the run at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship
Nice gets consolation prize of 70.3 Worlds after IRONMAN World Championships return to Kona
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

Share to...