Triathlon World Champion’s Olympic hopes hang in the balance after WTCS Yokohama bike crash

Dorian Coninx, the 2023 World Champion, has confirmed that he suffered a broken wrist and elbow in a bike crash the Frenchman was involved in at WTCS Yokohama last Saturday.

Coninx, who was also part of the bronze medal winning French mixed relay team at the Tokyo Olympics, met the first part of the Team France qualifying criteria for the Olympics last season.

Along with Pierre Le Corre, the 30-year-old needed a Top 6 finish at WTCS Cagliari next weekend to confirm his spot on a highly competitive French men’s team.

“I haven’t had my last word”

Breaking the news on social media, Coninx wrote in French about the injuries he sustained, and confirmed that he will have surgery following his diagnosis.

The Frenchman, stating that his aim remains the same, thanked his team and the French federation for their support, adding that all eyes were now on the countdown clock to Paris.

The race against time

With four men – Coninx, Le Corre, Bergere and Luis – vying for three spots to represent France at a home Olympic Games, the stakes could not have been higher going into WTCS Yokohama.

With Le Corre absent, the trio of Coninx, Bergere and Luis were inseparable through the swim and the bike in Yokohama, until on the last lap Coninx was caught up in a nasty crash that took down several top athletes.

Bergere went on to finish fourth, with Luis back in ninth in his return to racing. Both athletes, along with Le Corre, will be back on the start line in Cagliari next weekend. Coninx, no longer racing, will now be forced to put his faith in the hands of the selectors.