Triathletes Will Draper and Filipe Azevedo have launched a staunch defence of the T100 World Tour Series and Professional Triathletes Organisation after Saturday’s chaotic race in Dubai descended into farce and controversy.
While admitting the organisers ‘need to do better’, the pair both questioned the level of vitriol that has been directed towards the race organisers after lap counting and timing issues plagued what should have been one of the season’s defining contests.
Britain’s Draper pointed to the fact that the T100 has only been going for a short period of time as he confirmed the T100 continued to have his full confidence and that he had no doubt they would learn from their mistakes and look to prevent any repeat of Saturday’s incredible scenes.
An organisation that the sport needs
Draper finished 11th in the revised final placings, as American Morgan Pearson took first place, Mika Noodt of Germany was awarded second and Italian Gregory Barnaby third.
Portugal’s Azevedo, who was placed in ninth, insisted the PTO was an organisation that both the sport and its athletes needed.
![Will Draper has given his full backing to both the PTO and the World Tour after the Dubai T100 chaos. [Photo credit: PTO]](https://eoabtbwhbrs.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Will-Draper-Dubai-T100-896x504.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
The crazy race first saw its three leading riders wrongly embark on an extra lap of the 8km bike course and then had 13 runners instructed to head for the finish line a lap early – while the other athletes were still completing the full course, completely unaware that their rivals had already finished.
One of the riders to have missed the T2 exit, Belgium’s Marten Van Riel, was particularly vocal in his criticism of the T100 and of the Professional Triathlon Organisation, while comments on social media from fans questioned how such crises could occur in such a well-funded and high-profile competition.
Damaging day for the PTO and T100
Draper, however, called for calm as he backed the T100 to learn and improve from what was clearly their most damaging and difficult day since launching last year.
After initially responding to the negative comments on an official T100 Instagram post announcing the final placings, he then took to his own account and posted a lengthy defence for the Tour and the people behind it.
“It was a controversial race, but just like I said on their Instagram – I want to back the T100,” he wrote. “They made a pretty big mistake with the lap counting, and they need to do better. I’m confident they will, especially considering they already made changes for the women’s race two hours later. The mistake isn’t something I’m trying to defend.
“What I don’t understand is why so many people in the comments on their page seem to be celebrating the idea of the T100 failing because of this. They’re still a start-up. The official series only launched in 2024, after hosting just six races across 2022 and 2023.
“For reference, Ironman started in 1978 and has held hundreds of races since. Challenge followed in 1979. Building a globally televised, internationally hosted professional triathlon series from scratch is going to come with a few bumps, but overall, I think the T100 has done an incredible job in a very short time.”
Giving athletes crucial funding and opportunities
Draper went on to say how the launch of T100 had also ploughed more money into the sport and resulted in more opportunities being made available for triathletes to compete at the highest level against some of the best athletes in the world.
“The PTO has massively increased earning opportunities for professional athletes (even if we pretend yesterday didn’t include prize money for anyone who raced),” he wrote. “Ironman also launched the Pro Series in 2024 as a response, giving us another competitive, structured and financially meaningful pathway.
“A few years ago, the sport could easily have gone the opposite way, and as an up-and-coming pro, that worried me. I get the frustration from Dubai. But this is an organisation that supports me and many others, so I’m not going to bite the hand that feeds me.
“My hope is that people step back, look at the bigger picture, recognise the mistake for what it was, consider whether it actually affects them personally, and then try to support the T100 as well as Ironman, Challenge and the independent race organisers as best as they can, as they are all trying to grow this sport we love.
“Mistakes will happen. Progress still matters more.”
Progress has already been made
Azevedo also took to his Instagram account as he issued a similar plea to his fellow competitor.
“I had the opportunity to race one of the first-ever T100 races (PTO), and being back now, I can see they have progressed every aspect to a new level of professionalism,” he wrote. “Did they mess up yesterday? Yes, they did, but I am sure they will learn from that.
“We have to remember this organisation only has 3/4 years, and how many years and mistakes it took for the other organisations to get it right? The professionals need an organisation like this, so let’s keep supporting it.”
The PTO will certainly hope that Draper’s and Azevedo’s words have the desired effect and that both athletes and fans alike ease up on their criticism and instead focus on the future… starting with next month’s finals in Qatar.
For more on this story, follow these links:
- Athletes lift the lid on what really happened on a dramatic day in Dubai: CLICK HERE
- Marten Van Riel launches scathing attack on T100 and PTO: CLICK HERE
- Morgan Pearson finally confirmed race winner as PTO issues statement: CLICK HERE
- Race recap – How the chaotic Dubai T100 unfolded: CLICK HERE
