Latest news with #Geens
Daily Tribune
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Victorious Sweep T100 Vancouver Podiums
Bahrain Victorious 13 stamped their authority on the T100 Triathlon World Tour in Vancouver this weekend, with Taylor Knibb storming to victory in the women's race and Jelle Geens leading a dominant one-two in the men's, ahead of fellow Belgian and teammate Marten Van Riel. Knibb and Geens Strike Gold American star Taylor Knibb delivered a near-flawless race to take gold, reinforcing her reputation as one of the sport's most complete athletes. Her performance was mirrored in the men's race by Geens, who executed a tactically sharp run to outlast his countryman Van Riel, sealing a Belgian sweep under the Bahrain Victorious banner. The pair's wins showed Bahrain Victorious 13's evolution from a high-profile team of individual stars into a collective powerhouse with clear race-day synergy. Marten Van Riel Makes It a Double Van Riel, back at full strength following an injury-plagued 2024, proved he's once again a podium threat at every outing. He worked closely with Geens throughout the bike leg, the two keeping their pace measured before unleashing on the run. The result was a one-two finish that left the chasing pack, including Germany's Mika Noodt, who took third — firmly behind. Team Bahrain In a sport often dominated by solo narratives, Bahrain Victorious 13 has become an example of team dynamics done right. With support systems in place and athletes peaking at the right time, their performance in Vancouver felt less like a surprise and more like a blueprint for modern triathlon success. With tailored race calendars and high-performance coaching setups, Bahrain Victorious are building winners in the athletes they back. Sam Long's Journey While Bahrain celebrated, it was a far tougher day for US triathlon favourite Sam Long. Just six days after winning IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman, Long entered the fray in Vancouver clearly fatigued. A poor swim left him chasing from the start, and despite a valiant ride and run, he crossed the line in 11th — nearly five minutes behind the leaders. 'This race was a different kind of test,' Long said. 'If I can't fight for the win at T100, I have to redefine what winning means. For now, that's showing courage, resilience and staying proud of showing up.' His honesty resonated with fans, but the performance was a stark reminder of how demanding back-to-back high-level races can be, and how brutal the T100 format can be on bodies still in recovery mode. Looking Ahead to Nice Despite the setback, Long remains focused on his 2025 goal: the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice this September. With three more T100 races to come this season, including the French Riviera T100 in late August, the American has time to recalibrate and build back toward form. But in Vancouver, there was little doubt about who the weekend belonged to. Bahrain Victorious 13 didn't just show up — they owned the moment. On a course that tested endurance and execution, their athletes delivered both in full measure. And with the season hitting its stride, the message from Vancouver is clear: Bahrain Victorious is setting the standard.
South Wales Guardian
6 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Geens claims dominant triathlon win in Vancouver
The Belgian did not finish the opening race of the season in Singapore but bounced back with a second-placed finish in San Francisco a fortnight ago. Geens then followed that up in style in Vancouver, leading from the front to seal a first victory of the season and move level on points with German pair Rico Bogen and Mika Noodt behind leader Marten Van Riel in the overall standings. 'It was a hard race,' said Geens. 'It's a bit like it was in my first T100 race in Lake Las Vegas [last year] and on the run I had to go for my life. 'I'm very pleased with the last two races after Singapore and getting two good scores on the board for the Race To Qatar. 'I need two more [scores] before the final and there are lots of opportunities but I'm aiming for the highest, which is two more wins. 'It's very open still, with lots of races to go, but this is a very good step for me.' Geens formed a lead group on the bike alongside Van Riel, Bogen and Noodt and was able to stay in touch despite briefly dropping off the pace before showing his strength on the run to produce a storming leg and take the tape. The Belgian eventually took the win by 50 seconds over compatriot Van Riel, having overtaken the overall leader halfway through the run. He added: 'That was tough! I didn't have the best start in the swim. The pace wasn't too hard but there was a bit of a gap. 'On the bike, the big guys like Kyle [Smith], Marten and Mika went to the front first and it was hard for me and then I got properly dropped. 'I got lucky that Mika got a penalty and I was able to hang onto him and didn't lose too much ground.' Van Riel did much of the heavy lifting on the bike leg after a tough swim but was pleased with his podium finish having finished a disappointing sixth in San Francisco two weeks ago. 'I'm very happy to be on the podium again,' he said. 'I was leading at the start of the bike, and it took a long time for someone to challenge me. I thought, damn, I must be strong in aero today! 'I think Rico and Jelle have really shown their cards in the last couple of races, and I think I'm just not quite there yet. 'To be this close to Jelle on the run, who's one of the best in the sport is actually good for my morale. My bike is really good at the moment so I'm confident I've got more in the tank for the Race To Qatar.' The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world's best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations. For more information visit
South Wales Argus
6 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Geens claims dominant triathlon win in Vancouver
The Belgian did not finish the opening race of the season in Singapore but bounced back with a second-placed finish in San Francisco a fortnight ago. Geens then followed that up in style in Vancouver, leading from the front to seal a first victory of the season and move level on points with German pair Rico Bogen and Mika Noodt behind leader Marten Van Riel in the overall standings. 'It was a hard race,' said Geens. 'It's a bit like it was in my first T100 race in Lake Las Vegas [last year] and on the run I had to go for my life. 'I'm very pleased with the last two races after Singapore and getting two good scores on the board for the Race To Qatar. 'I need two more [scores] before the final and there are lots of opportunities but I'm aiming for the highest, which is two more wins. 'It's very open still, with lots of races to go, but this is a very good step for me.' Geens formed a lead group on the bike alongside Van Riel, Bogen and Noodt and was able to stay in touch despite briefly dropping off the pace before showing his strength on the run to produce a storming leg and take the tape. The Belgian eventually took the win by 50 seconds over compatriot Van Riel, having overtaken the overall leader halfway through the run. He added: 'That was tough! I didn't have the best start in the swim. The pace wasn't too hard but there was a bit of a gap. 'On the bike, the big guys like Kyle [Smith], Marten and Mika went to the front first and it was hard for me and then I got properly dropped. 'I got lucky that Mika got a penalty and I was able to hang onto him and didn't lose too much ground.' Van Riel did much of the heavy lifting on the bike leg after a tough swim but was pleased with his podium finish having finished a disappointing sixth in San Francisco two weeks ago. 'I'm very happy to be on the podium again,' he said. 'I was leading at the start of the bike, and it took a long time for someone to challenge me. I thought, damn, I must be strong in aero today! 'I think Rico and Jelle have really shown their cards in the last couple of races, and I think I'm just not quite there yet. 'To be this close to Jelle on the run, who's one of the best in the sport is actually good for my morale. My bike is really good at the moment so I'm confident I've got more in the tank for the Race To Qatar.' The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world's best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations. For more information visit
South Wales Argus
31-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Rico Bogen wins men's T100 San Francisco in commanding style
The 24-year-old from Germany was forced to settle for third in last year's event, pipped to the finish line by Marten Van Riel and Kyle Smith in a thrilling sprint finish. Fast forward a year later, and it was quite the opposite for Bogen who produced a commanding solo victory, with Jelle Geens and Mika Noodt completing the podium. It marked a completely new top three from the season opener in Singapore just one month ago, with Geens returning to form after a DNF in Singapore. "It was quite emotional with some tears of joy in the end," Bogen said. "I had a really good day and Jelle wasn't closing with too much time. I knew my legs were okay and on the last lap, I knew I should have it. "My parents are so happy and it was good they could come out here and we can celebrate today." Bogen was in the middle of the pack coming out of the swim but was biding his time, slowly making his way up the field on the bike leg to take the lead with 30km to go and extend his gap leading into the run. He added: "On the bike we were in a big group but I found it quite easy and so on the third lap I decided to go. "My legs were great today and so with two and a half minutes lead, I didn't over pace the run at the beginning and just kept it rolling. "Last year was incredible but this time is was so good that I could hold the pace until the end." Firmly out in front, the German was unaware of the changes behind him, with wildcard Jamie Riddle in second before serving a 30 second penalty from T2 and slipping back to fourth. With Geens having cemented his place in second, it was still all to play for in third, with Riddle, Noodt, Smith and Van Riel all in with a chance on the run but it was ultimately Noodt who made his mark, shaking off challenges to take his first T100 podium of the season. "I think I need to be happy today and Rico was in a league of his own, I'm definitely satisfied with second," said Geens. "On the run it was very technical and on the way out we had a headwind and it so it was a bit like a fartlek run," added Noodt. "But I managed to do well and then on the final lap I managed to do a hard surge for 20 seconds to make the podium. "I feel like I haven't peaked yet in training but this sets me up well for the season and there is still room for improvement." Smith crossed for fourth place in his first T100 of the season whilst last year's San Francisco champion and reigning T100 champion Van Riel took fifth. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a season-long schedule of World Championship level races competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run), where the world's best triathletes go head-to-head in iconic locations. For more information visit
