Europe Triathlon

The European Duathlon Titles were decided this weekend in Transylvania’s Targû Mures in a cool and rainy day which did not intimidate the determination of the young and elite athletes. The city has become a place recognized for its beauties and as an important race venue.
On Friday the Standard age group titles were assigned while on Sunday the juniors and elite battled in the Sprint Distance for the European Championship.
In the male Junior in the first run a group of 7 athletes formed with Italians Edoardo Giuseppe Leone, Alberto Bartolomeo Demarchi and Daniele Gambitta, Belgian Jack Douglas and Simon Martin, Maksym Salnykov (UKR) and Kristóf Bauer (HUN) who in the bike had a 20 seconds advantage from the chasers. The leading group biked together to T2 were the two Belgians Douglas and Martin set a strong pace immediately but, for the Italian De Marchi was the perfect race day. He soon took the lead of the final run and only Douglas (BEL) was able to be on his heels and in the final rush on the blue carpet it was De Marchi who managed to take the finish tape and win. Alberto B. Demarchi (ITA) is the new junior European Duathlon Champion in 54:26, silver medal for Jack Douglas (BEL) in 54:27 and bronze for Simon Martin (BEL) in 54:54.

In the junior women during the first run Romina Nádas (HUN), Monika Bartol (SLO) and Dominica Peszleg (HUN) immediately took the lead of the race and reached T1 with a 22 seconds advantage from the chasers Vanessa Possberg (SUI), Doga Erman (ITA) and Vittoria Loschi (ITA), more behind the others. After the 20km bike the first athlete to leave T2 is Vanessa Possberg (SUI) who earned an amazing 2 minutes and 10 seconds from Monika Bartol (SLO) and Alice Perjoiu and Delia Dudau (ROU). 50 seconds behind Peszleg (HUN), then Loschi Erman and Terrinoni (ITA). Vanessa Possberg (SUI) with the time of 1:00:57 is the new European Junior Duathlon Champion, in second Monika Bartol (SLO) in 1:02:41 and in third Dominika Peszleg (HUN) in 1:03:25.
In the Elite men fortunately the rain which was pouring down in the junior women race, stopped and only dark clouds welcomed the start of their race. In the first 5k French Maël Alric and Arnaud Dely (BEL) did a stunning 14:02 and 1 second behind Benjamin Choquert (FRA). A group of 9 leaders formed and 20 seconds behind the chasers. In the leading group French Le Berre, Bargetto, Choquert and Arlric, Keyshawn (GBR), Grau (ESP) and Belgian Vandecasteele, Dely and Tilman were setting a strong pace not to let the others rejoin them. In the final run Benjamin Choquert (FRA) took immediately the head of the race and with a final 06:21 run crossed the blue carpet with an 8 seconds advantage. He is the 2021 Elite European Duathlon Champion with the time of 51:28 in silver medal Genius Grau (ESP) in 51:36 and in bronze Arnaud Dely (BEL) in 51:39.
In the Elite women a group of 10 strong athletes formed with French Marion Le Grand, Audrey Merle, María  Varo Zubiri and Sara Guerrero (ESP), Ann Schoot Uiterkamp (NED), Maurine Ricour (BEL), Sandrina Illes (AUT) and  Karin Nieuwenhuijsen (NED). In T1 French did an extremely fast transition that permitted to exit and immediately lead the race. In the bike course Merle was leading with a huge gap and only second and third place was still available for the chasing group. She in fact did an easy final run crossing the Blue Finish Arch with more than a minute of advantage. The French Audrey Merle is the new European Duathlon Champion in Targû in 56:47. Behind the battle for second was won by Team companion Marion Legrand in 57:54 and in third Ann Schoot Uiterkamp (NED) in 57:55.

Europe Triathlon President Renato Bertrandi had this to say, “Across Europe now we are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. As the vaccination programme rolls out and as we see a return to something that is beginning to resemble the old reality, it is exactly this sort of event that can bring our Europe Triathlon family ties closer together.
Over the years the city has hosted the Cross Duathlon, The Cross Festival and the Multisport Festival and each time the results have been better than we could have expected.
The 2019 Multisport Triathlon Festival European Championships was the biggest event of its kind in our history and the very positive comments that we received from athletes, their families, coaches and team managers, reassured me that Târgu Mureș is not only able to deliver top-quality international events but also that the organisers truly care for their visitors. The European Duathlon Championships over the Sprint and Standard Distances, have been the occasion to celebrate our sport, a chance for athletes of all age-groups to bring to the run/bike/run courses their new-found fitness and for the world of Multisport to reawaken.
I would like to extend my thanks to the city of Târgu Mureș, to the LOC and to the Romania Triathlon for the beautiful event!”.

Junior Men
Junior Women
Elite Men
Elite Women
All other results