LÉO BERGERE STORMS TO VICTORY IN TOULOUSE

French star Léo Bergere beat a stacked field of fellow world champions, storming to victory for the Santara Tech Eagles on the final leg of a controversial 2023 Super League Triathlon Championship Series event in Toulouse, France.

The French 27-year-old took control on the final stage of the Triple Mix, striding to victory over the RTP Sharks’ Jonny Brownlee and Henri Schoeman of Bahrain Victorious Scorpions after nine gruelling triathlon disciplines in the heat of the French city.

Bergere’s win wasn’t without controversy, however, with Kiwi Hayden Wilde mistakenly attempting to ride an extra bike lap on the final stage while leading the race alongside the Frenchman. Wilde was handed a five second penalty for riding across the dismount line while Bergere was not penalised. An appeal was lodged and the Race Jury found that while there an officiating error there was no cause to disqualify Bergere.

“I made the right choices during the three stages today,” said Bergere at the finish. “I need to thank my (Eagles) manager Tim Don and my team for their help today. I’m sorry I didn’t have the battle we wanted with Hayden [Wilde] today, but it’s part of racing and I’m sure he’ll be good in the last two stages [of the series].”

After second place at the 2023 series debut in London last week, veteran GB star Jonny Brownlee scored another silver to take the overall series lead ahead of Schoeman. The Yorkshireman scored further points for his Sharks team, with Bergere’s victory giving the Eagles a huge boost in the team standings.

After a fine debut in 2022, Super League Triathlon returned to Toulouse in southern France for the second event on the 2023 Championship Series. The course saw a rare Super League Triathlon river swim in the choppy waters of the Garonne, before narrow and twisting city centre bike and run courses continued to challenge the skills and stamina of the Super League triathletes.

The men’s race saw the defending SLT champ, Wilde (Scorpions), and last year’s runner-up, Aussie Matt Hauser (Eagles), back after injury and illness kept them out of the opening leg in London, while Olympic and Ironman World Champion Blummenfelt plus reigning World Champion Bergere entered for the Eagles.

STAGE 1

The first 300m swim saw a mass start into the waters of the Garonne, with USA’s Chase McQueen the first out of the water ahead of fellow Warrior Carter Stulhmacher and Matt Hauser to secure a Short Chute for the Warriors. Brownlee was 7secs in arrears, with Blummenfelt already 14secs back.

Onto the 4km bike and Brownlee was quick to join the lead chasers behind McQueen on the narrow lanes of the French city. By the final lap, Bergere was into the lead ahead of McQueen, Brownlee, Kenji Nener (Japan) and Seth Rider (USA).

Onto the one-lap 1km run and Brownlee was to the fore, rolling back the years to drop all but Bergere from his shadow. Both would continue to put the hammer down to create a 4sec advantage at the end of Stage 1 ahead of Blummenfelt, who’d powered his way into third.

STAGE 2

Following a two-minute rest, the mass start one-lap 1km run began with the relentless pace returning. This time it was Reese Vannerson of the US-dominated Warriors who led the way, but Wilde flew out of T1 to instantly establish a 3sec lead on the 4km bike leg. Kiwi Tayler Reid would be a casualty of the frenetic pace, crashing out on the bike leg, and dropping out soon after.

Wilde, utilising his bike skills honed in the world of off-road triathlon, was first into T2 ahead of Bergere by 6secs, with Rider, Blummenfelt and Nener in hot pursuit.

The second 300m swim of the race saw Wilde’s advantage erased by Rider, who crossed the Stage 2 finish 1sec ahead of Wilde and 3secs clear of Bergere. Brownlee, Schoeman and co. were all in contention, however, meaning Stage 3’s Pursuit start and Short Chutes could be decisive.

STAGE 3

After a four-minute rest, Stage 3’s 4km bike leg began with a Pursuit start and Bergere having a narrow advantage over Wilde and Brownlee. A crash followed by a mechanical problem would push Rider down the field, showing how tight the margins in Super League Triathlon can be. Bergere and Wilde would control the pace with Brownlee and Schoeman straining to limit the advantage to single digits.

By the fourth and final lap, Brownlee and Schoeman would have a 20sec lead over Blummenfelt and the chasers, but their deficit was 10secs to the leaders, with Bergere also having a Short Chute in his armoury. Chaos followed at the end of the bike leg, with Wilde attempting to ride an extra lap and having to turn around, losing his advantage and effectively handing the lead to Bergere.

Onto the 300m swim and Schoeman’s swim prowess was to the fore, narrowing Bergere’s advantage to 3secs. Brownlee was 3secs further back, with the winner set to come from one of the three storied athletes.

The pace of the longer two-lap 2km run was controlled by Bergere, with Brownlee moving into second, but the 33-year-old Brit couldn’t respond to Bergere’s pace, the latter delighting the French crowds to cross the line 8secs ahead of Brownlee.