Top generation duel for the Roth crown / tension and records inevitable / announcement of the Frauenfeld next Thursday
The signs for the best race in Rother history are green. At the DATEV Challenge Roth powered by hep 2023, the best athletes in the world will once once more compete. At the top of the men’s field, the winners of previous years meet the young guns of the sport.
A furious race is looming
One who showed what he was made of at a young age Magnus Elbæk Ditlev. With an exceptional performance, the 25-year-old left all competitors behind at the DATEV Challenge Roth powered by hep last year and will start the race in 2023 as the defending champion. Ditlev missed Jan Frodeno’s course record by just nine seconds when he won. He is currently in third place in the world rankings of the Professional Triathletes Organization, which is fully deserved.
One of the big German favorites to win the triathlon Mecca Roth is undoubtedly Patrick Lange. At his Roth debut in 2021, the man from Salzburg won straight away. At the last edition of DATEV Challenge Roth powered by hep, the two-time Hawaii winner took second place behind Ditlev. At the Ironman Israel in November, Lange proved that the 36-year-old is in top form. There he set an impressive running record of 2:30 in a long-distance marathon.
Will the young guard take over the triathlon scepter?
At the age of 24, the Frenchman is still at the beginning of his triathlon career Sam Laidlow. He caused a sensation at the Ironman Hawaii 2022 and surprisingly was crowned Vice World Champion – with the second fastest time in the history of Hawaii. With 4:04:36h he even set an all-time bike record there, which he certainly can do on the fast track in Roth, which is lined with fans.
Also with Daniel Beckegård will be expected in Roth. With a personal best of 7:43:40, he travels to Franconia for the first time. At 26, just two years older than Laidlow, the Dane collected prestigious trophies, especially in the middle distance. He is the reigning Ironman 70.3 European Champion and placed third at the 70.3 World Championship. At the PTO Collins Cup in 2021, he managed to win with Team Europe in Šamorín.
Old friends in Roth with top chances
Only regarding 30 km away from his place of residence Nuremberg Andi Dreitz once once more ensure a top Franconian ranking. His triumph at the home game in Roth in 2019 will not be forgotten. In his fifth participation in the DATEV Challenge Roth powered by hep, a top placement is once more possible.
The same applies to Joe Skipper. After his two second places in Roth in 2016 and 2017, the Brit caused quite a stir in the triathlon circuit. With a total of seven Ironman titles and several course records, the 34-year-old is one of the most successful triathletes in recent years. His personal best of 7:41:07 gives an idea of what Skipper is capable of in top form in Roth.
2015 stand Nils Frommhold already at the top of the podium and was able to record his greatest career success with the German championship in Roth. The 36-year-old Berliner from the Erdinger Active Team has climbed every step of the Rother podium, finishing second behind Patrick Lange in his last appearance in 2021. Frommhold would certainly have nothing once morest another podium finish in 2023.
First American winner in Roth?
A candidate for a first US men’s win at Roth is 2023 Ben Canute. He celebrated his greatest successes so far at the middle distance and became vice world champion at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in October. In his first start over a 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike ride and 42.2 km run, he took third place at the Ironman Arizona in a time of 7:51:25 hours.
Farewell to a world career
For Sebastian Kienle the circle closes. The crowd favorite announced his departure from professional triathlon many months ago. In 2010 his long-distance career began in Roth. After the Hawaii victory in 2014, the victory at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in 2012, the Roth victory in 2018 and countless other titles, Sebi is celebrating the end of his glorious professional career on June 25, 2023 at his last long-distance race in Germany. What better setting for this than starting at the place that is associated with so many goose bumps moments?
Foresee unpredictability in the top field
There has never been so much quality across the board in any Roth professional field. Another example is the young Frenchman Clement Mignon, making his Roth debut. As a 23-year-old, he delivered a fascinating race in Hawaii last October, similar to Sam Laidlow, and finished ninth in his second long distance. In the heat of Hawaii, he stayed well under the magic mark of eight hours with a time of 7:56:58.
Bradley Weiss might also be a contender for the podium in Roth. The South African missed the podium by just 80 seconds last year and finished fourth. Another prominent name on the starting list is Reece Barclay. In 2022, following a difficult year, he finished 16th at the finish stadium in Roth.
Extra appreciation of the women’s start list
All triathlon fans should definitely mark June 25, 2023 in their calendars. To pay special tribute to both the men’s and women’s field, proclaimed TEAMCHALLENGE the women’s field on a separate day. The publication of the top-class women’s start list will take place on Thursday, February 9th on the channels of DATEV Challenge Roth powered by hep. This year Challenge Roth celebrates 10 years of partnership with the title sponsor DATEV.
The men’s elite at DATEV Challenge Roth powered by hep 2023 at a glance:
- Magnus Ditlev
- Patrick Lange
- Sam Laidlow
- Sebastian Kienle
- Daniel Baekkegard
- Andreas Dreitz
- Joe Skipper
- Ben Canute
- Nils Frommhold
- Clement Mignon
- Bradley Weiss
- Reece Barclay
- Victor Arroyo
- Silas Köhn
- Simon Billeau
- Erik-Simon Strijk
- Jason Pohl
- Andrew Horsfall-Turner
- Hannes Wolpert
- Jesse Vondracek
- Markus Thomschke
- Jean-Claude Besse
- Nicolas Quénette
- Alberto Casillas
