Rubén Ruzafa goes for the Medals at the XTERRA World Cup

September 21, 2023Updated on September 21, 2023

3 reading minutes

XTERRA/ image of Rubén Ruzafa in an official XTERRA competition

This coming Saturday, September 23, the Cros triathlon world will focus all its attention on the city of Trentino, Italy, where the XTERRA World Championship 2023.

Among the favorites to take the title is the Spaniard Rubén Ruzafa, who has already proven his worth in previous competitions and is looking for his tenth metal in an XTERRA World Championship.

Rubén Ruzafa, 39 years old, has a great track record in the world of triathlon.

He has been world champion in cross triathlon four times, in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.

In addition, he has won the title of world champion in XTERRA Triathlon three times, specifically in 2008, 2013 and 2014.

These achievements make him one of the most successful athletes in this modality and a strong contender for this 2023 XTERRA World Championship.

The 2023 XTERRA World Championship features the participation of more than 800 athletes coming from more than 55 different nationalities.

Furthermore, the significant prize pool allocated to the elite category stands out, which amounts to 100.000 euros.

Table of Contents

Test Details

Swimming – 1,5K

The swimming segment has a distance of 1,5 kilometers and is carried out on an “M”-shaped route.

The athletes will start from the left side of the beach facing the lake and, after a first buoy, will return to the beach to perform an Australian start.

Then, they will jump back into the water to complete the second lap. The water temperature is expected to range between 16°C and 19°C.

Bike Tour – 32K

The mountain biking segment has a total distance of 32 kilometers, divided into two laps of 16 km each.

The course begins with a 3km flat loop around the lake, followed by a 7km climb that mixes gravel tracks with rockier, steeper terrain.

The highest point of the course is at the 10km mark, and from there the terrain is mostly descending.

Foot Race – 10K

The Trail Running segment has a distance of 10 kilometers.

Start at the lake shore and follow a gravel path with gentle ups and downs for the first 1,5 km.

The course then becomes more technical, with rooty trails, technical climbs and descents.

The end of the route is quick and takes place on a large path of fire that leads to the finish line.

Favorites

Rubén Ruzafa He is not the only one who aspires to the podium. Other renowned athletes will be present, and the competition promises to be close.

The battle between Arthur Serrières y Felix forissier, both from France, will be especially exciting, as the two athletes have shown exceptional performance in recent competitions.

Serrieres from France, the current world champion, will look to defend his title and has proven to be the fastest man on foot on the circuit.

Your compatriot Felix forissier is another strong contender, especially on the bike, and the two Frenchmen have been neck and neck in recent competitions.

Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen from Denmark has shown a solid performance this year and could surprise many.

Two names from the world of road triathlon, Eric Lagerstrom from the US and Bradley Weiss from South Africa, also join the group of favorites, adding an element of uncertainty and excitement to the race.

Favorite

Among the favorites for the women's title at the 2023 XTERRA World Cup, stand out Alizée Paties from France, who has been on the podium in 8 of the 9 XTERRA World Cup races he has competed in.

The current world champion, Solemn Billouin, also from France, has proven his worth with 6 podiums in 8 World Cup appearances.

At the local level, the Italian Sandra Mairhofer She is a favorite, especially for her skill on the bike.

Loanne Duvoisin from Switzerland, current European XTERRA champion, is another strong contender, especially in the foot race.

Finally, another Italian, Martha Menditto, looks like a solid contender, backed by its fourth place finish in the World Cup series.