Marten van Riel: His time trial to the IRONMAN in Nice
An injury that complicates the World Cup dream
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The Belgian triathlete Martin Van Riel, current T100 world champion and one of the most powerful names in the middle and long distance, is going through a difficult moment one month before World championship HOMBRE DE HIERRO in Nice
The Belgian, undefeated to date at 70.3 and with a second place in IRONMAN South Africa who gave him his place in Nice, confessed on social media that he has not run for four weeks due to a sprained ankle.
In a candid and unfiltered message, Van Riel also acknowledged that he's dealing with a mental health slump that has kept him less active on social media:
"I haven't been able to run for weeks. It's frustrating, but I'm working every day with my physio to try to get there. I haven't lost hope, although I know everything would have to go perfectly to be at the start line in Nice.".
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The mental factor, key to high performance
Van Riel's honesty has generated a wave of support from fans and peers. Triathlon's elite not only face rivals and time clocks, but also the constant pressure to perform.
In his case, mental fatigue and the forced break coincide at the most demanding moment of the season.
The Belgian, known for his friendly and joking nature during the race - his famous response to Mika Noodt in the middle of T100 San Francisco is "I don't think we can do it, bro" - now faces a different challenge: maintaining his motivation while the calendar get moving.
Nice, a date with history
The IRONMAN in Nice will conclude its brief stint as the men's World Championship host on September 14, before the event returns to Kona.
The 2023 edition left the total record in the hands of Sam Laidlow (8:06:22) and the fastest marathon ever Patrick Lange (2:37:46). This year, Van Riel was in everyone's books to fight for the title, adding his name to a list of champions that includes legends such as Luc Van Lierde, Jan Frodeno o Kristian Blummenfelt.
One month to decide everything
With just four weeks until the big day, her preparation is focused on swimming and cycling, while she assesses whether she can safely return to running.
"I'm going to give it my all," he says, aware that reaching the starting line would already be a personal victory.
Triathlon, as a sport, thrives on these stories: not just records and podium finishes, but also resilience when the body and mind say enough.
