Alejandro Salmerón and Begoña de la Rica win the II Granada Geopark Challenge in Huéscar
Alejandro Salmerón Tenorio won the II Granada Geopark Challenge 2026 in Huéscar with a time of 3:59:04, while Begoña de la Rica Jiménez was the female winner with 5:34:59.
El II Granada Geopark Challenge The winners have been announced. The middle-distance race took place this Sunday in Huescar, with a route marked by swimming around the reservoir, a demanding cycling segment and a final running race that ultimately decided the positions.
In the male category, Alejandro Salmerón Tenorio, from the CDT T3 resistantHe was the most consistent rider of the day and took the victory with a final time of 3:59:04In the women's race, Begoña de la Rica Jiménez, from the Balearia Trialacant, crossed the finish line in 5:34:59.
Alejandro Salmerón breaks the four-hour barrier
The men's victory had a clear name. Alejandro Salmerón Tenorio He completed a very complete race and was the only triathlete able to break the four-hour mark.
Salmerón came out of the water in 32:15Far from the fastest swim split, but he built his victory in the two subsequent segments. On the bike, he posted the fastest split of the day with 2:12:48 and an average of 39,94 km/h, and then finished the race with the best running performance, 1:14:00, 3: 31 min / km.
Behind, Francisco de Paula Lara Aguilar, from the Tritrain4you Malaga, finished second with 4:10:33The man from Malaga was the fastest in the swimming leg, with 27:04and remained in contention for the podium throughout the day.
The third place was for Rubén Torres Martínez, from the CDJ Trainers Endurance, who completed the test in 4:11:04, just 31 seconds behind second place.
A very tight men's race for the podium
Although Salmerón opened up a clear lead at the front, the battle for the top positions was much closer. There was barely half a minute between second and third place, while Gines Romera Álvarez He finished fourth with 4:23:29.
The top 5 was completed by Mariano Jiménez Hervas, from the Espejo Bike Team CD, with a time of 4:29:53They also made it into the top ten. Samuel Martos Maturana, Joshua Leo Conde, Alberto Pino Postigo, Alberto Serrano Lozano y Manuel López Vico.
Men's 10 Top
| Pos | Triathlete | Club | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alejandro Salmerón Tenorio | CDT T3 resistant | 3:59:04 |
| 2 | Francisco de Paula Lara Aguilar | Tritrain4you Malaga | 4:10:33 |
| 3 | Rubén Torres Martínez | CDJ Trainers Endurance | 4:11:04 |
| 4 | Gines Romera Álvarez | CT M1 Europack | 4:23:29 |
| 5 | Mariano Jiménez Hervas | Espejo Bike Team CD | 4:29:53 |
| 6 | Samuel Martos Maturana | CD The Mystery Man | 4:30:16 |
| 7 | Joshua Leo Conde | Independient | 4:32:50 |
| 8 | Alberto Pino Postigo | Not federated | 4:35:40 |
| 9 | Alberto Serrano Lozano | CDJ Trainers Endurance | 4:35:54 |
| 10 | Manuel López Vico | Not federated | 4:36:04 |
Begoña de la Rica, female winner
In the female category, the victory was for Begoña de la Rica Jiménez, from the Balearia Trialacant, who completed the II Granada Geopark Challenge in 5:34:59.
De la Rica had a decent trial, with 39:10 in swimming, 3:15:28 in cycling and 1:40:20 in the running race. She was the only female finisher listed in the results provided.
Female classification
| Pos | Triathlete | Club | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Begoña de la Rica Jiménez | Balearia Trialacant | 5:34:59 |
A triumph built on the bike and confirmed by racing
The sports analysis of the men's race reveals one clear key point: Alejandro Salmerón He didn't need to dominate from the first meter to end up imposing himself with authority.
The winner was ninth in the swimming leg, but took the lead with the fastest cycling leg and sealed the victory with the best time in the running leg. In a middle-distance race like the Granada Geopark ChallengeThat ability to progress during the race ended up being decisive.
Huéscar thus concluded a second edition that further reinforces the identity of a young event, linked to the territory and with room to continue growing within the Andalusian middle distance calendar.
