Sam Laidlow sweeps Challenge Roth 2025 with an epic comeback

This Sunday, July 6, a new edition of the Challenge Roth, one of the most iconic long-distance triathlons in the world, where the Frenchman Sam Laidlow He achieved a brilliant victory after several months of absence due to injury and illness.

The champion of the world HOMBRE DE HIERRO (Nice 2023) crossed the finish line in 7:29:35, imposing himself with authority after a perfectly measured marathon.

The race began with a wetsuit-free swim in the Danube Canal, something unprecedented in the 41 years of the event. The pace was very high from the start, with the South African Henri Schoeman coming out of the water first (46:17), just ahead of Jonas Schomburg, Vincent Luis y Lukasz Wojt.

In the cycling segment, Schomburg He went all out from the start, building a lead of more than two minutes before km 2. Laidlow, on the other hand, preferred a conservative tactic and gradually closed the gap. By T30, the gap had been reduced to just 2 seconds.

In the run, Schomburg started strongly and extended his lead to more than three minutes, but Laidlow maintained his pace and gradually closed the gap until he caught and overtook the German before the 30-kilometer mark. From there, he escaped without looking back and took a well-deserved victory by almost two minutes.

The German Jan Stratman completed the podium after beating Vincent Luis in the final kilometers, in what was the Frenchman's debut in the Ironman distance. Frederic Funk He was fifth, also in his debut at this distance.

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