Tree species
While the full distance of the Alpe d’Huez Triathlon took place yesterday, today saw athletes compete over the shorter distance of a 1.5-kilometer swim, 28-kilometer bike, and 6.4-kilometer run: victory went to French athletes in both the men’s and women’s races. Keran Gallou won the men’s race, while Léane Blanchard took first place among the women. Naturally, this shorter distance still included a full climb up Alpe d’Huez, so the 28-kilometer bike distance gives a distorted impression of the race’s difficulty.
Regardless, the pace at the front was lightning fast, with Gallou crossing the finish line in just 1:55:18. Belgian Emmanuel Lejeune came in second with a time of 1:57:38, and Spaniard Pau Noguera placed third in 1:57:56. In the women’s race, victory also went to a French athlete: Léane Blanchard finished not far behind the fastest man, recording a time of 2:16:25. The women’s podium featured an all-French sweep, as Lena Vaillier finished second in 2:20:04 and Océane Le Bris took third in 2:22:03.