After a three year absence, the World Triathlon Powerman Middle Distance Duathlon Championships are back. The first ever edition took place in 2022 in Viborg, Denmark, and this weekend Alsdorf, Germany, will play host to the 2025 iteration. Alsdorf has previously run the event as the European Championships and is ready to welcome many of the world’s top duathletes to a course that will demand everything they have.
The race starts and finishes with a four-lap 10km run. In between, the athletes will ride 60km, tackling a tasty hill at the end of each of the three bike laps. With plenty to sap the legs of those racing, crossing the line first will be a test of will as much of fitness.
Elite men’s preview
Fabian Holbach (GER) wears number 1 in the elite men’s race and will look to improve upon his 7th place finish in Alsdorf at the European Middle Distance Duathlon Championships last year. In 2024 he also placed 2nd at the European Cross Duathlon Championships and so is solidly credentialed over the duathlon format.
Chief among the challengers for the gold will be Simon Jørn Hansen (DEN). The European champion won by over a minute last year in Alsdorf. Furthermore he was the 2023 World Long Distance Duathlon champion. After settling for silver at the 2022 World Middle Distance Duathlon Championships in Viborg, a win will complete his set of titles.
Ondrej Kubo (SVK) was the runner-up in Alsdorf last year and could rise to the challenge this weekend. Similarly, Jens-Michael Gossauer (SUI), the Swiss duathlon champion, finished 3rd at the World Long Distance Duathlon Championships in Zofingen last year and will be a threat.
In total, 33 men will take to the start line and the medals could go in any number of directions. Two further athletes to note are Michele Paonne, a rare elite starter from Liechtenstein, and Matt Smith (AUS), the only non-European competitor.
Elite women’s preview
The home team will have the top-seeded woman as well in the elite category with Merle Brunnée (GER) starting as number 1. She enters this event with back-to-back Long Distance Duathlon world titles in her pocket and a good track record at this course having taken silver in Alsdorf last year.
Last year’s European champion Melanie Maurer (SUI) is absent so the door looks to be wide open for Brunnée. She is at the head of a strong German cohort that also contains Maja Betz and Nelly Rassmann, who finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively, at the World Long Distance Duathlon Championships in 2024. In addition, Lisa Strothmann (GER) claimed 4th place in Zofingen for good measure
It would therefore be no surprise to see a German sweep of the podium, particularly with local support factored in. Nevertheless, Ramona Rieder (SUI), a 6th place finisher in Zofingen, and Rachel Brown (GBR), who earned 6th place last year in Alsdorf, could contend for the medals.
Meanwhile, Friedel Cuypers (BEL) will be making her elite debut after winning the 20-24 age-group races in Alsdorf and Zofingen last year.
On the age-group front, there will be plenty of athletes vying for world titles of their own in Alsdorf across a range of categories. Special mention has to go to Paul Thelen (GER), the oldest athlete racing. Born in 1943, he will be the sole athlete contesting the 80-84 age-group.
Catch the action live on Sunday 27th April with the first races starting at 08:00 (CEST).
