Sam Laidlow runs to Challenge Mogan-Gran Canaria win

France’s Sam Laidlow started his 2023 season off in style, continuing his rise in the triathlon standings after his dramatic runner-up finish at the Ironman World Championship last year with a convincing win at Challenge Mogan-Gran Canaria.

Aussie Aaron Royle led out of the water with Magnus Manner close behind. They were half a minute ahead of a group of four that included Alessandro Fabian, Patrick Lange, Laidlow and Jan Stratman. Once out on the bike Royle, Statmann, Laidlow anda Margirier pulled clear of the rest of the field over the challenging bike course, hitting T2 with a five-minute lead over the chase group that included Lange and Spain’s Antonio Benito Lopez.

Royle led early, but by 7 km the race for the win was between the Frenchmen Laidlow and Magirier. Laidlow took the win in 3:40:27, with Magirier crossing the line 13 seconds later and Royle rounding out the podium in 3:41:40. Lopez would post an impressive 1:06 split to take fourth, with Lange finishing fifth.

“It was hard!” said Laidlow. “I felt terrible in the swim and bike with a lot of cramping, it’s a bit of a shock to the system when it’s the first race of the season. I’m really proud, I kept telling myself I had to race aggressively and I’m really stoked. Mathis really pushed me today, we’ve been following each other up the ranks since we were kids. Thanks to him and Jan Stratmann that we got away.”

You can see full results here.