TRIATHLON – BAHRAIN Victorious 13 superstars Taylor Knibb and Marten Van Riel delivered a standout weekend for the kingdom’s team with commanding victories on opposite sides of North America.
Racing first at the World Triathlon Cup Edmonton in Canada, Knibb exited the 750-metre swim in third before launching a decisive move on the bike. She and one other athlete broke clear of the field over the 20-kilometre ride, opening a two-minute advantage heading into transition two. Knibb then put the race beyond doubt on the run, pulling away over the five kilometres to cross the line more than a minute ahead of her nearest competitor.
Knibb had a finishing time of 58 minutes 35 seconds, with swim-bike-run splits of 9:45, 29:47, and 17:24.
The American was joined on the podium by Marta Kropko of Hungary in 59:39 and Paola Sacchi of Italy in one hour and 16 seconds.
The win marked Knibb’s first World Triathlon Cup gold medal in two years and continued her impressive return to short-course racing after two seasons focused primarily on long-course competition.
Following her 11th place at the World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) Alghero leg in Italy and her silver at the World Triathlon Cup in Tiszaujvaros, Hungary, the Edmonton victory signalled Knibb is back to winning ways as she continues her build towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics cycle.
The course also holds fond memories for Knibb, who last raced in Edmonton in 2021 when she rode away from the field to win the WTCS Grand Final.
Meanwhile, Van Riel was equally dominant at Ironman Lake Placid in the US, claiming his breakthrough full-distance victory in emphatic fashion.
After exiting the 3.8km swim in second, the Belgian never relinquished the lead, producing a commanding bike ride before running the fastest marathon ever recorded on the course to secure victory in a new course record of 7:41:57.
His swim-bike-run splits were 47:05, 4:14:46, and 2:34:49. Finishing second was Matthew Marquardt of the US in 7:46:11, while his countryman Ben Kanute took third in 7:58:23.
Bahrain Victorious 13 now shifts their focus to WTCS London this weekend, where reigning Olympic champion Cassandre Beaugrand from France joins Knibb, Georgia Taylor-Brown from Britain, and Vasco Vilaca from Portugal on the start line of their respective events.
Beaugrand, Knibb, and Taylor-Brown continue their preparations for the closing stages of the 2026 season, while Vilaca returns to defend his WTCS lead.
Elsewhere, Bahrain Victorious 13’s Vincent Luis from France lines up at Ironman 70.3 Idaho as he continues his build towards his Ironman World Championship debut in Kona, Hawaii this October.
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