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Magnus Ditlev extends contract with SCOTT until 2029

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 19:02:04 GMT

Press release from Scott - January 20, 2026

Full-distance triathlete Magnus Ditlev will chase fast times and victories for another four years with SCOTT bike frames, bike footwear, and Syncros components

Givisiez, Switzerland, January 2026. Known for his exceptional cycling power and consistent performances, Magnus Ditlev ranks among the world’s leading long-distance triathletes and is recognized as one of the strongest contenders in IRONMAN competition.

Magnus Ditlev won Challenge Roth in 2022, 2023 and 2024, setting the course record in both 2023 and 2024. In 2025, Magnus Ditlev also claimed victory at IRONMAN South Africa

Ending the 2025 season among the world’s top-ranked triathletes, we're announcing today that Magnus Ditlev extends his contract with SCOTT for another four years.

Magnus Ditlev will exclusively ride SCOTT bike frames, bike footwear, and Syncros components as he continues to pursue his goal of becoming the first Danish IRONMAN World Champion.

The young Dane made his professional triathlon debut in 2019, starting with middle-distance races before moving into long-distance, quickly demonstrating exceptional talent. Over the years, Magnus has consistently performed at a high level, regularly claiming podiums and victories at nearly every major event.

A standout highlight was undoubtedly his back-to-back wins at Challenge Roth in 2023 and 2024, where he not only secured consecutive victories but also set the course record. In 2024, Magnus also won the inaugural T100 race in Miami, marking a strong start to the season and showcasing his versatility across distances.

On the IRONMAN circuit, Ditlev has added numerous major results to his career, including a victory at IRONMAN South Africa in 2025, where he set both a course and bike record. His performances at the IRONMAN World Championship have also been historic, earning a silver medal in Kona in 2024 — the best result ever by a Dane — following a bronze in 2023.

Thanks to his remarkable consistency and top-level performances across distances and formats, Ditlev is widely regarded as one of the most complete long-distance triathletes of his generation.

"I try to be extremely thorough in everything I do, especially with regards to the bike. There are so many things you can look into. It’s a really hard work and there are definitely No Shortcuts possible if you want to be the best triathlete in the world. I am super excited to continue my journey with SCOTT for the coming years. They really support me and help me in achieving this goal."

Magnus Ditlev's Raw Plasma RC

Light. Aero. Brutally efficient. Specced with top-tier performance components, Magnus Ditlev’s Plasma RC is engineered to conquer the fastest times. Here are the custom specs powering his quest for the IRONMAN World title.

Spec Highlights:

FRAME: SCOTT Plasma RC - Size XL

GROUPSET: SHIMANO Dura Ace 12sp components with custom 60t 1x chainring

WHEELS: DT SWISS ARC 1100 DICUT (85MM/DISC)

TIRES: SCHWALBE Pro One Aero 28MM

SADDLE: WOVE V8

COCKPIT: Custom Carbon cockpit and extensions

HYDRATION: SCOTT Integrated top tube Hydration / Bottle behind arms on custom cockpit / behind the saddle bottle

Photos: SCOTT Sports / Michael Riehle, Roar Paaske, Marcel Hilger

6th place at IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 12:00:27 GMT

Press release from Magnus Ditlev - November 9 2025

On an intense and action-packed day at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella, Danish triathlete Magnus Ditlev fought his way to a strong 6th place finish over the 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike, and 21.1 km run – the final race of the IRONMAN Pro Series 2025.

Belgium’s Jelle Geens once again proved he is the best in the world over the half-distance, retaining his world title in a thrilling sprint finish with 2022 champion Kristian Blummenfelt of Norway. Just three seconds separated the two. Newly crowned IRONMAN World Champion Casper Stornes completed the podium, ahead of Germany’s Jonas Schomburg, 2023 World Champion Rico Bogen, and Magnus Ditlev in 6th.

With this result, Ditlev ends a challenging 2025 season on a high. After winning IRONMAN South Africa in dominant fashion back in March, the Danish powerhouse faced a series of setbacks including mechanical issues, officiating controversy, and illness – all peaking with a mid-marathon withdrawal at the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice just seven weeks ago due to a severe pneumonia.

“Probably my best bike performance ever on a 70.3 course”

“It was a really solid performance today – probably my best ride ever over the half distance, which is not my specialty, and with so many short-course guys here, I’m happy with 6th, although I was a bit frustrated not to catch Rico for 5th in the final stretch,” said Ditlev.

“With such a big field and only a 12-meter draft rule, it’s hard to really make a difference on the bike. But I pushed good watts, and being a larger athlete, the elevation gain is always going to be a disadvantage. My swim was great, my transitions were not, and my run was strong even with a hard ride in the legs. It’s been a mentally tough season, so I’m glad to finish it on a positive note.”

A season full of challenges

Back in May, Ditlev suffered two punctures while in the lead trio at IRONMAN 70.3 St. George and finished 12th. At the IRONMAN European Championship in Frankfurt, he was disqualified in the early part of the marathon while in 2nd place for alleged littering, only to have the penalty reversed nearly an hour later - by which time he had faded from the front and finished 8th.

At the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice, illness struck race week. Despite starting the race, Ditlev was forced to pull out of a race for the first time in his IRONMAN career midway through the marathon.

How the 70.3 World Championship unfolded

Nearly 60 of the world’s best lined up in Marbella, including the past five IRONMAN 70.3 World Champions. Ditlev exited the water in 24th place, just under a minute behind the leader. By the 20 km mark of the bike leg, he had ridden to the front of the race despite a hilly course with over 1,600 meters of climbing - conditions typically favoring lighter riders.

As the bike progressed, the front group shrunk to nine athletes, with Ditlev regularly at or near the front. Multiple surges failed to break the group, and all nine (Riddle, Ditlev, Bogen, Geens, Blummenfelt, Margirier, Schomburg, Stornes, and Westerman) arrived at T2 together.

Blummenfelt, Schomburg, and Geens quickly took the lead on the run, with Geens and Blummenfelt going head-to-head in a thrilling 21,1 km duel, shoulder to shoulder until the final kilometer. Geens edged ahead in the closing corners to take the title.

Behind them, Ditlev ran well and battled Rico Bogen for 5th place in the final 5 km. He closed the gap to within 10 seconds but couldn’t quite catch the German, finishing 6th just a few seconds back.

Sickness forces Magnus Ditlev to withdraw from the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice midway through the marathon

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 13:23:46 GMT

Press release from Magnus Ditlev - September 14 2025

Sick Magnus Ditlev forced to withdraw from IRONMAN World Championship midway through the marathon

Magnus Ditlev entered today’s IRONMAN World Championship in Nice with one clear goal: to fight for the win. After finishing 2nd and 3rd at the previous two World Championships, the Danish star had every reason to be confident. But after battling illness since last Sunday, Ditlev was forced to pull out of the race after approximately 17 km of the marathon. He was in 9th place at the time of the decision, which was made together with his team on course in Nice.

It marks the first DNF (Did Not Finish) in Ditlev’s IRONMAN career in his 12th full-distance race.

Struggled with illness since Sunday

Ditlev arrived in Nice on Monday, but had already been feeling ill since Sunday. Just days ago, it wasn’t even certain he would be able to start. In the end, he and his coach made the decision to line up and see what the day would bring.

After a solid start he exited the 3.8 km swim in 17th place and Ditlev looked composed on the bike, riding through the early sections of the challenging 180 km course, including the infamous 18 km climb leading up to a rolling 60 km plateau. At that point, he gave a thumbs up to his team, but the deep fatigue typical of hours three and four in an IRONMAN came calling, and this time, his body wasn’t ready to respond.

Struggling to hold his target power, Ditlev began to fall behind. He entered T2 in 7th place, roughly 5 minutes down on the leaders.

Things only got worse on the run, as the Danish athlete coughed his way through the opening 17 kilometers before making the call to pull out. He was over 10 minutes behind and fading with each kilometer.

Coach Jens Petersen-Bach: “It’s okay to DNF when the reason is illness”

“It’s okay to withdraw when the reason is illness,” said Ditlev’s coach, Jens Petersen-Bach. “There just wasn’t enough in the tank to get through a full IRONMAN after being sick all week. He was coughing a lot on the run, and when that happens, it becomes extremely difficult. Illness during race week is also very tough mentally because you spend so much energy trying to convince yourself that you can still compete.”

“We were hopeful because he was only 5 minutes back after the bike. The plan was to get through 10–15 km on the run and hope the legs would come around. But he just got slower and slower, and it was clear that the lights had gone out. He had a decent start and was in a good mood at the top of the climb, but as we feared, the body simply wasn’t where it needed to be,” said Petersen-Bach.

“He gave it a shot and looked decent early on, but when you’re sick during race week, it’s never ideal. There just wasn’t as much energy available as we’d hoped. Still, better to start and give it a try than to stay home and wonder what could’ve been.”

Health comes first

Illness is always poorly timed, and according to his coach, Ditlev most likely had a bad case of pneumonia, suffering from coughing, congestion, and headaches all week. It was clear his body couldn’t operate at full capacity on race day.

“You have to protect your health, and there’s no point in completely wrecking yourself just to cross the finish line. It’s tough to DNF, but it was the right decision physically and mentally today,” Petersen-Bach concluded.

Next race: IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in November

Ditlev’s next race will be the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella on November 9, a race he has already qualified for.

After today’s result, Ditlev and his team will now consider whether to chase early qualification for the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona - possibly at IRONMAN Arizona on November 16 or IRONMAN Cozumel on November 23, which Ditlev won in 2022. Early qualification would allow the team to plan next season well in advance.

Norway sweeps the podium with surprise world champion Casper Stornes

While Norwegian dominance was expected, few could have predicted a clean sweep of the podium, especially with Casper Stornes, considered the underdog among the Norwegian trio, taking the win. Even more impressive, he broke the 2:30 barrier on the marathon, posting a run split of 2:29:22.

All three Norwegians come from short-course triathlon backgrounds. Blummenfelt won Olympic gold in 2021, Iden placed 8th, and Stornes finished 11th.

Gustav Iden, who has struggled since winning the IRONMAN World Championship in 2022, claimed silver, while pre-race favorite Kristian Blummenfelt (world champion in 2021) took bronze for a Norwegian 1-2-3.

Rollercoaster day ends with 8th place at IRONMAN European Championship in Frankfurt

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 19:09:43 GMT

Press release from Magnus Ditlev’s team - June 29, 2025

It was a chaotic, hot, dramatic, and unpredictable day at this year’s IRONMAN European Championship in Frankfurt.

Magnus Ditlev was running in second place during the marathon when he was shown a red card and disqualified for littering just outside a designated aid zone - while pouring ice water down his back in the blistering heat. What followed was an hour of uncertainty before the disqualification was eventually overturned. Ditlev, who had his sights set on victory, ultimately finished 8th after a tough and mentally exhausting day.

Despite the setback for the Dane, the race became a major Nordic success. Fellow Dane Kristian Høgenhaug used a strong swim to break away solo on the bike and held on for second place behind pre-race favorite Kristian Blummenfelt, with another Norwegian, Casper Stornes, rounding out the podium. For much of the early marathon, it was Denmark vs. Norway vs. Germany, with three Danes—Høgenhaug, Ditlev, and Daniel Bækkegård—leading the race through the first 2 km, chased closely by a Norwegian trio of Blummenfelt, Stornes, and Gustav Iden. In the end, the ‘national team battle within the battle’ went to Norway ahead of Denmark and Germany.

Disqualification and reversal left a mental mark

“It was a really strange race overall with a lot of weird situations, and the dynamic kept shifting. I took an elbow to the face just before the swim start and had to adjust my goggles after 100 meters. I swam okay, but it never really felt great, although I was happy to be in the main group with Rudy, Blummenfelt, Iden, and Lange,” Ditlev explains.

“Out on the bike, the dynamics were really odd. Every time I tried to break away, Blummenfelt and Iden would shut it down, and we could only watch as Høgenhaug rode further and further up the road. I didn’t get a proper gap until late in the ride heading into T2, but the bike never became the weapon I had hoped for,” he says.

“I started the run with a mission to chase down Høgen, and my early pace would have resulted in a 2:30 marathon. But then the red card happened, and it put me in a super difficult place mentally. For about an hour, I didn’t know whether I was disqualified or not. That kind of adrenaline spike when you’re kicked out of a race you’re trying to win—it comes with a cost. I struggled mentally from that point on and had a rough second half of the marathon,” Ditlev reflects.

“I’m proud I fought my way to the finish line, but I’m very disappointed with how the race unfolded. I know it’s the athlete’s responsibility to follow the rules, but I thought there was some leeway when they placed the ice at the very end of the zone. Now I know better. It’s tough to go from fighting for the win to being told you’re out of the race, but I’ll learn from this and be more aware in the future. Now, all focus is on the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice on September 14, where I hope to be in the battle for the win,” says Ditlev, after taking some time to process Sunday’s rollercoaster of a race.

A race full of stories and setbacks

The day was packed with drama from start to finish as temperatures kept rising. Germany’s Jonas Schomburg led after the swim and pushed hard through the first 30 km on the bike, but disaster struck on a cobbled section when his handlebars came loose. He tried to repair them with the help of a mechanic, but the time lost was too great, and he was forced to abandon the race.

Høgenhaug, who had built up a lead of over 8 minutes after four hours of solo riding, also suffered a mechanical issue just a few kilometers from T2 when his chain dropped. Although he quickly got it back on, he received a one-minute penalty at the start of the run for outside assistance, which significantly reduced his lead - especially with Ditlev, Blummenfelt, Stornes, Iden, and others charging hard behind him.

But the biggest drama of the day centered on Ditlev. Roughly 7 km into the run, after reducing Høgenhaug’s lead by 2–3 minutes, he was shown a red card by an official for littering just outside an aid station. Ditlev protested loudly and was clearly frustrated, but the rules allow an athlete to finish the race and file a post-race appeal.

He spent the next hour debating whether to drop out and save energy for another race or to continue and hope the appeal would succeed. Around 40 minutes later, the livestream reported that the red card had been annulled, though Ditlev didn’t receive confirmation on course until nearly an hour later.

What started as a strong run turned into a battle for survival, and Ditlev came close to pulling out multiple times. But his team on the ground in Frankfurt convinced him to keep going, and he eventually crossed the line in 8th place, earning just over 4,000 points in the IRONMAN Pro Series. Unfortunately, despite his win at IRONMAN South Africa in March, this result likely puts him out of contention for the overall Pro Series title.

Ditlev’s next race will be the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice on September 14.

IRONMAN Pro Series standings (best 3 full-distance and best 2 70.3 results count) - click here.

Two puntures in St. George ruins race - Magnus still qualifies for IRONMAN 70.3 Worlds

Sat, 10 May 2025 09:55:51 GMT

May 10 - 2025

Two flats, 12th place finish and a slot for IRONMAN 70.3 Worlds in Marbella.

That was the result in St. George for Magnus Ditlev in Saturday's race, where the highly anticipated battle with Lionel Sanders and Sam Long never really happened.

Magnus says:

"Not how I was hoping 70.3 St George would go. I had an amazing swim but unfortunately two punctures on the bike left me on the back foot of the race and I was unable to get back into it physically and mentally after that. Happy that I still finished and somehow managed to claim the last slot for 70.3 Worlds."

"Hats off to Lionel Sanders for an outstanding performance! So bummed that I didn’t get the chance to battle with you as that was something I really had been looking forward to."

On to the next one, the IRONMAN Frankfurt European Championship in Germany in June 30th.

Victory at IRONMAN South Africa, new course (and bike) record, qualification for Worlds in Nice

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:41:45 GMT

Press release from Magnus Ditlev’s team - March 30, 2025

27-year-old Danish triathlete Magnus Ditlev had a phenomenal Sunday at this year’s first race, IRONMAN South Africa. His goal was clear: victory and a guaranteed qualification for the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice this September. Mission accomplished, thanks to a dominant performance and a finishing time of 7 hours, 44 minutes, and 55 seconds across the 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike, and 42.2 km run. Ditlev shattered the course record by over 12 minutes and set a new bike course record by 9 minutes at the 20th edition of IRONMAN South Africa.

Reigning T100 World Champion, Marten van Riel of Belgium, finished second, 4,5 minutes behind, while Ironman debutant Jonas Schomburg claimed third place, nearly 7,5 minutes back.

With this win, Magnus Ditlev has now secured his spot at the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice on September 14. The Worlds in Nice is his primary target for the year, where he finished 2nd in 2024 and 3rd in 2023. Additionally, he now leads the IRONMAN Pro Series, earning 5,000 points from his victory. The standings are based on an athlete’s three best full-distance IRONMAN results and their two best IRONMAN 70.3 performances.

Tough swim, superb bike, and solid run

Swimming at IM South Africa is always challenging due to strong winds, big waves, and ocean currents. Ditlev had hoped to stay with the front pack out of the water, but with a few exceptionally fast swimmers accustomed to rough seas, he found himself exiting the swim 2,5 minutes down. However, he emerged alongside many strong swimmers and immediately began his pursuit on the 180 km bike leg.

The Danish powerhouse delivered a true masterclass, methodically closing in on the front duo without dragging other athletes along on his quest. Around the halfway point, he made his move, surging ahead solo and quickly building a significant lead on the rugged, windswept roads around Nelson Mandela Bay.

Over the final 80 km, Ditlev continued to push the pace, obliterating the previous bike course record by approximately 10 minutes with a blistering 4:07 bike split—9 minutes faster than the next-best competitor on the day.

On the run, the towering Dane controlled the race, losing just one minute to his closest competitors over the first 30 km, despite their aggressive pacing in an attempt to close the gap. Over the last 10 km, fatigue set in, forcing him to slow down, but he still crossed the finish line comfortably with a 2:40 marathon and a 4:32 lead over second place.

10 IRONMAN races, 5 wins

Out of the 10 IRONMAN races Magnus Ditlev has completed, he has secured 5 victories, 3 podiums, and finished 5th and 8th in the others.

“It’s amazing to win here today because the Pro Series is a big goal for me this year, alongside the World Championship, which is my main target. It’s great to have my qualification locked in early, allowing me to structure my build-up optimally ahead of Nice on September 14,” said Ditlev.

8th in T100 Grand Final in Dubai after mechanical and 4th in overall standings

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 10:36:43 GMT

Press release from Magnus Ditlev’s team - November 17, 2024

T100 World Championship Triathlon Final: Mechanical issue costs Magnus Ditlev a World Championship medal – 8th place in Dubai secures 4th overall in T100 World Series

It was as close as it gets. During the final kilometres on the 18 km run, Magnus Ditlev was just 10 seconds behind Fred Funk and 7th place finish in the T100 Grand Final in Dubai that would have secured him a spot on the overall World Championship podium.

Battling hard against Germany’s Frederic Funk, who was fighting to secure his entry into next year’s T100 Series by keeping Ditlev behind, it was Funk who edged ahead in the final minutes of the run. The bronze medal in the overall standings ultimately went to Germany’s Rico Bogen, who was second on the day after World Champion, Marten van Riel.

Mechanical set Ditlev back just as he was catching up to the leaders

A mechanical mishap earlier in the race proved costly for the Dane, relegating him to 8th place on the day and 4th overall in the T100 World Series - leaving him just two points shy of the podium. Heading into the decisive Grand Final in Dubai, Ditlev sat second in the overall standings behind Belgium’s Marten van Riel, who capped off his season with a dominant victory in Dubai to clinch the World Championship title.

Germany’s Rico Bogen, the reigning IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion, finished second in Dubai, jumping from 10th to 3rd in the overall standings, while New Zealand’s Kyle Smith secured the silver medal with a 4th place finish in the final.

Seat post issues hamper Ditlev on the bike

Just as Magnus Ditlev was closing in on the front pack around the 40 km mark of the 80 km bike leg, disaster struck. His seat post came loose and dropped to the bottom of the frame, forcing him to stop and lose precious time as mechanics worked to fix it. Instead of joining the lead group, Ditlev lost around 90 seconds before rejoining the race with his saddle readjusted - though unfortunately set too high.

Despite the setback, the powerful Dane managed to claw his way back towards the front, but the effort took its toll. Rather than sitting in the lead group conserving energy, he was forced to staying in the offence in the chase pack to try and claw his way back on the leaders. Ditlev entered T2 in 7th place, nearly two minutes behind the leaders, and spent the 18 km run trading positions with rivals before ultimately crossing the line in 8th.

A remarkable season comes to a close

Despite the unfortunate outcome in Dubai, 2024 has been an outstanding year for the towering Dane. With two major victories under his belt - including improving his own world record on the full distance - and a silver medal at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona just three weeks ago (the best Danish result ever in Hawaii), Ditlev looks set to finish the season ranked 2nd in the world once again. He previously ended 2023 as 2nd in the world rankins and took 3rd in 2022.

In what has been an incredibly long season starting in March, when Magnus won the opening race of the T100 World Series in Miami - the 8th place finish in Dubai actually ties his lowest finish over the past three seasons. His consistency has been nothing short of phenomenal, consistently swimming, biking, and running his way to major wins and podium finishes for three consecutive seasons.

It’s also the third consecutive year Ditlev has medaled at a World Championship event:

2024: IRONMAN World Championship silver, Kona

2023: IRONMAN World Championship bronze, Nice

2022: IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship bronze, St. George

Pushing through the final race of a grueling season

Heading into the T100 Grand Final in Dubai, Magnus Ditlev was uncertain how his body would respond to racing at peak intensity again so soon after Kona. The Grand Final, with its much shorter and faster format compared to IRONMAN, posed a unique challenge - especially with lingering fatigue from Hawaii.

Despite this, Ditlev felt strong and believes that without the mechanical issue, the outcome could have been different:

"It’s really frustrating to experience bike issues today because I was feeling great out there. I’d almost bridged up to the front group and was planning to stay with them to save my legs for the run. But then my seat post suddenly dropped all the way down, and I was pedaling with my knees up to my chest. It’s never happened before and I’m guessing it was from the speed bumps on the course since bottles were flying everywhere. Thankfully, the mechanics fixed it pretty quickly, but they set it a bit too high, which wasn’t ideal given how strong I was riding,” Magnus Ditlev said from Dubai.

A satisfying result, all things considered

"I’m really pleased with how my body felt and how I handled the setback mentally today. It was frustrating, but I stuck to the plan and didn’t let it ruin my race, which I’m proud of. I was gutted I couldn’t catch Frederic Funk in the final kilometers of the run—if I had, I’d have secured the overall podium spot—but he had his own motivation, as beating me guaranteed him a place in next year’s T100 World Series."

"It’s encouraging to see that we’ve found a formula that lets me perform well in a fast race, even just three weeks after an IRONMAN. That’s something we can build on going forward. Now, I’m looking forward to a much-needed vacation before we start planning for next season," Ditlev concluded.

Top-10 T100 World Championship Standings (Best three results + Grand Final):

Marten van Riel (Belgium) – 153 pts

Kyle Smith (New Zealand) – 111 pts

Rico Bogen (Germany) – 102 pts

Magnus Ditlev (Denmark) – 100 pts

Alistair Brownlee (UK) – 96 pts

Sam Long (USA) – 90 pts

Mathis Margirier (France) – 89 pts

Pieter Heemeryck (Belgium) – 83 pts

Youri Keulen (Netherlands) – 83 pts

Frederic Funk (Germany) – 76 pts

Magnus with a historic 2nd at the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 08:47:55 GMT

Press release from Magnus Ditlev’s team - October 26, 2024

Magnus Ditlev ran his way to a coveted 2nd place finish at the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii and made Danish sports history with the best ever finish on the mythical island.

Danish triathlete Magnus Ditlev delivered a historic performance at the legendary IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii, setting a new benchmark for Danish athletes. The race, which includes a grueling 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike leg, and a 42.2 km marathon, saw the 26-year-old secure a remarkable silver medal - a historic result and the best ever result for a Dane at IRONMAN Hawaii.

Crossing the finish line in 7 hours, 43 minutes, and 39 seconds, Ditlev placed second behind Germany’s Patrick Lange, with American Rudy von Berg rounding out the podium in third. This marks a significant step up for Ditlev, who improved on his bronze medal from last year’s IRONMAN World Championship in Nice, France. Similarly, Lange and von Berg also advanced positions from last year, where they finished second and fourth, respectively.

Patrick Lange shines with a record-breaking performance

The 38-year-old former IRONMAN World Champion, Patrick Lange, delivered the race of his career. After exiting the water in fourth place, he stayed competitive on the bike and finished the 180 km segment just four minutes behind Magnus Ditlev. Lange then set off on a trademark blistering marathon, clocking 2:37—the fastest of the day—to claim his third IRONMAN World Championship title, adding to his victories in 2017 and 2018.

A banner day for Danish triathlon

Danish triathletes made a strong impression in Kona, with three athletes finishing in the top 12: Kristian Høgenhaug claimed ninth place, Mathias L. Petersen secured twelfth, and Daniel Bækkegård placed thirty-fourth. Thor Bendix Madsen rounded out the Danish contingent in fortieth place. The presence of five Danish athletes on the start line was itself a record.

Magnus Ditlev battles through adversity in his toughest race yet

For Magnus Ditlev, this year’s race was the toughest of his career. Following unexpected challenges during the bike segment—traditionally his strongest discipline—Ditlev considered withdrawing in T2 due to both physical and mental hurdles. However, with encouragement from his team, he chose to press on and take his chances on the marathon.

By the halfway point of the run, Ditlev had worked his way back into contention, securing the silver medal after a gritty performance.

“I’m incredibly proud to finish second, even though my dream was to win,” said Ditlev. “This was by far the hardest race I’ve ever done. After a poor performance on the bike—where I usually shine—I was in a really dark place mentally. I’m so grateful to my team for helping me believe I could still achieve something. When I got off the bike, I wasn’t even sure I’d make it to the finish line.”

Ditlev experienced pain in one of his glute muscles during the final hour of the bike leg, forcing him to ride more conservatively and sacrifice precious time.

“I’ve never struggled so much on the bike before. I went into the race with the goal of becoming world champion, so I pushed extremely hard in the first few hours to bridge the gap to the leaders. Unfortunately, I think Laidlow, Blummenfelt, and I pushed each other too much, and in the end, I was the only pre-race favorite who managed to hold on for a good result.”

A brutal day for pre-race favorites

Defending champion Sam Laidlow set a new bike course record but paid the price, fading to finish in eighteenth place. Similarly, Kristian Blummenfelt, the 2021 world champion and 2022 bronze medalist, struggled with nausea during the bike leg and eventually finished thirty-fifth.

“I raced to win, but I’m still happy to have fought back and secured second place on a tough day,” Ditlev reflected. “After about 7-8 kilometers of the marathon, I started reeling in my competitors. At that point, I knew that if I managed my cooling and pacing, I could secure a podium finish. You can never take a World Championship medal for granted.”

Top 3 results and times

Gold: Patrick Lange (Germany) – 7:35:53 (course record)

Silver: Magnus Ditlev (Denmark) – 7:43:39 (5th fastest time ever in Hawaii)

Bronze: Rudy von Berg (USA) – 7:46:00

Consistency and a 4th place in T100 London - now leading the T100 Triathlon World Tour standings

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 11:58:51 GMT

Press release from Magnus Ditlev’s team - July 28, 2024

Consistent Magnus Ditlev tops the World Championship standings after a 4th place in T100 London coming off a world record at the Ironman distance just 3 weeks earlier.

Despite a world record in the full distance just three weeks ago, Danish triathlete Magnus Ditlev showed his incredible consistency again today, finishing 4th in T100 London. This result sends him to the top of the overall standings in the T100 Triathlon World Tour after three counting races in the overall standings—halfway through the series, with four races remaining, including the Grand Final. The distance covers 2 km of swimming, 80 km of cycling, and 18 km of running: a total of 100 km.

With a 1st place in Miami, a 4th place in San Francisco, and a 4th place here in London, Magnus now has 79 points, just ahead of New Zealand's Kyle Smith, who has 76 points, and Sam Long, who already had three counting races and 70 points, but did not improve his overall score with an 11th place finish today.

IRONMAN World Champion wins - Bækkegård kakes 3rd place

The winner was defending IRONMAN World Champion Sam Laidlow, who broke away halfway through the 80 km cycling leg and held off a fast-running Kyle Smith during the final 18 km run.

Dane Daniel Bækkegård secured an impressive 3rd place and took his first podium in the 100 km distance, while Magnus Ditlev, with a hard-fought 4th place on a day when he felt far from his best, now leads the overall World Championship series in the middle distance—despite focusing primarily on the Ironman distance (3.8 km swim, 180 km cycling, and 42.2 km run).

At the same time as his current first place in the T100 Triathlon World Tour standings, Magnus Ditlev, with his consistently strong performances and multiple major victories, also currently holds the top spot on the PTO world rankings for middle- and long-distance triathletes.

A tough day at the office - now a break before building his shape for IRONMAN Hawaii in October

"I was completely off from the start, and it was a big mental battle today. I felt like quitting all day, but I’m glad I kept fighting, even though my body wasn’t cooperating, so finishing 4th is a good result on the day. It was just a tough day all around, so there’s probably some deep fatigue left from Roth because every time I tried to push, I got really tired and just couldn’t get into gear," Magnus Ditlev said, who, after a few intense months, can now look forward to a couple of weeks of vacation and recovery.

After an incredible first half of the season, which brought his first victory at the 100 km distance, his third consecutive win and a new world record at Challenge Roth, a first place on the world rankings, and a first place in the World Championship series, the 26-year-old triathlete can now take a well-deserved break before starting preparations for the season’s big goal, the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii.

How the race unfolded for Magnus Ditlev:

With his best swimming performance ever at the 100 km distance, where Ditlev emerged from the water with the leading group in 8th place, the stage was set for another Ditlev show on the bike. However, with a large leading group and a very tight and technical 10 km out-and-back cycling course, it was difficult to exploit his strong cycling abilities because the large group was riding very (and often too) close together—something that frustrated the tall Dane, with cycling being one of his key strengths.

At the same time, his legs were not responding well, so Magnus remained in the chase group for the last 40 km of the bike after briefly taking the lead and entered T2 in 5th place.

From there, it was a question of how his running legs would hold up, but unfortunately, they were heavy, and a good rhythm never materialized. Magnus remained stable and in contention around 5th place throughout the entire run, but he was never able to pick up the pace, which is understandable given the world record performance he had in his legs just three weeks ago.

Magnus kept a cool head in the British summer heat, and when Kyle Smith couldn’t catch Laidlow at the front, Magnus was able to settle for 5th place and still take the lead in the World Championship standings. Magnus ran the final third of the race with Germany’s Frederik Funk, whom he managed to outpace in the last few hundred meters and secure his second consecutive 4th place in the series—and thus, first place in the World Championship standings.

Top 5 in the World Championship Standings after three counting races and four in total (an athlete’s three best results count, as well as the result from the World Championship series Grand Final in November):

Magnus Ditlev, Denmark, 79 points (3 races, 35+22+22)
Kyle Smith, New Zealand, 76 points (3 races, 20+28+28)
Sam Long, USA, 70 points (3 races, 28+28+14)
Youri Keulen, Netherlands, 69 points (3 races, 22+35+12)
Pieter Heemeryck, Belgium, 54 points (3 races, 25+11+18)

Photos: PTO

New number 1 in the PTO World Rankings

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 13:33:22 GMT

Press release - July 11 2024:

Magnus Ditlev has taken over top spot in the World Rankings after a great first half of 2024.

After finishing 3rd in the end-of-year world rankings in 2022 and 2nd in 2023, Magnus Ditlev, 26 years old, has now claimed the coveted top spot following a brilliant first half of the 2024 season, most recently with his third consecutive victory and a new world record at Challenge Roth last Sunday.

This marks the first time a Dane has been ranked as the world's best long-distance triathlete on the world rankings, which are updated weekly by the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO). The rankings consider the three best results of the season in long-distance triathlon, covering races from the 100 km distance through half Ironman up to full Ironman distances. The different races are also ranked, and factors such as the depth of the field and the margin of victory are included in the score when crossing the finish line.

Bonus for finishing the year as number 1

Finishing the year in 1st place comes with a bonus of 100,000 US dollars. The second-place finisher receives 90,000, the third 80,000, and so on down through the top-10.

"It’s a big deal to take the top spot, and it proves that I've had a really good season so far," Magnus Ditlev says. He has been in the top-3 for nearly two years, and in second place for the past year.

"It’s exciting to be ranked number 1, and I also hope to finish the year in first place, but the most important race for me this year is still the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii on October 26th. That’s the race I dream of winning the most," says the Danish world leader.

Next race in the T100 World Series, where Magnus is ranked 2nd

Magnus Ditlev’s next race is in just 2.5 weeks when he competes in his third World Championship event in the T100 series, where he has so far achieved one victory and one 4th place, placing him 2nd overall in the World Championship standings. The series has a total of 8 events and a Grand Final in November, where the triathlete with the highest points total wins the World Championship title. The three best results, along with the Grand Final result, count towards the overall standings, where Magnus Ditlev is currently in second place with two scoring races under his belt.

T100 London, Sunday, July 28th - Start list available here.

Magnus wins Challenge Roth in new world best time and threepeats at Roth

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 15:00:24 GMT

Press release - July 7 2024:

Magnus Ditlev wins Challenge Roth for a third consecutive time and improves his own world best time on the full distance.

7 hours, 23 minutes, and 24 seconds. That’s how long it took Magnus Ditlev to complete 3.8 km of swimming (46:23), 180 km of cycling (3:59:25), and a marathon (2:34:18) to win the coveted Challenge Roth for a third consecutive year.

In doing so, Magnus Ditlev shaved 1 minute and 16 seconds off his own full distance world record from last year, following an incredible performance where the Dane led the race from the 10 km mark on the bike.

2024 Magnus Ditlev vs 2023 Magnus Ditlev

Today, it was Magnus Ditlev - and then everyone else. Throughout the day, it was a race against himself for the Danish triathlete at today’s 40th-anniversary event of Challenge Roth.

It was a race against last year’s time. A race to improve once again at Challenge Roth, not just to win the race for the third year in a row, but to win with yet another new world record – just as he did last year.

Strong in all three disciplines

He stayed with the front group during the 3.8 km swim, clocking in 20 seconds faster than last year. With slightly better weather conditions, the stage was set for another Magnus Ditlev show. He took the lead in the race after just 10 km on the bike and never looked back. He continued to increase his lead while riding solo at the front, and despite the rain and wet roads that made cycling tricky, he finished the 180 km bike leg in under 4 hours for the second consecutive year, entering the transition to running shoes with a 6-minute lead over his closest competitors.

Out on the marathon course, the Dane ran well in lightly overcast weather, with a first half-marathon time of 1:16 setting him up for a very fast run. At the finish line, Ditlev improved his personal best marathon time by 3 minutes, clocking 2:34:18 for the 42.2 km.

“I felt really good all day. I felt better on the bike this year, even though I rode alone the whole way and it rained, and I felt really good on the run. I ran the first half-marathon quickly, and my coach told me I was two minutes ahead of my time from last year, so the last 21 km were a battle against myself. I am very happy and proud of my performance,” he said in an interview at the finish line.

And the mission was accomplished: With a fantastic solo marathon finish, the tall Dane set a new personal record of 2:34:18, crossing the finish line a full 14 minutes ahead of second-place finisher Tom Bishop, with Rudy Von Berg taking third place, 36 seconds further back.

Result link - Challenge Roth 2024 - click here.

Photos: Marcel Hilger.

4th place in T100 San Francisco puts Magnus in tied 2nd in the overall World Championship standings

Sat, 08 Jun 2024 12:24:18 GMT

Press release - June 8 2024:

4th place in T100 San Francisco puts Magnus Ditlev in a tie for 2nd in the overall World Championship standings

A spectacular course with very cold swimming and many elevation changes on the 80 km bike ride made today’s competition in San Francisco in the T100 Triathlon World Tour, a tough challenge.

The world championship series race consisted of a 2 km swim, 80 km bike ride, and 18 km run and was the 3rd out of 8 races in the season. It ended with a 4th place finish for Magnus Ditlev, a result that moved him up to a tie for 2nd place in the overall World Championship standings after a 1st place and a 4th place in the two races he has completed. The three best results along with the result in the Grand Final in November count in the overall standings.

Sam Long, USA, has competed in three races and tops the overall standings with two 2nd places and an 8th place, while Dutch athlete Youri Keulen, like Magnus Ditlev, has a victory and a 4th place after two races.

Top-5 in the World Championship standings after three races:

Sam Long, USA, 70 points (3 races, 28+28+14)

Magnus Ditlev, Denmark, 57 points (2 races, 35+22)

Youri Keulen, Netherlands, 57 points (2 races, 22+35)

Kyle Smith, New Zealand, 48 points (2 races, 20+28)

Mathis Margirier, France, 45 points (2 races, 25+18)

Race Summary

It was a solid day in San Francisco for Magnus Ditlev, who recorded the second fastest bike split, positioning himself well before the final 18 km run, despite the course with many sharp climbs not suiting the tall Dane very well.

During the run, three guys broke away and built up a lead of over a minute, ending in an ultra-close sprint finish between the trio.

Olympian Marten van Riel won by a few centimeters in a thrilling sprint finish over New Zealand’s Kyle Smith, with the German IRONMAN 70.3 world champion, Rico Bogen, taking 3rd place a few seconds later.

The three led the last 10 km in a front group, while Magnus Ditlev was in his own group of three athletes with German Mika Noodt and Frenchman Mathis Margirier. Magnus made a surge towards the backend of the race and his two companions fell off the pace approaching the finish line, allowing the Dane to secure 4th place, and thus he now lies in a tie for second place in the overall World Championship standings.

"I am overall satisfied with both my shape and my performance. It's always frustrating to finish fourth, and I had hoped to contend for the win, but the course didn't really suit the big guys like Sam Long and me, as we spent a lot of energy on the climbs compared to the smaller guys, and so we couldn't really utilize our strong cycling. There was a strange dynamic on the bike with the many descents and sharp turns, so I did what I could," says the Danish triathlete, who is ranked second in both the world rankings and the World Championship series.

Broken hand and altitude training leading up to the race

A broken hand less than two months ago in Singapore, which meant missing the second World Championship race of the year and thus an involuntary training break, led Magnus Ditlev to decide to start in San Francisco. The Dane came directly from a 5-week altitude training camp in Colorado, and his shape is where it needs to be with only a month to one of the season's big goals, where Magnus Ditlev will attempt to win the Challenge Roth on the full Ironman distance for the 3rd year in a row - last year even with a world record for the distance.

"It has been fantastic to come down from 2,600 meters altitude, and my shape feels really good, so I am optimistic about Roth in a month. When I look at how I performed on the flat sections, the feeling is really good, and I am happy to be able to compete at the top on a day and a route that doesn't suit me particularly well. The swim was quite strange, and you don't swim particularly well with all that neoprene on your hands and feet due to the cold. On the run, the conditions were perfect, but again I ended up in an annoying dynamic where Noodt and Margirier didn't want to take the lead but instead drafted behind me in the headwind sections. However, I could feel that I was the strongest in the group, and even though my sprint is pretty good, I decided not to rely on a sprint. So, I pushed with 4-5 minutes left of the 18 km run, and Margirier was the first to drop, and when I increased the pace again, Noodt also had to let go. A 4th place is still much better for my position in the World Championship standings, where I am now in second place," reports Magnus Ditlev about a race that commentators called one of the most insane races in history with three athletes sprinting for the win after over three hours of competition.

"It was almost like a short-distance race, so it was a lot of fun to be a part of, and even though it's not what I do best, I love racing when it's so close," he says.

More altitude training and then defending the title in Roth

Tomorrow, Magnus Ditlev returns to altitude for a week and then home to Denmark a week later, where the final preparations for one of the year's highlights will take place:

On July 7, Magnus Ditlev will attempt to defend the legendary Challenge Roth title on the Ironman distance in Germany for the 3rd consecutive year. Last year, he even set a world record for the 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike ride, and 42.2 km run with a time of 7 hours, 24 minutes, and 40 seconds.

About the World Championship Series T100 Triathlon World Tour:

8 events in total:

March 10, Miami - Winner: Magnus Ditlev

April 14, Singapore - Winner: Youri Keulen

June 8, San Francisco - Winner: Marten van Riel

July 28, London

September 28/29, Ibiza

October 19/20, Las Vegas

November 16/17, Dubai

November 29/30, in the Middle East, Grand Final

The overall World Championship standings after two races can be found in this link.

How to Win the World Championship:

The three best results in the World Championship series plus the result from the Grand Final at the end of November count in the overall standings, meaning you need to complete 4 out of the 8 races to count in the World Championship standings.

The competition covers 100 km: 2 km swimming, 80 km cycling, and 18 km running.

Points are awarded in each of the eight races, and each athlete’s three best results in the series plus the result in the Grand Final make up the overall World Championship tally.
The first seven races give 35 points to the winner, then 28 for 2nd place, 25 for 3rd place, and so on down to 20th place: 22, 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 point.
At the year's last race, the Grand Final, 55 points are awarded to the winner, then: 45, 40, 35, 30, 27, 24, 21, 18, 16, 14, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 to the 20th place.
The overall world champion also wins a bonus of 210,000 US Dollars, while there are also large cash prizes for the remaining 19 athletes who get four scoring competitions.

Magnus wins first ever T100 race in Miami and leads new Series

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 12:49:01 GMT

Press release - March 9 2024:

In unbearable heat in Miami, Danish triathlete Magnus Ditlev remained cool as an ice cube in Antarctica as he steadily biked his way into contention during the 80 km cycling leg after trailing the front group by 1 minute following the 2 km swim. Eventually, he ran to an impressive victory, the first for a Dane in the new 100 km-distance and the first in the new T100 Triathlon World Tour series, where an overall world champion will be determined in November after 8 intense battles worldwide.

Ditlev completed the 2 km swim, 80 km cycling, and 18 km run in 3 hours, 9 minutes, and 8 seconds—34 seconds ahead of American Sam Long and 1 minute ahead of Frenchman Mathis Margirier. Along the way, he posted the fastest cycling time of all athletes with a time of 1:41:45—averaging over 47 km per hour.

With this victory, Magnus Ditlev leads the new World Tour series with 35 points, while second-place Sam Long has 28 points, and Frenchman Mathis Margirier sits third with 25 points. The second Danish competitor in the series, Daniel Bækegård, finished eighth. Each athlete's four best scoring competitions count towards the overall standings.

"I'm thrilled to win here in Miami. It's both the first race of the season and the first in the new World Tour series, which I now lead, so it's truly a fantastic victory on a very hot and tough day where we all suffered. I had devised a really good cooling strategy with my team, and it worked perfectly today, where I was in control all day despite the heat and humidity," said Magnus Ditlev in Miami.

The best vie for the World Championship title in the new World Tour triathlon series

The top 16 in the world rankings (Magnus Ditlev is ranked second) are invited to the new series along with 4 wild cards, making it 20 of the sharpest triathletes on the planet competing for both individual victories and the title of world champion after 8 100 km races: 2 km swim, 80 km cycling, and 18 km run.

Magnus Ditlev was approximately a minute behind the leaders after the 2 km swim, and the strong Dane, whose cycling prowess is his greatest asset, steadily closed the gap on competitors on the racetrack in Miami, which is typically used for Daytona racing.

The heat was a constant source of exhaustion on the scorching racetrack, and it literally meant keeping a cool head and executing one's game plan without overheating.

This is exactly what Magnus Ditlev did to perfection—first during the 80 km cycling leg, where the tall Dane controlled his pace and cooled down to achieve the day's fastest cycling time, and especially during the final 18 km run, where cooling became an even greater factor as the temperature on the tarmac exceeded 40 degrees—without any shade to seek.

The last to succumb to the Dane's relentless pace was double Olympic gold medalist Alistair Brownlee, who broke after about 12 km of running. Ditlev could cruise to victory with a solid margin of 34 seconds and roar his joy at the finish line.

Close to victory before

Dane Ditlev has been close to victory at this distance, with a 2nd place in the US Open in 2022 and a 3rd place at the European Open in Ibiza last year. This is his first victory at the distance—even after it has become an official World Championship series sanctioned by the International Triathlon Union, World Triathlon.

About the T100 Triathlon World Tour:

8 events in total:

March 10, Miami - Winner: Magnus Ditlev
April 13/14, Singapore
June 8/9, San Francisco
July 27/28, London
September 28/29, Ibiza
October 19/20, Las Vegas
November 16/17, Dubai
November 29/30, in the Middle East, Grand Final

How to win the T100 World Championship:

Points are awarded in each of the eight races, and each athlete's four best results in the series constitute the overall World Championship standings.
The first seven races give 35 points to the winner, then 28 to the runner-up, 25 to 3rd place, and so on down to 20th place: 22, 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 point.
At the year's final race, the Grand Final, 55 points are awarded to the winner, followed by: 45, 40, 35, 30, 27, 24, 21, 18, 16, 14, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 for 20th place.
The overall world champion also wins a bonus of 210,000 US Dollars, while there are also significant cash prizes for the remaining 19 athletes who achieve four scoring competitions.

Nominated for Athlete of the Year 2023 in Denmark

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 15:53:50 GMT

November 15 2023: Magnus Ditlev is among the first 5 and a total of 15 nominees for the most prestigious Danish sports award: Danish Athlete of the Year 2023, for his world best time at the full iron-distance at Challenge Roth in June (7:24:40) and for the first Danish Podium at the IRONMAN World Championships in 16 years, with his 3rd place finish in Nice.

The other of the first 5 nominees, are: Badminton player Viktor Axelsen, cyclist Cecilie Uttrup-Ludwig, the Danish 4.000m team pursuit team and dressage rider, Nanne Merrild.

The other 10 nominees:

- Jonas Vingegaard, cycling

- Men's national handball team

- Mads Pedersen, cycling

- Holger Rune, tennis

- Anne-Marie Rindom, sailing

- Emma Aastrand Jørgensen, kayak

- Nicolai Højgaard, golf

- Anders Skaarup and Kim Astrup, badminton

- Alexander Hillhouse, para swimming

- Amalie Didriksen, track cycling

Edit January 6 2024: The top-3 were Men's handball team (winner), Jonas Vingegaard and Viktor Axelsen.

New bike course record and 2024 IRONMAN Hawaii qualification at IRONMAN Florida

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 12:12:16 GMT

November 4 - 2023

Press release, November 4 2023:

26-year-old Magnus Ditlev experienced a rollercoaster of a day at the IRONMAN Florida. He performed well in the swim and bike segments, even setting a new bike course record for the 180 km bike leg, finishing as the only participant under 4 hours (3:59:03 / 45.3 km per hour). However, during the run, the Danish athlete faced leg problems after approximately 10 km, requiring him to dig deep and fight through the challenges.

Remarkably, he still secured the 5th position and staged a significant comeback during the final, painful kilometers of the race, completing the marathon in 2:52 despite the considerable issues. He even managed to overtake Swedish competitor Jesper Svensson in the last few kilometers.

Magnus Ditlev, already qualified for the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii through his 3rd place finish at this year's IRONMAN World Championship, needed to validate his qualification by completing an IRONMAN. Essentially, the Danish athlete only had to finish the race to secure his spot in the 2024 championship.

Although his goal was victory, and Magnus Ditlev was in a good position for much of the race, it was crucial to mentally adjust and switch to warrior mode when faced with challenges. The primary focus of the day was to finish and validate the qualification for the Hawaii championship, so that planning for next season's competitions becomes easier without the need for an early qualifying race in the spring.

Three slots (qualification spots) for Hawaii were available for the top-placed male athletes (who were not already qualified), and these were claimed by Rudy von Berg (USA), Kacper Stepniak from Poland, and Matthew Marquardt from the USA, securing the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions.

Magnus Ditlev completed the race in 7 hours, 48 minutes, and 53 seconds.

Splits:

3.8 km swim: 50:54

180 km bike: 3:59:03 (new bike course record)

42.2 km run: 2:52:41

Ending 2nd on the World Rankings in 2023

Even before today's race, Magnus Ditlev was assured of finishing the year in 2nd place on the world rankings, where the three best results of the year count. Only the Norwegian Olympic gold medalist and full and half IRONMAN world champion Kristian Blummenfelt finished higher. Ditlev finished as the overall 3rd last year.

Simultaneously, the Danish star is ranked as the number 1 cyclist, deservedly so with two sub-4h performances on the bike in Ironman races this year.

Swimming:

Magnus Ditlev had a solid swim, staying with the front group through both laps. In the transition zone, he put on aero sleeves and socks, losing some planned time. However, he quickly made up for the lost time in the initial kilometers of the 180 km bike.

Cycling:

With approximately a minute and a half behind the lead group from the start of the bike leg, Ditlev pushed heavy watts and had already taken the lead after 35 km.

He chose to stay in the group and catch his breath. The group of over 10 men was reduced shortly after, as Ditlev increased the pace again, leaving 6 men remaining.

The Danish athlete attempted to shake off his competitors several times, but none of them dropped off, setting the stage for a foot race where the marathon would determine the outcome.

Running:

Magnus Ditlev led the group into the transition zone, with the fastest transition closely followed by Von Berg. The two ran side by side, just as they did at the World Championship in Nice two months ago.

However, it didn't take long before Ditlev had to reduce his speed due to leg problems. The pain worsened over the next 20 km, requiring him to use significant mental resources to stay in the race and finish well, even though the victory was out of reach.

In the final 10 km, Magnus Ditlev regained some speed in his legs and managed to overtake Jesper Svensson in the last couple of kilometers, securing the fifth position.

Selected Results - Magnus Ditlev:

2023:

IRONMAN Florida, November: 5th place (and Hawaii 2024 qualification)

IRONMAN World Championship, Nice, September: 3rd place

Challenge Roth, Germany, June: 1st place in a new unofficial Ironman world record: 7:24:40

PTO European Open, Ibiza, May: 3rd place

2022:

IRONMAN Cozumel, Mexico, November: 1st place in 7:50:41.

IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, St. George, USA, October: 3rd place.

IRONMAN World Championship, Hawaii, October: 8th place in 7:56:38.

PTO US Open, Dallas, September: 2nd place.

Heat victory and maximum points in debut in Collins Cup, August: 1st place overall with Team Europe.

Challenge Roth, Germany, July: 1st place in 7:35:48 (9 seconds from Jan Frodeno's race record and Danish record.)

IRONMAN Texas, USA, April: 2nd place in 7:58:12.

2021:

Clash Daytona, USA, December: 2nd place.

IRONMAN 70.3 in Cascais, Portugal, October: 1st place.

Challenge Budva-Montenegro, Montenegro, October: 1st place.

Challenge Family, The Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, August: 2nd place.

IRONMAN 70.3 St. George North America Championships in Utah, USA, May: 3rd place.

ABOUT MAGNUS DITLEV:

From Virum and resides in Virum and Østerbro.
26 years old (born October 31, 1997).
195 cm tall.
Club: KTK86.
Coach: Jens Petersen-Bach, former professional triathlete.
Education: Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Technology from DTU, 2019.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magnuselbaekditlev/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/magnus-elbæk-ditlev/

Magnus secures bronze at the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 09:59:23 GMT

Press Release from Magnus Ditlev - September 10, 2023

On a hot and challenging day in the South of France in Nice, 25-year-old Magnus Ditlev from Virum, Denmark, clinched 3rd, earning the bronze medal at the IRONMAN World Championship with an outstanding performance. Throughout the day, the Danish athlete consistently remained in the top ranks, holding the second position until approximately 10 km before the finish of the marathon. It was then that the former double world champion, Patrick Lange, with a marathon time of 2:32:41, overtook Ditlev in pursuit of the leader Sam Laidlow from France, who claimed a popular home victory.

This marks the best Danish result at the IRONMAN World Championship since 2007 when Torbjørn Sindballe secured the 3rd position at the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii.

"I am super proud and really happy to finish third at the IRONMAN World Championship because I didn't have a super good day out there, and it was probably the toughest triathlon day of my life. So, being able to finish third after fighting all the way makes me really proud. Unfortunately, there wasn't much energy left after the bike, and I had to dig deep and fight hard to keep Rudy von Berg behind me in the battle for the podium, so I am super happy to make it to the podium," said a exhausted but joyful and proud Magnus Ditlev at the finish line.

A scorching day with challenging cycling

As anticipated, the French hometown athletes took charge in the swim and the start of the 180 km mountainous bike course with nearly 2,500 meters of elevation gain. Especially Sam Laidlow, who finished second at the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii last year, made moves on the bike, where Danish Magnus Ditlev lingered in the top three, transitioning to the run in 3rd place.

Ditlev quickly caught up with American Rudy von Berg, who grew up in Nice, and was trailing Laidlow by 4-5 minutes after the first half marathon, without really reeling in the Frenchman. Instead, Ditlev settled into 2nd place until the sport's fastest marathon runner, Patrick Lange, passed him with about 10 km to go. Von Berg also pushed on for the last podium spot and had to close around 1.5 minutes over the last kilometers, but Ditlev maintained his pace despite the hot conditions and secured the bronze medal with 1 minute and 13 seconds ahead of the 4th place, Rudy von Berg.

Magnus Ditlev's splits:

3.8 km swim: 49:14
180 km cycling including 2,500 meters elevation gain: 4:35:54
42.2 km run: 2:41:07

Total: 8 hours, 11 minutes, and 43 seconds.

Top 3:

Gold: Sam Laidlow, France: 8:06:22
Silver: Patrick Lange, Germany: 8:10:17
Bronze: Magnus Ditlev, Denmark: 8:11:43