While the Ironman community was of course mostly occupied with Texas this weekend, today IM 70.3 Valencia took place. That race was won by two Germans: for the men Johannes Vogel triumphed, for the women Daniela Kleiser.
In that women’s race, for a long time it seemed that British Lizzie Rayner would win. On the bike she quickly distanced herself from everyone, eventually building her lead in T2 to three minutes on Anabel Knoll. Favorites such as Marjolaine Pierre and India Lee returned fourth and fifth and were then more than five minutes behind. Kleiser followed in seventh and was even seven minutes behind at the time.
From then on, a wonderful catch-up race began and Kleiser thus made up many minutes. It took her just over fifteen kilometers to do so, before she took over the lead in the race and didn’t relinquish it. She won the race in 4:05:36. Debutant and Short Distance specialist Jeanne Lehair, who started the half marathon more than eight minutes behind, finished second in 4:07:25. Rayner still finished third in 4:07:36.
In the men’s race, too, the race was decided during the run. After biking, six men were together and Vogel took the initiative early in the run. The differences were never very huge, but it was enough to win the race. Vogel did so in a time of 3:34:35. Fabian Kraft was second in 3:35:43 and Adrien Briffod was third in 3:36:22.
