Challenge Forte Village Sardinia marked a fitting conclusion to the European Challenge Family season this weekend – together with Challenge Barcelona, which took place on the same day – offering athletes a demanding course set against the backdrop of the Mediterranean coastline. As both professionals and age groupers took on the scenic Sardinian route, it was Germany’s Lasse Nygaard Priester and Italy’s Sara Sandrini who claimed the top spots with commanding performances.
Priester, who has been steadily climbing the Middle Distance ranks, crossed the line in 3:37:43 after a tactically sharp race that saw him control the tempo from start to finish. “It’s an amazing venue – the swim was beautiful, and I just tried to stay calm and in control,” Priester said at the finish. After exiting the water with the front pack, he pushed hard on the bike alongside compatriot Lasse Lührs, the pair working together to build a gap before Priester found another gear on the run. “It was hot, but I just tried to stay cool and enjoy it – it was a great experience,” he added.
Lührs followed just under three minutes back in 3:40:20, with Britain’s Hannes Buttrick rounding out the men’s podium in 3:40:46 after a consistent performance across all three disciplines.
In the women’s race, Italy’s Sara Sandrini delivered a career-defining performance. The 27-year-old claimed her first professional victory in 4:16:47 after a thrilling duel with New Zealand’s Nicole van der Kaay. Van der Kaay led for much of the day before Sandrini’s late surge in the final kilometres of the run sealed the win. “This is my last race of the season and my first win as a pro – I’m really happy,” said an elated Sandrini. “The bike course was tough but beautiful, and the run was brutal. I was second until the last 5km, but I just kept believing.”
Van der Kaay crossed the line second in 4:19:12, with France’s Nikita Paskiewiez taking third in 4:23:51.