The fallout from this weekend’s controversy continues. After Marten Van Riel publicly criticized the PTO – following the now-infamous mishap in which he, Hayden Wilde, and Mathis Margirier rode nine bike laps instead of eight at the T100 Dubai – the debate has only intensified. While the triathlon community argues over whether responsibility lies with the athletes or with the organizers, one person who clearly isn’t buying Van Riel’s criticism is none other than Jan Frodeno.
The German legend, still widely regarded as the sport’s GOAT and currently working as a PTO commentator, left a pointed remark under Van Riel’s Instagram post:
“Does Ironman teach you how to count to eight?”. The question is followed by a wink.
The comment immediately set off a wave of reactions. Frodeno is typically met with near-universal admiration, but this time the tone was noticeably different. Several fans accused him of unnecessary sarcasm, while others pointed out that if anyone should understand how hard it is to keep track of laps in the heat of elite racing, it’s Frodeno himself.
Frodeno, however, stood firm. He insisted his remark wasn’t sarcastic at all: “No sarcasm here! Pretty straightforward in my opinion of the athletes needing to know where they are and taking charge of their fate. Not saying the situation doesn’t suck, but shifting the blame only to others in my opinion is never a strong way to deal with a situation.”
Van Riel, for his part, responded sharply – and with a touch of humor – to Frodeno’s original jab about Ironman teaching him to count: “Not sure, but if they do, the PTO and I can take that lesson together.”
At the heart of the drama is, of course, the chaotic T100 Dubai race. For those who want the full breakdown of what went wrong, you can find our detailed coverage in this article.