Sam Laidlow will line up at Challenge Samarkand on September 13 as part of his build-up to the Ironman World Championship on Kona. By doing so, he follows in the footsteps of big names like Kristian Blummenfelt, Gustav Iden, and Rico Bogen, who raced the Uzbek event in previous editions – making Laidlow yet another world-class athlete to choose Challenge Samarkand over the traditional calendar. His decision also makes him one of the most high-profile absentees from the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice, set for just a day earlier on September 12.
Just a few weeks after becoming the fastest long-distance triathlete in history by winning Challenge Roth in an astonishing 7:21:04, the 27-year-old Frenchman has confirmed his next move. By selecting Challenge Samarkand, Laidlow opts for Uzbekistan’s mostly flat, high-speed course over the grueling, mountainous terrain of Nice.
“Challenge Samarkand marks my final stop before the IM World Championships. The course and conditions are exactly what I’m looking for in a final hit-out, and I’m excited to race somewhere completely new,” Laidlow shared regarding his choice.
According to Challenge Family, Laidlow joins what is already shaping up to be an exceptionally stacked field in Samarkand, with further top-tier athlete announcements expected in the coming days.
