Challenge Roth 2024 results: Three-peat and a new record time for Magnus Ditlev

Magnus Ditlev became only the third man to win Challenge Roth in three successive years with a dominant victory in the iconic Bavarian race, setting a new fastest full-distance time in the process.

The great Dane powered into the lead in trademark fashion early on the bike leg and was never threatened from that point onwards.

It then became all about whether he could beat his record time from last year of 7:24:40, the best ever if we discount Kristian Blummenfelt’s 7:21:11 at IRONMAN Cozumel in 2021 when there was a down-current swim.

And the answer was an emphatic ‘yes’ as he crossed the line in the finish stadium in 7:23:24, more than a minute quicker – and 14-and-a-half minutes clear of the rest.

Tom Bishop (GBR) took a brilliant second place on only his second full-distance race, setting the fastest-ever British time in the process with 7:37:54 to beat Alistair Brownlee’s 7:38:47 at IRONMAN Kalmar in 2022.

And Rudy von Berg crossed the line just 36 seconds back.

Ditlev follows in the footsteps of Chris McCormack and Lothar Leder with his three-in-a-row feat – they would both go on to stretch their sequences to four so that’s next year’s challenge for the Dane!

And there was also a record-breaking performance in the women’s race, which was won by Anne Haug – click here for that report.

Swim – Agony for Lange

It was Germany’s Lukasz Wojt who led the way in calm conditions in the water and for a long time he looked like he could set a new swim record.

But he just missed that with his 45:21 and that saw him with a 51-seconds advantage from a group of eight.

That comprised what would be the eventual first three plus Jan Stratmann (GER), Daniel Bækkegård (DEN), Josh Lewis (GBR), Stefan Zachäus (LUX) and Jørgen Gundersen (NOR).

And over three minutes back was Patrick Lange, who was in visible pain as he ran through to transition, clutching his ribs.

Bike – Bækkegård crashes out

Lange’s discomfort as he clipped on his aero helmet was obvious but he did bravely start the bike leg.

Unfortunately he lost more time quickly and not long after the 5km mark he was forced to call it a day, later reporting he had a “badly bruised” rib.

By this time uber biker Ditlev had already cut down Wojt’s advantage and moved to the head of affairs.

He then proceeded to put on another exhibition bike leg, with his only real alarm coming when his bottle holder under the saddle broke early on, causing him to lose most of his nutrition.

He put more and more time into his rivals – at the halfway point at 90km he led by nearly four minutes and by the time he reached T2 it was over six minutes.

By that point the roads were wet after steady rain, making Ditlev’s bike split of 3:59:25 all the more impressive.

Unfortunately his fellow Dane Bækkegård had by this point crashed out when in the mix in the chase pack, thankfully it was reported he “didn’t suffer “any serious injuries”.

Coming to T2 three chasers remained together – von Berg, Bishop and Zächaus.

Stratmann had lost ground due to an untimely flat tyre while Lewis was another to lose ground in the latter stages.

So exiting T2 Ditlev had 6:08 in hand.

Run – Magnus brings it home for hat-trick

Any thoughts that the chasers would put time into Ditlev on the run were quickly dispelled as the gap held incredibly steady in the first half.

It was still almost exactly six minutes after 10km and by the half marathon point it was up to 7:19, with Bishop now having moved into second place on what was only his second full-distance race.

Indeed more than that, Bishop’s maiden full-distance event at Challenge Almere last year saw him swerve the run due to injury.

However von Berg, who a week earlier had suffered a bike crash when being stung by a bee, found a second wind and overtook Bishop at around the 24km mark.

But the Brit bounced back and retook second after 31km in an absorbing battle as he held onto the runner-up spot in superb style, with just 36 seconds separating the duo on the line.

But brilliant as Bishop and von Berg were, the day belonged to Ditlev and his marathon time of 2:34:18 put eight minutes and more into the rest.

Challenge Roth 2024 Results (Men)

Sunday 7 July 2024 – 3.8km / 180km / 42.2km

• 1. Magnus Ditlev (DEN) – 7:23:24 – (46:23 / 3:59:25 / 2:34:18)
• 2. Tom Bishop (GBR) – 7:37:54 – (46:17 / 4:05:56 / 2:42:42)
• 3. Rudy Von Berg (USA) – 7:38:30 – (46:19 / 4:05:46 / 2:43:25)
• 4. Jan Stratmann (GER) – 7:38:57
• 5. Leon Chevalier (FRA) – 7:39:11
• 6. Stefan Zachäus (LUX) – 7:40:26
• 7. Marc Eggeling (GER) – 7:44:14
• 8. Joshua Lewis (GBR) – 7:52:32
• 9. Christian Störzer (GER) – 7:52:41
• 10. Samuel Huerzeler (SUI) – 7:53:06