Challenge St. Pölten: Will Sebastian Kienle strike now?

Sebatian Kienle hopes to close his farewell year as a professional athlete not only with the participation in a number of competitions that he has always wanted to do – he himself calls them his “bucket list races – but certainly also with a number of victories.However, the former German world champion is not yet really lucky and was ranked third at the Wanaka Challenge, fourth at Ironman New Zealand at the start of the year. (he was disappointed with these performances, editor’s note) and fourth at the Challenge Fréjus.This Sunday, he will have another chance at the Challenge St. Pölten.

Although the Austrian race is a race he describes as one of his favorites, Kienle will have mixed feelings about the race: two years ago he crossed the finish line crying when he finished ninth and then spoke about one of his biggest career disappointments. . But this year – 2023 – Kienle is the favourite.

Still, the victory will not come like that: defending champion Nicolas Mann is at the start and two other compatriots from Kienle will also be vying for victory, Nils Frommhold and Ruben Zepuntke. It is expected that these four men will make it very difficult, especially on bicycles, and then it remains to be seen which of them will have the strongest walking legs. With Lukas Hollaus, Joao Ferreira and Matthias Hohlrieder there are also a number of outsiders at the start.

Renee Kiley is the biggest favorite among women. The Australian top athlete’s biggest competitors are Daniela Kleiser and Julie Iemmolo. Iemmolo finished third in the Challenge Fréjus last weekend.