New perk! Get after it with local recommendations just for you. Discover nearby events, routes out your door, and hidden gems when you sign up for the Local Running Drop.
Photos: Challenge Series/Getty Images
Stephen Bayliss (GBR) and Martina Dogana (ITA) took out top honors at this weekend’s Challenge Vichy, where abnormally hot temperatures in excess of 40C saw the race reduced to a half distance this weekend for safety reasons.
Bayliss said he was happy to have retained his title and enjoyed the race despite the hot conditions. “Once I had got my head around the fact I was racing a half it was fine. I just had to push a lot harder than I would have done in the full distance and it turned out well!”
“I had a perfect race,” said Dogana. “I thought I swam better than I actually did but I went out strong on bike. I was prepared for full so I had to push more on bike and run than I would have done in the full and I wasn’t sure if I could go faster. But I kept pushing and it worked!”