All the ingredients were in place for the fifth edition of the Geoplin Challenge Sanremo to be a true celebration of sport, but the magic, driven by top-tier international triathlon action, truly came to life. Portosole provided the perfect backdrop for the spectacle delivered by over 600 athletes participating in this Challenge Family circuit event, organized by Riviera Triathlon 1992 and included in the Municipality of Sanremo’s official events calendar.
Shortly after a stunning sunrise, the middle-distance triathlon kicked off with 390 athletes from 31 nations at the start line. The race featured a 1.9 km swim in the waters surrounding the Sanremo marina; a highly selective cycling 81 km leg made even more challenging by winds that persisted throughout the day; and a lightning-fast 21 km run along the Riviera dei Fiori cycle-pedestrian path, culminating at the Capo Nero tunnel-museum, which celebrates the history of the Milan-Sanremo classic. Henning Scholl (GER) claimed victory, clocking 4:14:57 to secure his first-ever middle-distance win after a brilliant comeback during the run; Frenchman Hugo Courbot took second place (4:15:04), while Maxime Martellozzo (FRA) finished third (4:20:03).
In the women’s race, the formidable Lena-Maria Aichner (AUT) triumphed with a time of 4:55:15. Italian athlete Miriam Sader took second place, crossing the finish line in 4:59:03, while Swiss athlete Lea Stettler finished third.
Special awards were also presented to the athletes who recorded the fastest run splits: winner Henning Scholl claimed the Marco Gavino Memorial, and runner-up Miriam Sader won the Ulrike Wachtler Memorial.
The top six finishers in each category secured a coveted slot for The Championship 2027, the prestigious world final of the Challenge Family circuit.
Italian athletes dominated the sprint triathlon, a race that covered the final 10 km of the Milan-Sanremo route, including the ascent and descent of the famous Poggio di Sanremo, which make the course both challenging and iconic. Among the 250 starters, Tommaso Fogliatto (Cuneo 1198) was the first to cross the finish line, winning in 56:22 ahead of Sebastian Grassewitz (RN Imperia), who finished in 57:17, and Vittorio Russo (RN Imperia), who clocked 57:44. In the women’s race, Alice Bagarello (Jesolo Triathlon) triumphed in 1:03:05, ahead of Hungary’s Zora Filep (Tiszaujvarosi Triathlon Club), who finished in 1:05:17, and Cecilia Bellabiti (DDS), who took third place in 1:07:57. The Daniele Rambaldi Trophy, awarded to the top Under-23 athletes, went to the overall winner Tommaso Fogliatto and to the women’s runner-up, Zora Filep.
