Max Neumann and Anne Haug came out on top in Ibiza to claim inaugural Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) European Open triathlon titles on Saturday (6 May).
The races were of the PTO standard distance of 100km comprising a 2km swim, 80km cycle, and 18km run.
The men's race was billed as a clash between the last three Olympic champions - Germany's Beijing 2008 hero Jan Frodeno, double gold medallist Alistair Brownlee, and reigning champion Kristian Blummenfelt.
Brownlee was looking good at the front on the early stages of the run, but nearly collided with a passerby who wandered out onto the course while looking at his phone in Ibiza Town.
The man thankfully stopped just before there was contact, and it had little bearing on the double Olympic champion, who was soon caught by Neumann with the Australian moving clear 10km from home.
The Briton clearly went out too hard and struggled badly after that, dropping back with Blummenfelt and Denmark's Magnus Ditlev quickly passing him.
Norwegian Blummenfelt was unable to bridge the gap as Neumann took the biggest victory of his career in 3:13:45.
Blummenfelt jogged home to finish 27 seconds behind with Ditlev rounding out the podium in third almost two minutes off the pace.
Frodeno - like Blummenfelt a subsequent Ironman world champion - was fourth in his first race after almost two years out through injury with Jason West fifth and Brownlee back in sixth place.
Speaking afterwards to PTO, Neumann said, "You don't get many chances to race these guys. They're what's made triathlon and it's just a privilege to go up against Jan, Ali, Kristian. They literally made the sport for us guys. I'm quite emotional about it.
"To race like that with Kristian breathing down your neck is just what you live for."
Haug flies home for women's victory
Anne Haug surged clear in the women's race with just 12 out of the 26 men's starters clocking a faster run leg than the German two-time Olympian.
Lucy Charles-Barclay had a lead of over a minute and a half as she transitioned off the bike, but Haug took over less than midway through the run and gave her British rival a respectful tap on the side as she went past.
When Australia's Ashleigh Gentle - another two-time Olympian - moved ahead of Charles-Barclay into second place, she was over a minute down on Haug who was fairly powering on at the front.
The 2019 Ironman world champion won by a two and a half minutes in the end, crossing the line in 3:38:00.
Haug invoked the spirit of Forrest Gump in her post-race interview, saying, "I compete against the best of the world and that really pushes me to get the best out of me.
"I had a fantastic race, I must say. My swim was OK, I felt very strong on the bike, and I knew I could run pretty quick but you never know. It's the first race of the year against the best in the world, you never know where you are, it's always a box of chocolates. I tried my best and you always have to believe that you can make it."
The next PTO Tour triathlon is the US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August.
Results from PTO European Open, Ibiza, Spain - 6 May 2023:
Men's race:
- Max Neumann (AUS) 3:13:46
- Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) +27"
- Magnus Ditlev (DEN) +1'50"
- Jan Frodeno (GER) +2'16"
- Jason West (USA) +2'19"
- Alistair Brownlee (GBR) +3'17"
Women's race:
- Anne Haug (GER) 3:38:00
- Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) +2'30"
- Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) +2'56"
- Emma Pallant-Browne (GBR) +4'19"
- Paula Findlay (CAN) +5'34"
- Tamara Jewett (CAN) +5'51"