Kristian Blummenfelt, a living legend of triathlon, wants to win the Tour de France
During the last few days, rumors have been circulating that Jayco-AlUla would be negotiating the incorporation of none other than Kristian Blummenfelt, one of the best triathletes in history and a true force of nature, following statements from his coach on a Norwegian television. Unlike other renowned triathletes who have transitioned to road cycling, the Norwegian has shown ambition and is aiming for nothing less than the Tour de France.
The Bull Blummenfelt switches to professional cycling with a very clear goal
He has practically won everything in triathlon, was the Olympic champion in Tokyo 2020, a title he will try to defend on Wednesday, July 31 at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and now he will seek new challenges in professional cycling. An option that, according to his coach Olav Aleksander Bu, "Let's say, with a 90% probability, he will switch to cycling next year. 90% because he has not yet signed any contract."
In this regard, the best-positioned team seems to be Jayco-AlUla, the team with which the Norwegian triathlete shares the main sponsor by also using Giant bikes and a spectacular triathlon bike developed by Cadex. Blummenfelt is following in the footsteps of other triathletes like Cameron Wurf, who joined INEOS in 2020, although unlike the Australian, the Norwegian comes to cycling with great aspirations. "We are not going to cycling to retire. We want to make a difference. In 2026 our goal is to be in the Tour de France, in 2027 we should be in a position to win some jerseys, some stages, and be as high as possible in the general classification. The goal is to go all out in 2028."
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Ambitious goals, especially for an athlete of Kristian Blummenfelt's build, a true brute force that has unleashed on the time trial bike in long-distance races he has participated in, but it remains to be seen how he will fare in the high mountains of the Tour de France.
However, he has more than enough qualities. It is said in the world of triathlon that he has a true record VO2max with 103 ml/kg/min, much higher than that of any professional cyclist, although having such a high capacity engine will not exempt him from having to lose much of his muscle mass in order to have a competitive weight in the high mountains.
In any case, Blummenfelt's coach is clear "We are going to cycling because we believe there is an opportunity to make a difference. We believe in research, technology, and our approach is being welcomed with open arms. Some teams are clear that it is necessary to go one step further."