2023-09-25 19:58:18
The Grenoblois, in the end, won the world title on Saturday. The third for a Frenchman in four years. Dynasty.
Dorian Coninx attacked the grand final in the Olympic format of the WTCS circuit in Pontevedra, Spain on Saturday in a position of outsider. Fifth the hierarchy. Before ignoring his rivals (and in particular the German Tim Hellwig, 2nd) at the end of a stunning race. Winner of the event and world champion. To succeed Vincent Luis (2019, 2020) and Léo Bergère (2022) on the list. Coninx, an irresistible rise in power for the one who finished 3rd in the Test event of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in August (“A very good memory. It was my first podium of the year. And then the atmosphere, the atmosphere, the fact that running in Paris is special. When it will be the Olympic Games, I don’t even dare to imagine»).
The Grenoblois (29 years old) revisits the hair-raising epilogue with passion and emotion: “It was crazy from the start. The swimming was intense, I found myself with a small group on the bike. We had a little discussion with the French, we really wanted to put a lot of pressure on the start of the bike, especially if it allowed us to get away from the best riders a little. This is what we did, helped by the foreigners who were with us. Quite quickly, in two laps, we started to believe in it, making sure that the best riders didn’t come in. What hadn’t happened all year, it was very good for the race ranking and it increased our chances in relation to the world ranking. But nothing was done. The others had to be far away. There were so many conditions for me to be world champion, that honestly I only half-thought about it.»
Dorian Coninx. IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Hilger / Imago / Panoramic
And to unfold the feat in 3 D: “This effort and these collaborations on bikes allowed us to believe in it a little bit. Then behind, I really felt good running. The first lap was a bit difficult because I had put a lot of effort into the bike, more than I’m used to. And then it got better and better, I saw that the others were starting to drop out. I really started to believe it on the last lap, telling myself that the only chance I had of this happening was if I won the race. There were still four of us, including guys who finished very quickly. I was just focused on winning the race. Easy to stay lucid? I’m trying to work on staying lucid even when I’m at full tilt. In the end, I had no margin left, like everyone else, I think. I had in mind that I had to play strategically to win. For a very long time, I kept an eye on the pace, I tried to control everything. I was lucid enough to realize what was happening.»
Struck down at the end of a frenzied sprint, the Grenoblois, world champion, aware of the power of the words that resonate, underlines: “It’s crazy. I didn’t think I would one day have it. In any case, I didn’t think I would have it this season. Mathematically, I was very far away. The fact that this is happening is incredible. For me, it is the greatest reward. I’ve had a lot of problems with consistency in the past, I’ve been trying to improve it for ten years. This has improved over time. I feel like I’m reaching maturity, it’s extremely nice. A world champion title, once we have achieved it, no one can take it away from us. This makes me very happy.»
With this new status and like (many) others, Dorian Coninx has the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in mind: “ Especially because we hear a lot about it. And that will be the major objective next year. But I don’t want to think about it too soon. I don’t want to think about it too much. I want to stay in a classic pattern that suits me well. The important thing is to take things one at a time.»
In the meantime, Dorian Coninx hopes that this new title will shed light on triathlon: “People love triathlon. Vincent (Luis) has done a lot with this in mind. Léo (Shepherdess) then. Plus the results of the entire French team in the broad sense of the term, whether running or long distance. Something crazy is happening in France. I hope this will only increase people’s interest in triathlon. I am far from being the only one to wear the colors of France high. French know-how? There are several things, we are lucky to have many very invested clubs which facilitate the practice of triathlon from a young age and which help a triathlete throughout their career. We must emphasize how lucky we are to have all these clubs. I’ve been in Poissy for nine years now, it helps me enormously. Besides, it’s starting to become part of the culture, all of this is helping triathlon to develop. Triathlon is for everyone. I know people of all ages who are starting triathlons, talking about it… Triathlon is three sports that are practiced a lot: swimming, running, cycling. It’s a mix of fairly common sports, that’s why it appeals.» And let golden dreams form…
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