T100 world lead Ashleigh Gentle hopes to add to London triathlon title in Ibiza

By Lucy Wilde, Sportsbeat

PTO leader Ashleigh Gentle already feels at home in the warmth of the Balearic Islands as she readies herself for the fifth T100 triathlon of the year in Ibiza.

The Brisbane-born athlete, 33, stormed to a stunning victory in London last month after taking ‘pushing the pain barrier’ to the next level by completing the event with a hamstring tear.

After bouncing back from a disappointing race in San Francisco the Australian crossed the tape ahead of Britain’s Kat Matthews, but she’s not underestimating the task at hand with a competitive field to conquer.

“This is the first time myself, Taylor Knibb and Anne Haug have been on the startline together,” she said. “But there’s no special preparation thinking about other athletes, I need to do what I can to be at my best.

“I have put in a huge amount of work since London to try and go up a level from there so I hope that puts me in stead to face those women because they are obviously exceptionally strong.

“It’s going to be a huge challenge but I think it adds a really exciting dynamic to the race because we are all different athletes and bring different strengths to the course.”

Gentle has two T100 wins to her name this season, while Knibb claimed Team USA silver in the Mixed Relay at the Olympics in Paris, meaning it will be a star-studded line up this time out.

Haug is the defending champion and will be looking to bounce back from an unlucky exit in the bike phase of the World Championships in Nice last weekend due to a flat tyre.

The 41-year-old pre-race favourite was forced to retire just 200m into the cycling section but Gentle believes that will make the German all the more dangerous heading into the race this weekend.

“It’s super unfortunate for her to have had a World Champs end with a flat tyre,” Gentle said. “But it also makes Anne dangerous for this race because she hasn’t done a 180km bike and a full marathon. That’s a bit frightening for the rest of us.

“She won here last year and in supreme fashion - she came past me on the run and I barely saw her - so I hope that doesn’t happen again but I am prepared if it does because she is a class athlete.”

Gentle arrives in Ibiza fresh off the back of a training camp in Andorra and with the cushion of being the current top-ranked T100 triathlete heading into the race, she’s feeling confident in her ability to perform.

“Being an Aussie from Queensland, it feels super nice to feel some humidity again,” she said. “It’s good to be back on the island again.

“I’ve checked out the bike course and it’s really great,” she added. “Really fast but also challenging and pretty windy.

“We’ll be racing in a different part somewhat but there are some similarities too so I’ll be trying to apply the knowledge I have from last year but also knowing there will be a few new challenges in store.”

Watch the Ibiza T100 Triathlon races live in Europe on Eurosport 2. Broadcast for the men is from 0745 UK, with the race starting at 0800 and then the women dive in at 1030. Both Ibiza T100 races and behind-the-scenes content can be watched live and for free on PTO+ from anywhere.