By his own admission, IRONMAN Leeds was supposed to be a ‘chiller’ validation race in readiness for a big push at the World Championship title for Sam Laidlow, but there was something about the passionate Leeds crowd that seemed to push the triathlon superstar into full-on race mode.
Whether it was the packed streets, the noisy atmosphere, or the fact that he twice saw a spectator waving a sign saying ‘Don’t be s**t’, it is fair to say that the English-born Frenchman was sparked into putting on a stunning display by the West Yorkshire people on Sunday.
Fresh from his incredible victory at Challenge Roth just a few weeks ago, the 26-year-old has battled back from illness and injury to put himself in among the favourites for what would be his second IRONMAN world title when the great and the good of the sport meet in Nice for their September showdown.
Born in Bedfordshire but now a proud competitor under the colours of France, he had looked upon his return to the UK as a handy stepping stone en route to the French Riviera. Nothing too silly, just validate your spot in Nice and make sure all disciplines are in order.
That was until he saw the sign…
Laidlow saw the sign
Posting on his Instagram account post-race, he said: “You can take the boy out of England, but you can’t take England out of the boy! Stoked to take the tape here in Leeds ?
“Validated with the fastest swim, bike and run of the day! Was meant to have a chiller and “just validate” but I saw a spectator with a sign saying “don’t be s**t” on the bike course, then again on the run ??♂️
“Leeds you were special ?? See ya in Nice!”
Speaking after the race, he added: “It was crazy to be back, I love the people here,” he said. “I was meant to just validate but I saw a little kid with a sign jokingly encouraging athletes on and I thought only in the UK would you have signs like that! I had a good day. It was a brutal and honest course and I love that. My strength is the cycling, and you have nowhere to hide on this course. I just kept in control the whole day.”
The 2023 IRONMAN World Champion was first out of the water, before then powering away on the bike and then extending his five-and-a-half minute buffer at the start of the run to a storming victory by 14 clear minutes Nathan Guerbeur (FRA) in second and Harry Palmer (GBR) third.
Sam loves Leeds
Its first ever appearance as an IRONMAN venue, Leeds has certainly earned the approval of Laidlow.
Taking in the stunning Yorkshire countryside, with a 3.8km swim in Roundhay Park and a 180km bike section which took the athletes into the nearby dales, they finished off with a 42.2km run back around the scenic surrounds of the park.
For Laidlow, it was yet another major step in the right direction following his troubles in Kona last October when he so very nearly didn’t finish the race. Success at Roth, and now at Leeds, has shown that he is bang on form and ready for another tilt at the title.
And, as one comment on Instagram suggested, if he does feel the need for further encouragement come the big one in September, he could do worse than finding a certain sign-holder and asking him to also book his ticket for Nice.
