After Sam Laidlow and Patrick Lange won World Championship titles on Canyon’s Speedmax CFR in 2023 and 2024, the main question for Canyon this weekend is whether its Speedmax will repeat the feat on the French Rivera to make it three-in-a-row.
The odds look good. Canyon’s three-time defending champion Patrick Lange will be one of the favourites in Nice. Last year the German set a new course record with a time of 7h 35m 53s, almost 8 minutes ahead of his nearest competitor.
However, home favourite and 2023 champion Sam Laidlow will be giving him a run for his money. The British-born Laidlow races under a French flag and is sure to be motivated by an enthusiastic crowd. He was the last man to win the World title on the Nice course and in doing so he became the youngest man to ever win the title. He followed that record-breaking pattern in Kona last year by becoming the first athlete to go under 4 hours for the 112 mile bike leg.
Completing the trio of riders representing Canyon this year is Denmark’s Daniel Baekkegard. The former elite swimmer has been competing professionally in triathlon since 2019 securing three Ironman 70.3 titles along the way. Now 29, he’s fully made the switched to full-distance triathlon and, along with a new coach, he’s set his sights on the Ironman World Championships in Nice.
Laidlow, Lange and Baekkegard all compete on Canyon’s Speedmax CFR, a bike that has won the World Championship title an incredible six times.
The Speedmax CFR offers a bike designed to be an aerodynamic masterpiece. Every millimetre of the Speedmax frame and cockpit has been meticulously simulated and sculpted using supercomputer and wind tunnel technology to deliver aerodynamics worthy of championship winning performance.
While each rider uses different components, their frames are all designed to get into the fastest and most comfortable position possible, with full-carbon monocoque cockpits that optimise head, helmet and shoulder interaction, while still giving steering control to navigate the tricky, technical course in Nice.
For updates live from Nice, tune into the Canyon Road Instagram channel here.
About Canyon
What started in founder Roman Arnold’s garage has grown into the world’s leading direct-to-consumer bicycle manufacturer. Renowned as one of the most innovative brands in the industry, Canyon designs bikes for every discipline – from road, triathlon and gravel to mountain, city, trekking, and e-bikes.
Canyon partners with the finest athletes and teams on the planet, taking insights from the toughest race conditions to engineer bikes and components for the highest levels of the sport. The result: award-winning bikes that set the standard for performance, innovation, and engineering – built to deliver at the highest level on any terrain.
“Inspire to Ride” is the mission driving Canyon to ignite a passion for cycling around the world thanks to a streamlined direct-to-consumer model, smart digital services, and Canyon Stores and service partners offering expert advice, community experiences, and full support. At the same time, Canyon is committed to responsible business practices, sustainable production, and the safety and well-being of employees, partners, and the environment.
Canyon bikes are available at canyon.com, through the Canyon app, and at selected Canyon Stores worldwide.
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