Both Laidlow and fellow Canyon athlete Rico Bogen smash bike course record with next-generation Canyon superbike.
For immediate release: French triathlon star Sam Laidlow made history today at the 2026 DATEV Challenge Roth, successfully defending his 2025 title and claiming the first win for Canyon’s unreleased Speedmax CFR in the process, obliterating the world long-distance triathlon record with an astonishing finishing time of 7:21:04.
It was far from plain sailing for Laidlow as Challenge Roth debutant Rico Bogen initially took control of the race, taking the lead in the water with four athletes in his wake, including Laidlow and fellow Canyon athlete Jonas Schomberg.
Bogen was first out of the water with a time of 46 minutes 54 seconds for the 3.8 km swim, but a slightly slower transition saw him start a tense bike leg together with Laidlow.
As a middle-distance specialist stepping up to the full distance for the very first time, Bogen was the race's wildcard. He proved he is a force to be reckoned with by shattering the Roth bike course record, clocking a blisteringly-fast 3:54:45 and taking approximately three minutes off the previous record.
Bogen's record-breaking ride was supported by Canyon’s new Speedmax CFR, which officially launches on Thursday 9th July.
A major feature of the new bike is an aerodynamic concept that covers the cockpit, fuelling, fitting and the frame.
- A new fuelling module in the cockpit saves 7 watts in aerodynamic performance compared to Sam's previous customised Speedmax CFR set-up
- Shielded 'pro-level' extension bars save an additional 3 watts (both at 45 km/h)
- And the frameset sees a 250 gram weight decrease
- With a concept that offers pro sport technology for all, allowing any customer to find their optimum aero position straight out of the box.
With such a strategic advantage in the bike leg, Laidlow and Bogen entered T2 neck-and-neck, holding a commanding 12-minute cushion over marathon powerhouse Kristian Blummenfelt.
That buffer proved to be enough for Laidlow, who held on, while in some considerable discomfort in the latter stages, finishing with a time of 7:21:04, over two minutes faster than the previous record.
For my first competitive race on the new Speedmax this is an incredible result. I knew the set-up felt faster and was optimized perfectly for me, but until this point I didn't know how much of a difference that would make over 180 km. Today we answered that question. I took eight minutes off the bike split versus last year and, with the bike's watt savings, I still had plenty of gas in the tank for the overall record.Sam Laidlow, Challenge Roth 2026 winner
However, the cumulative distance began to take its toll on Bogen who faded in the closing stages, conceding his 2nd place to Blummenfelt. He still managed to take an impressive third place in his long-distance debut, finishing in 7:26:24 hours. Canyon's Jonas Schomburg finished in fifth with a time of 7:32:17 hours.
In the women's field, Canyon athletes Kat Matthews and Caroline Pohle also debuted the new Speedmax CFR. While they lacked the final firepower to match the podium pace today, both delivered world-class performances to secure fourth and fifth-place finishes, clocking 8:31:35 and 8:32:49 respectively.
The brand-new Canyon Speedmax CFR officially launches on Thursday, July 9th, when full technical specifications and commercial availability will be announced.