European middle- and long-distance triathlon is entering a busy final stretch of the season. On Saturday 10 October, Challenge Vieux Boucau opens a rapid sequence of races followed by Peguera-Mallorca, Wanaka Multi, Shanghai, Forte Village and Barcelona.
The French event arrives with a particularly deep professional field. More than forty men are on the start list and home athlete Pierre Dupuy stands out as one of the leading contenders. He has been remarkably consistent this season: seven races, seven top-ten finishes, three podiums and a recent victory at Gérardmer XL.
A men’s race without a clear-cut favourite
Britain’s Thomas Davis and Belgium’s Emmanuel Lejeune are among those expected to challenge Dupuy. Davis has already raced nine times this season, including several Challenge Family events. Lejeune has reached the podium twice in 2026, winning OpenLakes Champagne and finishing second at IRONMAN 70.3 Hradec Králové.
The depth of the field makes it difficult to reduce the race to three names. Joshua Lewis, Casimir Moine and Maximilian Sperl are among a sizeable group capable of upsetting the predictions. Vieux Boucau has produced close racing before: in 2023 Mathis Margirier and Mika Noodt delivered a memorable sprint finish.
Minttu Hukka leads a closely matched women’s field
Fifteen professional women are due to start. On paper, Finland’s Minttu Hukka has a slight edge through her ranking and recent results. She finished third at Challenge St. Pölten and has also produced strong performances at The Championship, Sir Bani Yas and Samarkand.
The margins among the leading contenders are small. France’s Eloise Du Luart, Spain’s Sofía Aguayo, Britain’s Jasmine Holmes and Germany’s Saskia Haug are among the athletes to watch.
A course that could keep the race open
The Vieux Boucau bike course has no major steep climbs, but it is far from completely flat. Its rolling nature could encourage tactical racing and keep the gaps manageable before the run.
Racing starts at 10:00 local time on Saturday 10 October, with live timing and a French-language live stream available through the event website.
Vieux Boucau therefore marks the start of an intense few weeks for international triathlon, with races following one another across Europe, Asia and Oceania as professionals chase one final major result before the season closes.