Las Vegas T100: Dominant Taylor Knibb continues 100% winning record in T100 series

There was no stopping Taylor Knibb in Henderson, Las Vegas as she made it three wins from three starts in the inaugural T100 season.

Knibb, 26, added success in Nevada to earlier wins in San Francisco and Ibiza to overtake Ashleigh Gentle at the top the overall standings and put her in pole position to take the world title in Dubai next month.

All the damage was done on the 80km bike leg and despite Switzerland’s Julie Derron posting the fastest 18km run split to finish second, she never looked like reeling in the 5min advantage Knibb had built up by T2. 

It made for the same one-two as in the previous round in Ibiza, with 2021 Olympic champion Flora Duffy producing her best result over the 100km distance to come in third.

There was another strong showing from GB’s Lucy Byram, whose fourth place further cemented her status in the top 10 in the overall standings.

Las Vegas T100: What happened in the women’s race?

India Lee, who was ranked No 2 in the series, pulled out on the eve of the race after feeling under the weather, leaving 19 starters for the Lake Las Vegas showdown.

A pack of four led out the 2km swim with USA veteran Hayley Chura leading out in 24:46 ahead of Taylor Spivey, Duffy and Knibb.

Hanne De Vet led the second group 67sec behind, which also contained Derron, Paula Findlay and the two Brits, Kate Curran and Byram.

Onto the hilly 80km six-lap bike course and Knibb was soon in charge. Having overtaken Duffy for the lead, she started opening a gap at the front of the race.

Emma Pallant-Browne and Grace Thek both dropped out, before Byram and Duffy picked up 1min drafting penalties.

Following the Ironman World Championship where a split tyre had ended her day, Anne Haug had more issues as she first suffered a puncture and then had to change wheels, dropping out of contention at more than 17min behind and despite posting the third fastest run would trail in 12th.

Findlay was the third athlete to pick up a drafting penalty, meaning she would come into T2 in fifth place, just ahead of Spivey.

Knibb was first onto the undulating run course after a 1:58:09 bike leg. Her buffer was almost 5min to Byram, with Olympic silver medallist Derron – a late wildcard for the race – narrowly behind in third.

As an example of how much the race had split up, when Knibb came through to start her second lap of five, newly-crownd Ironman world champion Laura Philipp was at her shoulder, heading out of transition and more than 11min behind.

The run course weaved up and down through a hotel complex and golf course on a mix of terrain from cement to a dirt track to grass at times. 

Derron was the fastest runner on course to move clear in second, and while behind her the gaps had blown out throughout the field, there was a battle for the final podium position with Duffy closing in on Byram into the final 5km.

But it was Knibb’s day and she heads to the Middle East knowing second place will be enough to secure the T100 title to add to her two Ironman 70.3 world titles.

What Knibb said:

“Well, I would kill to have that swim start every time. I had a great team of people here, my swim coach and my run specialist and they are each taking credit for that start because there is a run and then a swim. I liked how broken up the bike became and the run… good luck to the men. have fun!”

Las Vegas T100 women’s final standings

1. Taylor Knibb 3:37:03
2. Julie Derron +2:15
3. Flora Duffy +7:01
4. Lucy Byram +8:24
5. Taylor Spivey +10:54
6. Paula Findlay +11:49
7. Laura Philipp +12:55
8. Tamara Jewett +13:45
9. Marjolaine Pierre +14:47
10. Kate Curran +17:!4

T100 women’s overall standings

1. Taylor Knibb 105pts
2. Ashleigh Gentle 92pts
3. India Lee 74pts
4. Imogen Simmonds 66pts
5. Laura Philipp 63pts
6. Kat Matthews 61pts
7. Lucy Byram 60pts
8. Paula Findlay 60pts
9. Julie Derron 56pts
10. Lucy Charles-Barclay 56pts