Lukas and Philip Pertl have experienced a lot this year because they have traveled all over the world with the Triathlon World Cup. After some good results, the chance for the Olympics is still alive.
Hardly any athlete gets around as much on the planet as a triathlete. “I was on every continent this year. “I don’t even want to calculate the time on the plane, it’s probably weeks,” smiles Lukas Pertl after his world tour. The Gastein native and his brother Philip can tell you a thing or two about problems while traveling. On the way to New Zealand, the frame of Philip’s bike broke. “We then went into a shop. “The owner was such a fan that he lent me his best bike for free,” so Philip was still able to take part in the race. From a sporting perspective, the hope for the Olympics is still alive. Austria has awarded two places for Los Angeles 2024, with Lukas in fourth place. “The contact with the runner-up is there. Next year I will go all-in,” promises the 28-year-old. His greatest successes were the nomination for the European Games, first place in the Continental Cup in Hong Kong and the World Cup races in the top 20. He has recently become a professional colleague of his three-year-younger brother (sixth in the ranking): both of them are Police athlete. “This is a huge privilege. The selection is extremely tough,” says Lukas. “The police institution simply has a lot to offer. A community is created among the police athletes, that’s really cool.” Cross-country skiing race next project Vacation is out of the question for the duo: “I can come down at home. That’s where I feel most comfortable,” Lukas enjoys his time at home with his wife while Philip completes a police course in Graz. However, the break doesn’t last long: “I really have two weeks of rest, then the preparation starts again,” the older brother only allows himself a short break and also has a special project in mind: the Gastein Classics. He was hired as an ambassador for the cross-country ski race. “We are equipped by Atomic. It’s actually funny when summer athletes are sponsored by a ski brand.” Cross-country skiing is part of daily training in winter anyway and is perfect as preparation in which the fun shouldn’t be neglected.
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