Youri Keulen is aiming for a second T100 title in Spain

The Dutchman is currently fourth in the T100 season standings after his win in Singapore in April, but has struggled with form since being hospitalized after testing his limits in the Southeast Asia race.

With a 14th place finish in Switzerland, the 25-year-old hopes he can increase his lead and compete with Britain’s Paris 2024 Olympic champions Alex Yee and Alastair Brownlee.

With the end of the season fast approaching and only 10 points separating the top four athletes, Keulen knows how valuable a solid performance can be when it comes to breaking through the leaderboard.

“I am very aware that a good result could change the rankings,” he said. “On the other hand, I think the series is too complicated to look at as a whole. You have to take it step by step.”

“Especially for me as a wildcard. I have to take advantage of every opportunity I can get. I know a good result in Ibiza will make my life easier,” he added. “I will give myself a very fair chance for the title. I want to do well, I have prepared well and I believe I can do it.”

Denmark’s rising star Magnus Ditlev sits at the top of the world rankings with 79 points after winning Ironman 70.3 in his first season as a pro, but Keulen is not intimidated by the prospect of coming into contact with him at the top of the field.

“Every T100 race now stands on its own,” he said. “With four different winners in four races, it shows that anything can happen in this series and no one is really the favorite.”

“Every race is in a different environment, so I think you have to look at the course carefully and think with your coach about, ‘What do we need to do to win this race?’ You can’t look back on previous races.

“I think that’s the beauty of the tour too, because it’s spread all over the world,” he added. “There are different routes, different climate zones. I think if I replicated the Singapore race I wouldn’t win because that was a slow race, but if I had the same attitude again I could put in a great performance.”

As much as Keulen suffered a physical setback after pushing himself too hard on the Singapore circuit, he’s now had a taste of what it’s like to take the title and he’s ready to hold nothing back to win .

“All of these races are unpredictable, but when you look back at the results of other races, taking risks leads to you [good] Result,” he said. “I think that’s the strategy we’re going for – just keep going.” Go with your gut.

“I looked at the course and it’s a lot better than last year,” he added. “We have raced with cars on the road next to us but this time we have the whole road so I think the racing will be fairer but the track is not deceiving. It’s hard even though it’s flat.”

“I have to think about what factors I can control and how close I am physically to the race. I know what I’ve done in training and what I’m capable of, but someone could still be better than me on the day.

“I’m feeling good and happy and ready and confident for the race. The island always brings something special with it, so I’m really looking forward to the race.”

Watch the Ibiza T100 Triathlon races live in Europe on Eurosport 2. The men’s coverage is at 7:45am in the UK, with the race starting at 8am and the women joining at 10:30am. Both Ibiza T100 racing and behind-the-scenes content are available to watch live and for free on PTO+ from anywhere.