As outlined in our previous article, Hayden Wilde, along with Mathis Margirier and Marten Van Riel, overshot the bike course during this past weekend’s Dubai T100 – a mistake that ultimately took all three out of podium contention. Van Riel shared his perspective yesterday, and now Wilde has opened up about his experience in a candid Instagram post.
Wilde expressed overall satisfaction with his race, despite understandable frustration with the lap-counting error. Had he entered T2 as planned, he would have clocked the fastest bike split of the day, and he still managed to post the quickest 16km run. Apart from the bike miscue, Wilde continued the dominant streak he’s shown throughout the 2025 T100 season.
Wilde Apologies to Margirier and Van Riel
Wilde explained that he had been preparing to enter T2, having come out of his TT position, but hesitated when the transition area didn’t look ready. A bystander, whom he thought might be a race official, told him to keep riding. Combined with his bike computer showing only 76km – and the high pressure of leading the race – Wilde made the split-second decision to continue, inadvertently triggering an extra lap.
He acknowledged that racing at the front comes with added responsibility, as he has no athletes to follow for lap confirmation. Wilde also apologized for the ripple effects of his decision on Margirier and Van Riel, who followed and completed an additional lap.
While Wilde’s own season standings are secure thanks to a perfect score heading into Qatar, the mistake cost him his T100 winning streak. For others like Van Riel, the stakes were higher, with the extra lap effectively eliminating his podium chances in the overall T100 series.
Wilde’s Suggestions Going Forward
Looking ahead, Wilde suggested improved lap-counting support in future races, with features like a bell lap. He emphasized that maintaining accurate lap counts is easier said than done when it’s 34 degrees, your heart rate is 160, and you’re on a complex bike course trying to put time into your competition.
He also expressed frustration that athletes were not informed earlier about the overbiking error. Had the issue been recognized and communicated sooner, Wilde believes race officials might have been able to redirect him, Margirier, and Van Riel back toward T2 before the full 8km was completed, potentially keeping all three in podium contention.
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