Today we are continuing our preview of the men’s teams in the upcoming Bundesliga season. You can read part 1 of the men’s preview here.
In this part, there are a couple of teams that could be dark horses for the title and some that will be hoping to make the jump into the top half of the standings. There are also two newly promoted teams that will be taking steps into a new level.
HEP Team Sun
2022 position: 3rd
Star names: Simon Henseleit (GER), Eric Diener (GER), Arnaud des Boscs (FRA)
After finishing 4th in 2021 and 3rd in 2022, the question is how far can they go?
Simon Henseleit is one of the most promising young Germans around and is the real star of the show for Team Sun, as a win in Nürnberg last season attested. If Team Sun are to rival Buschhütten or Team Saar he has to have a good season. Another win would obviously be nice, but Henseleit will ideally need to produce multiple podiums if the team are to break into the top-2.
The team does not have enough big names keep up with the leading pair otherwise.
However, one of their real strengths is the variety in their scorers. The Diener brothers can be pillars of the team. Notably, Eric Diener finished 4th at the World U23 Championships last year. Jan Diener equally could be an athlete to have a breakthrough season.
Moreover Arnaud des Boscs and Aurelien Jem made for good French double punch last season. William Fanet also contributed on a number of occasions. Team Sun therefore have enough athletes that can attain high finishes to be a team threat for the title.
An 11th place in final round hurt their chances last year but this time round they have the ingredients to do something special. All it might take is a fast start in Kraichgau to get the ball rolling.
SSF Bonn Triathlon Team
2022 position: 6th
Star names: Lasse Lührs (GER), Neilan Kempmann (GER), Lachlan Jones (AUS)
Bonn have been on the rise. After earning promotion in 2015, they finished 11th in 2021. Then, last season they jumped to 6th. The question awaiting them this year is simple. Have they hit their ceiling or can they rise higher still?
To help answer that question, they have a new face on their team that could prove a game-changer.
Lasse Lührs, the WTCS medallist, German champion and winner of the Bundesliga race in Berlin last year, has joined the team from Buschhütten. He could be a vital athlete for Bonn and, while he won’t race the full season, when he does race he will almost certainly deliver.
With someone like Lührs, the team has a talisman to follow. If he can finish in the top-3 personally on a regular basis, others could follow him up the standings.
Nick Emde and Nathan Grayel were solid showings last year. In addition Neilan Kempmann and Lachlan Jones turned in a series of good performances. Lührs will bring more points but if any of those guys can also step up, then Bonn could have a special season.
As things stood prior to Lührs’ arrival, Bonn could have looked to make the jump to the top-5. With momentum on their side and Lührs onboard, maybe an overall podium at the end of the year is not out of the question.
They could be the surprise package of the season.
Tri Post Trier
2022 position: 10th
Star names: Cedric Osterholt (GER), Jonas Osterholt (GER), Gjalt Panjer (NED)
Trier had a bit of a return to reality last season. After winning promotion in 2018 they had a great season in 2021 in which they finished 7th. In a slight falter, last year they dipped to 10th.
One thing that stood out last season was how important the Osterholt brothers were to the team. In the opener in Kraichgau, finishes of 6th and 8th for Jonas and Cedric Osterhold helped the team to 5th overall. They were also the team’s highest finishers in Berlin too.
Gjalt Panjer also was a core part of the team and stepped up in Nürnberg where he finished 11th, making him the team’s highest finisher in that round.
While the team stalled a bit later on, the signs were nonetheless promising and they could mount a charge for the top-5.
Finding that fourth man could be a challenge. Gaspar Riveros was solid in Nürnberg last year but no one else stepped in with a top-40 finish. Someone like Troy Whittingham will therefore be key to the team. The more places he can jump, the better shot the team has at moving up the rankings.
Team Brille 1 KSV Baunatal
2022 position: 13th
Star names: Thomas Guilmot (BEL), Kurt Wesley (AUS), Dome Hornyak (HUN)
KSV Baunatal are another recently promoted team that will be looking to move up the standings. After stepping up to the first division in 2019, they moved from 15th in 2021 to 13th in 2022.
Thomas Guilmot earned a 12th place for the team in Schliersee and Paul Weigand finished 17th at the same race. Otherwise top-20 finishes proved hard to come by.
Right now, it also does not seem that the team have yet developed the domestic athletes to carry the team. They will thus need to get the most out of international contributions this season, such as Kurt Wesley and Dome Hornyak.
Both Wesley and Hornyak were consistent last year and, with another year under their belts, could potentially be expected to add even more to the team this year.
On balance, though, it could be a year of treading water rather than moving up.
Team Berlin
2022 position: 5th
Star names: Rico Bogen (GER), Benedikt Bettin (GER), Wilhelm Hirsch (GER)
Berlin were promoted alongside KSV Baunatal in 2019 and have made quite the splash since. A 6th place overall in 2021 preceded a 5th place last year.
Last season they opened on a bit of a flat note with a 13th place in Kraichgau. Afterwards, though, they were on a run of 4th, 3rd and 5th. Berlin finished their season with an 8th place but the signs are there that they could be outsiders for overall podium.
Where they stand ahead of KSV Baunatal is the strong core of German athletes to carry them.
Wilhelm Hirsch was a key component of the team last season. Indeed, he was among the top points contributors in the whole division. If he can produce another big season, Berlin will be able to build upon his foundations.
Rico Bogen was another valuable performer and Benedikt Bettin regularly chipped in. With promising youngsters Janne Büttel and Jeremias Siehr also on the roster, it is a very rosy picture for Team Berlin.
Team Weimarer Ingenieure
2022 position: 14th
Star names: Theo Sonnenberg (GER), Alexander Kull (GER), Timo Behrens (GER)
Last season was the team’s first appearance in the division since promotion (they made the step up after the 2021 season).
They opened their season with finishes of 14th and 14th. Then came a 10th place in Schliersee before dropping back to 13th. The first four races of the season therefore seemed to confirm their level and what to expect.
However, in the final race, they came a little from nowhere to bounce to 4th.
It is that final race that skews predictions for Team Weimarer Ingenieure ahead of this season. Based on last year, it feels safe to project that they will finish somewhere between 10th and 14th at each race and at the end of the season.
And yet, that 4th place in Hannover adds a little wrinkle of doubt. Maybe there is more to come. Maybe the team could be on the rise.
There are a couple of other teams that have continued to grow following promotion (such as Team Berlin). Ostensibly there is no reason against Team Weimarer Ingenieure following in those footsteps.
One thing to note is that Team Saar and Team Sun both had bad days in Hannover last year. Still, Team Weimarer Ingenieure showed with that performance that they should be looking towards the top-10.
SV Würzburg
2022 position: Promoted from 2. Bundesliga (Süd)
Star names: Manuel Lessing (GER), Carl Sommer (GER), Markus Klinder (GER)
Last year Würzburg finished 2nd in Bundesliga Süd behind Triathlon Team DSW Darmstadt II to earn promotion. As Darmstadt already have a team in the first division, they did not take the promotion.
Most notably, Würzburg won the fourth round of last year’s 2. Bundesliga in Viernheim. They also have a promising young crop of German athletes that could develop rapidly with exposure to the first division.
The team’s sights will be firmly fixed upon catching Team Weimarer Ingenieure and staying up. In order to do so, they will need a fast start to relieve the pressure. If they are behind after the first and second rounds, the season could become an uphill slog for them.
Team B&H Sports SC Itzehoe
2022 position: Promoted from 2. Bundesliga (Nord)
Star names: Constantin Johannsen (GER), Friedrich Hegge (GER), Junias Benjamin Groth (GER)
Alongside Würzburg, Itzehoe were promoted in 2022. They did so after finishing 7th in Bundesliga Nord.
It has to be acknowledged that as Itzehoe were not the best team in their division last year it is unrealistic to expect them to make much impact on the 1. Bundesliga. Itzehoe were not regulars in the top-3 in the second division. With several second teams of existing first division teams finishing ahead of them, they took promotion largely by default.
At this stage, then, it is hard to see them staying up. The results from last year do not suggest they are yet ready to sustain themselves at the top level.
Nevertheless, it will be good for them to mix shoulders with top division athletes. Their athletes will learn a lot from it, as will the team. Even if they are relegated they will hopefully come back stronger for it in the future..
