A challenge for the iron man

The course was not only a physical challenge, but also a logistical one. The transition stations were always equally distributed: The swim was at the Rothsee lake, Deichmann took a short lunch break in Hiltpoltstein while cycling, and the finish line after the marathon was marked by the Roth fairground. ‘It was extremely important for him to have a van as a retreat for this challenge. It had a central function: when Jonas came out of the water, he could take off his wetsuit and put on his cycling clothes. Or he could simply relax for ten minutes,’ explains Björn Loose, Head of Marketing at MAN Truck & Bus and an enthusiastic amateur sportsman himself.

The cooperation with MAN came about through Ryzon, an outfitter and sponsor of Jonas Deichmann, which specialises in triathlon and cycling. They swear by MAN vehicles. ‘For this particular challenge, they needed a camper that was spacious enough not only to accommodate the sports equipment, but also for the athlete to retreat to,’ says Loose.

Above all, it was important that there was storage space and drying areas for clothing and that the racing bikes could be transported safely. ‘It was interesting to see how many sports enthusiasts were interested in the TGE. They found the idea of being able to simply put a racing bike in the back and at best also have the comfort of a motorhome exciting,’ Loose observed on site.

A record attempt under medical supervision

Jonas Deichmann has been setting himself extraordinary goals for years. In 2017, he circumnavigated the Eurasian landmass by bike in 64 days - an impressive 14,331 kilometres. This was followed by further solo adventures, such as crossing the USA in 2023, when the man from Württemberg cycled from the east coast to the west coast and completed the 5,000 kilometres after just one day's rest. From 9 May to 5 September 2024, he then attempted to complete as many long-distance triathlons as possible in a row. In doing so, Deichmann broke the record of 105 repeats set by Britain's Sean Conway, which was only one year old.

It was important to the German to approach the competition as more than just a sporting project. Long distances are normal for him - but what effect do they have on the body? A physiotherapist looked after his muscles and musculoskeletal system, a doctor looked after his health. Bernd Langenstein is the head of the Institute for Sports Medicine at Nuremberg Hospital and regularly examined the extreme athlete. The result: Deichmann's resting heart rate is between 40 and 50, and even during the marathon it only rises to 110 beats per minute. Jonas Deichmann documented daily data on his performance, oxygen saturation and fluid intake, which the doctor analysed.