Influence of Triathlon Segments and Transitions on Elite Performance by Distance and Sex

This study analysed how triathlon segments impact overall performance of elite short-course triathletes, considering sex, race distance, and performance level. Results from 113 World Triathlon Series (2017–2024), including Super-Sprint, Sprint, and Olympic races, were analysed for elite female and male triathletes (n = 4117). Split times were normalised to a 0-100 score and analysed using general linear models and decision tree analyses. Running performance showed the strongest associations across all distances, with β values ranging from 0.13 to 0.39 for males and 0.07 to 0.23 for females, for Super-Sprint to Olympic races, respectively. Decision trees attributed 39–67% of the final rankings to running for Top-10 finishers. While cycling's importance grows with distance, it remains less decisive than swimming for Top-10 female finishers (9–21% vs. 23–31%). Transitions, especially T1, had a notable influence on final positions in Sprint and Super-Sprint events, particularly among females (β = 0.13 and 0.07, respectively), but had minimal impact in the Olympic distance. T2 also contributed to Sprint performance in both sexes (β = 0.05). Our findings reveal that, as competition distance increases, cycling and running become more crucial, with running being the most decisive factor for both sexes. T1 performance is more influential for female triathletes, especially in shorter distances, whereas swimming has minimal impact for overall results, except for Top-10 female finishers.