The Challenge Vieux Boucau triathlon ended in utter heartbreak for German athlete Mika Noodt.

The 23-year-old led for almost the entire running stage before he was pipped to the finish line by Frenchman Mathis Margirier with less than a metre to go.

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After turning the final corner, Noodt initiated a final push as he powered down the home straight.

With just a few steps to go he looked over his shoulder to find Margirier hot on his heels.

But before he could cross the finish line, the German “lost control” of his legs and fell to the floor.

His rival then clinched the win in dramatic fashion while the crowd looked on in shock.

After the race, Noodt said: “It’s insane, I gave everything but I lost control of my legs.

“I’ve never experienced this – he was too fast, but that’s racing – I gave it everything I had!”

Meanwhile, Margirier revealed he didn’t think he would be able to get the win until the final stage of the race.

He said: “It was really hard today. I wasn’t feeling good on the bike so in the middle of the bike, I was just waiting for the finish.

“The first lap of the run was so hard, I had no energy.

“But when I saw Mika slowing down, in the last 10 metres I was second, but I could sprint and he couldn’t so I finished first!”

Olympic gold medallist Alistair Brownlee also took part in the inaugural Challenge Vieux Boucau, but he finished sixth.