It was one
of those performances you just had to take a step back and admire as Flora
Duffy took the tough Arzachena World Cup course by the neck and raced solo for
an hour to win another brilliant gold. There was to be no catching the
Bermudian from the moment she emerged from the water with 10 seconds of
daylight behind her, Britain’s Beth Potter running her way into silver ahead of
Italy’s Verena Steinhauser.
“I was super
happy with the swim, as well as the overall race,” said Duffy. “Sorting out my
swim was a main goal here and the bike course I knew I just had to attack. I
wasn’t expecting to be riding solo but i’ve been there before so it didn’t
freak me out. My coach and I had discussed what sort of power I’d need to use
so I tried to ride hard but within myself and really maximise the descent, get
aero and push.”
The
conditions were near-perfect as the athletes took to the beach start line on
Saturday morning, 2019 World Champion Katie Zaferes wearing the number one and
leading a strong field into the water. By the first buoy, though, it was Duffy
who had the clear water ahead of her and as she powered back towards the beach
her advantage grew and grew.
The short
run into transition confirmed a 10-second lead was already hers, Zaferes, Sara
Perez Sala, Rachel Klamer and Anna Godoy Contreras looking to try and bridge
the gap straight out of T1.
Duffy had
other ideas. The first long climb saw her stretch away and her technical
brilliance allowed her to attack the downhill too, carving out a 35-second lead
by the end of lap one. Behind her, Angelica Olmo, Leonie Periault and Potter
had battled hard to join Zaferes, Klamer and Steinhauser, the two Spaniards
dropping off the pace.
The likes of
Lisa Tertsch and Erika Ackerlund were struggling to keep in touch almost two
minutes back, each climb stretching the field out further.
The lead was
just north of 50 seconds as Duffy dismounted and headed into transition with no
thought of looking back, then it was Klamer, Potter and Olmo out together and
looking to chase the podium places.
It was
Netherlands’ Klamer who faded first, while Periault went through the gears and
pulled clear in third behind Potter. The Brit had a useful 6-second lead at the
bell, Steinhauser, Zaferes and Olmo all hanging tough together and waiting for
the right time to make a move.
As Duffy
soaked up the final few hundred metres safe in the knowledge gold was hers for
the second successive World Cup, Potter came around the final corner with just
enough daylight behind her, Steinhauser edging Periault to the final podium
spot down the blue carpet.
Olmo took
fifth place ahead of Zaferes and Rachel Klamer, Lisa Tertsch running her way
into eighth, Denmark’s Alberte Kjaer Pedersen and Mathilde Gautier rounding out
the top 10.
“That was
everything I wanted to get right after Hamburg,” said Beth Potter. “On the
second half of each lap I just tried to keep the legs relaxed and then hit the
flat and that paid off coming through transition I had the cadence up and was
ready to go. Swimming has been a bit of a weakness so i’ve worked on that and
just got my confidence up and i’m feeling good.”
“It was a
good race for me with the hill on the bike, but I didn’t believe I could get on
a podium in such a big field,” said Steinhauser. “It’s such a steep hill you
just have to get on the top of it. I didn’t have a great race in Hamburg, was a
bit better in Karlovy Vary, and this is an amazing way to finish the season.”
For the full
results, click here https://www.triathlon.org/results/result/2020_arzachena_itu_triathlon_world_cup/352549?mc_cid=ab77b3349b&mc_eid=6139649918
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