There was a familiar swagger about Jonathan Brownlee’s finish-line bellow as he came through a hotly contested World Triathlon Cup Arzachena to show once more what he is capable of just two months away from Tokyo.
Quick in the water, flying up the
first bike climb and hanging tough on the run, only Adrien Briffod (SUI) was
able to keep him in check, his final roll of the dice not quite enough to see
off the Brit, while Mario Mola (ESP) ran out of course as he rediscovered his
flow to finish third.
“It was complicated on the bike,
because of the wind, and we were a large group,” said Jonny. “That’s not what I
expected. In the run I felt really good. I know its easy to say that when you
win, but I felt in control. I saw Alistair about 1km to go and he said ‘when
you go, make sure you mean it’ and I made sure I did.”
The wind had whipped up and the sun
was beating down on the athletes as they lined up for the 750m swim, a
congested first buoy proving hard going as the middle group came together, Mark
Devay (HUN) enjoying the clear water out front.
Right with him were Richard Varga
(SVK), Seth Rider (USA) and Gianluca Pozzatti (ITA), the Italian giving the
local fans plenty to cheer as he set out onto the first of three tough laps,
Alistair Brownlee (GBR) ten seconds off the front.
One of the pre-race favourites,
Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) was 20 seconds back, Mola 28 seconds and Gustav Iden
(NOR) at the back of the train snaking up the 1.5km ascent.
It was Jonny Brownlee who attacked
first, carving a little daylight out only for the hoards to move in. Among them
Antonio Serrate Seoane (ESP) and Emil Holm (DEN), who were first to try and
break at the end of lap one.
Alistair Brownlee was leading the
chase pack with Tom Bishop (GBR) on his back wheel, but Bishop came off near
the top of the hill to effectively end their chances of bridging the gap.
At the bell, it was another
Norwegian, Casper Stornes flying through transition with a small advantage over
Jonas Breinlinger (GER) and the 22 men in his wake that included young
Frenchman Arthur Berland on debut, Gabriel Sandor (SWE), Ben Kanute (USA) and
now Mola (ESP) right in the mix.
It was no surprise to see Blummenfelt
right on Brownlee’s shoulder out of the second transition, but he looked to be
less comfortable after his recent efforts, while Briffod and Matthew McElroy
(USA) were well placed to strike.
The Swiss was hitting his stride
coming along the beach at the halfway point, he and Brownlee then pulling away
to play a little cat and mouse and test each other as it became clear the gold
and silver would be decided between them.
Mola was looking dangerous as he
eased away from Serrat Seoane and McElroy into third, but there was to be no
catching the front two, Brownlee pulling clear over the final 300m to secure
the gold and a timely win going to his home race in Leeds.
Seoane held on for fourth from
McElroy, Roberto Sanchez Mantecon with sixth from Blummenfelt, an excellent
seventh place from Berland followed by Florin Salvisberg and Sandor rounding
out the top ten just as he had here back in October.
“This was a great race for me,” said
a delighted Briffod. “The last time I raced in Sardinia I won the Cagliari
World Cup, so I really like this place. I raced good in Yokohama and now one
step forward, which is great to show my National Federation that I can podium.
I tried to go for the win today but Jonny was faster. We knew that we had Mario
Mola behind, so on the flat I tried to push the pace, then he (Jonny) pushed as
well but I couldn’t follow him.”
“I’m glad to be back, in good fitness
and being able to push ‘til the end,” said Mola. “In the swim I didn’t know
where I was for the first buoy. It was really hard the bike on the first hill,
then I found the legs. With a month and a half before the Olympics it’s great
to be one step closer. Now back to work.”
Results: Elite Men
1.Jonathan Brownlee GBR 00:54:48
2.Adrien Briffod SUI 00:54:52
3.Mario Mola ESP 00:54:59
4.Antonio Serrat Seoane ESP 00:55:08
5.Matthew McElroy USA 00:55:11
ABOUT WORLD TRIATHLON
World Triathlon is the international
governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of triathlon and all
related multisport disciplines around the world, including duathlon, aquathlon,
cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in
Sydney 2000, with a third medal event, the Mixed Team Relay, added to the
programme at Tokyo 2020, while paratriathlon was first added to the Paralympic
programme at Rio 2016. World Triathlon is proudly committed to the development
of the sport worldwide, with inclusion, equality, sustainability and
transparency at our core as we seek to help triathletes at all levels of the
sport to be extraordinary.
Michael Phelps Teaches Swimming
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