Back in October 2020, as Arzachena made its first appearance on the World Triathlon circuit, Flora Duffy delivered one of those jaw-dropping displays of grit and power that you just have to step back and admire. The Bermudian led out of the water and raced solo to the tape, but only three of last year’s top ten return this weekend; home favourite Verena Steinhauser, Germany’s Lisa Tertsch and Denmark’s Alberte Kjaer Pedersen.
They will have mixed memories of a
challenging sprint-distance course that has one of the toughest bike climbs
ever seen on the circuit. The long and winding road snakes up out of the town
centre to the dusty hilltops, and the descent will be just as challenging as
the stronger cyclists will look to assert themselves at speed back down to
transition.
You can watch all the drama unfold on
TriathlonLive.tv
It was Steinhauser who managed to
outpace the likes of Katie Zaferes, Angelica Olmo and Leonie Periault over the
final 2km to take a memorable bronze, and there can be little doubt she will
have ambitions of an even better finish this time around.
The number one will be worn by
Vendula Frintova, however, the Czech all set for a fourth Olympic appearance in
July. The hill climbs should provide exactly the kind of challenge she
relishes, and Karlovy Vary gold in 2019 will feel like a long way back for an
athlete who sets herself big targets and is used to finding herself challenging
for medals.
Brazil’s Vittoria Lopes returns for
her first individual race of the year having seen her Mixed Relay hopes cut
short in Lisbon before her leg had even begun. That could provide the extra
motivation she needs for a big performance here as she looks to rekindle her
flying form of 2019.
Ecuador’s Elizabeth Bravo makes her
first start for nearly 18 months, that last race in Mooloolaba ending with a
tight fifth-place finish after a battle against Ashleigh Gentle and Andrea
Hewitt, and a third Olympic appearance is in the balance with only three
qualification races left for Tokyo.
Yuliya Yelistratova (UKR) and Julia
Hauser (AUT) both know how to secure a podium finish at this level, the
Ukrainian winning in Salinas back in 2018, Hauser taking bronze the year before
in Florida but arriving in Italy flushed with a superb fifth-place finish at
WCTS Yokohama.
Germany’s Lena Meissner and Caroline
Pohl join teammate Tertsch in a German squad full of promise for a grandstand
finish, the latter eighth here in 2020 and surely among the favourites for a
second gold at this level after victory in Antwerp two years ago.
Norway’s Lotte Miller will certainly
feel like this could be the weekend she scores a career-first podium after some
strong Series top tens, the likes of Kaidi Kivioja (EST) and Chile’s Barbara
Riveros also undoubtedly with the potential to podium on Saturday morning.
Like Riveros, Spain’s Carolina
Routier has vast experience to call upon as she returns to the start line,
Canadian duo Emy Legault and Dominika Jamnicky also arrive with mixed fortunes
from Lisbon ready to do battle in Arzachena.
For the full women’s start list click
here
World Triathlon Cup Arzachena
29 May, 10.30 CEST
TriathlonLive.tv
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.
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