The World
Cup tour heads to Chengdu, China, this Saturday for some seriously fast
standard-distance racing in the purpose-built Jintang Triathlon Centre. Watch
the action on TriathlonLive.tv (live and on-demand) with the elite men lining
up first from 9am local and the women to follow at 11.45am. The chase continues
for athletes to earn valuable Olympic points in the qualification window
towards Paris 2024.
The men’s
start list is stacked for the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Chengdu with 55 athletes
ready to tackle the standard-distance race format, featuring a 2-lap 1.5km lake
swim, 6-lap 40km bike with hills and sharp corners to navigate followed by a
4-lap flat run course.
GERMANY
HEADLINES WITH HELLWIG, SCHOMBURG AND PRIESTER
Germany’s
Tim Hellwig will wear number one in Saturday’s World Triathlon Cup Chengdu.
Hellwig has had a stellar season securing silver in the 2023 World Triathlon
Championship Finals Pontevedra, gold in 2023 World Triathlon Mixed Relay Series
Paris and 7th place in the 2023 World Triathlon Olympic Games Test Event Paris.
Hellwig will be joined by fellow countryman Jonas Schomburg who will be next on
the starting line in Chengdu. Schomburg was also part of Germany’s gold
medal-winning team in the 2023 World Triathlon Mixed Relay in Paris and earned
a deserving bronze medal in the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Karlovy Vary. Germany
is well represented at the top of the start list with Lasse Nygaard Priester
who will also be a main contender in the World Cup in China. Priester is still
chasing a World Cup gold after earning silver in both 2023 World Triathlon Cup
Valencia and 2023 World Triathlon Cup Weihai.
EXPERIENCED
HUNGARIAN TRIO EYE WORLD CUP VICTORY
Hungary’s
Bence Biscak, Márk Dévay and Gábor Faldum all have a shot at making the podium
in Chengdu. Bicsák has had a strong season on the World Triathlon Championship
Series stage where he came 6th place in Montreal in June and a top 20 finish in
the recent World Triathlon Championship Finals in Pontevedra. Dévay, who is
known for his incredible swim and bike combination, had a breakthrough
performance in the recent World Triathlon Cup Karlovy Vary earning the silver
medal. Faldum brings a wealth of experience into the field and this year was
12th in the individual Olympic Games test event in Paris, 4th place in the 2023
World Triathlon Cup Tiszaujvaros and will be chasing valuable Olympic points in
the qualification window for Paris.
THE CHASE
FOR OLYMPIC POINTS CONTINUES
Further
down the start lists are names like Makoto Odakura, Takumi Hojo (JPN), Valentin
Wernz (GER) and Mexico’s Aram Michell Peñaflor Moysen who are standout stars
and who have all performed incredibly well on the World Cup level and could all
be in the fight as medal contenders in China this week. Odakura secured an
impressive silver in last week’s individual triathlon event in the Asian Games,
Hojo is fresh from victory with Japan’s Mixed Relay team who secured gold in
last week’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Wernz was awarded the bronze medal
in the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Yeongdo. Could Chengdu be the place where New
Zealand’s Dylan McCullough delivers a breakthrough performance and lands
himself on a World Cup podium? The young New Zealander delivered an impressive
race in Spain and was just outside a top 20 finish in the Championship Finals
in Pontevedra, in a world class field. Don’t underestimate Ireland’s Russell
White and Australia’s Luke Willian from contention, both athletes eyeing
Olympic points and opportunities to deliver masterclass performances across the
standard-distance in China.
BRITISH
DUO BACK TO HUNT WORLD CUP SUCCESS
If Great
Britain’s Jack Willis and Ben Dijkstra bring their best to Chengdu they both
have good chances of racing for top spots. Willis produced a top 20 finish in
the World Triathlon Championship Series Sunderland and although Dijkstra hasn’t
raced much this season due to injury setbacks, we know that the British
triathlete is highly motivated to deliver a solid setup with this race
opportunity in Chengdu.
REPRESENTING
CHINA
China has
6 representing athletes in the men’s field in the 2023 World Triathlon Cup
Chengdu and will no doubt have incredible support from the patriotic fans come
Saturday.
Review
the full start list and follow the action on TriathlonLive.tv.
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