The sun
was out and the action was on from the gun for the men’s WTCS Yokohama on
Saturday afternoon, and Morgan Pearson delivered the gold with a blistering
29m11s 10km run to the tape. Pearson becomes the first American male to hit a
top-tier podium since the start of the Series era.
After a
huge pack had come together on the bike and several crashes shuffled the pack,
including a last-lap shock that took out Dorian Coninx, Vasco Vilaca and Tom
Richard, it was Pearson and Luke Willian pulling clear of the field, only for
fellow Australian Matthew Hauser to pass Willian over the closing stages and
take the silver.
A first
WTCS podium for a delighted Willian also meant his place at Paris 2024 was
confirmed, hitting the top eight criteria for his team to open up his Olympic
dreams.
“I knew I
could win one of these, but these guys are beasts and training just as hard as
me,” said Pearson. “Everyone wants to win. You can be in the shape of your life
and still have things go wrong or someone be fitter. You just have to show up
and give it your best and today my best was good enough. Last year I had some
back problems and I did Miami to do an Olympic distance and test my health
rather than Abu Dhabi. This is a nice way to start the season but of course we
all know who is missing today and it’s still a long way to Paris.”
As would
prelude the course of the race, the swim didn’t stretch out as much as the
women’s had, Mark Devay (HUN) and Vincent Luis (FRA) leading from Dorian Coninx
(FRA) and Jonas Schomburg (GER).
Hauser,
Kenji Nener (JPN) and Miguel Hidalgo (BRA) were also going well over the second
lap of 750m, and heading up the ramp and towards transition, Vetle Bergsvik
Thorn (NOR) and Vilaca were well set.
There
were 33 men coming together on lap two of nine, Schomburg leading the long
train along transition, Spanish trio David Castro Fajardo, Sergio Baxter
Cabrera and Antonio Serrat Seoane 45 seconds back with Belgian Jelle Geens,
Hugo Milner and Matthew McElroy (USA).
The
chasers went about reeling in that group, the pace too hot for Milner as he
dropped off, a coming together between Canada’s Tyler Mislawchuk and Henri
Schoeman (RSA) ending their races.
As the
packs eventually merged to a group of 50, stress points emerged and the next to
come down was Simon Westermann (SUI) after misjudging a corner, Emil Holm also
caught up and both fell back.
The bike
then settled until the final lap, when a seemingly incongruous corner saw some
big names come down, Tom Richard, Dorian Coninx and Vilaca the main victims and
coming off hard, Leo Bergere, Miguel Hidalgo, Hungarians Mark Devay and Gabor
Faldum also caught in the crossfire but able to continue.
Up ahead,
Luke Willian and Schomburg were in and out of transition fast and clean, Geens
also going well, Hauser and Nener well set as Pearson struggled into his
trainers and lost some time.
It would
not be long until he found his groove once more, however. As Willian, Geens and
Schomburg pulled away from the field, Pearson was picking off those ahead and
by the time they came towards transition for the first time the American was on
Willian’s shoulder, the Belgian dropping back to be replaced by the marauding
Canadian Charles Paquet.
Hauser
and Nener were now 5 seconds back with Luis and Bergere for company, but that
gap would be stretched over the penultimate lap.
Indeed,
with Paquet then dropped, the lead went out to nearly 15 seconds to the lead
two, but cue the rise of Matt Hauser, reeling in his teammate with a blistering
fourth lap as Pearson found another gear of his own to find daylight out front.
There was
no stopping Pearson as he pulled clear to the tape, Hauser moved into silver,
he and Willian making it two Australian men on a Series podium for the first
time.
Behind
them, Leo Bergere pulled out another fine fourth ahead of Paquet, a career-best
fifth seeing his Paris 2024 qualification assured. Marten Van Riel finished
strongly for sixth ahead of Nener, Miguel Hidalgo with the day’s second-fastest
run to eighth, Luis and Blummenfelt rounding out the top ten.
Quotes
“Really
proud of myself over the past couple of years after struggling with the
consistency coming up from Junior and U23 so its great to have these results,”
said Hauser. “I heard a lot of noise at the crash and wanted to stay out the
front but I hope everyone is okay. There’s so much at sake and people’s Olympic
spots and dreams are on the line, but days like these make it all worthwhile
for me.”
“I’m a
bit speechless right now,” admitted Willian. “I was so close to qualifying last
time (to Tokyo) and missed out on the discretionary selection and this whole
journey has been about taking my opportunities and making my own destiny, so
its pretty special. It was quite stressful the whole race, got caught in the
crash and dug in deep to get back on, then the legs started cramping that last
lap and I just really wanted that podium. I didn’t want to just qualify, I want
to compete and strive for the best, and it’s pretty special the other Aussie on
the podium is my roommate.
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