The men’s qualification races for the Groupe Copley World Triathlon Championship Series took to the streets of the city’s port region on Friday afternoon, delivering plenty of thrills and spills and, ultimately, 30 men safely through to Saturday’s elimination finals.
As with the women’s races, the first
of the qualifiers was the fastest, Vincent Luis (FRA) stretching out the swim
and exiting the water with Takumi Hojo (JPN) and daylight behind them to
France’s Tom Richard and Tayler Reid of New Zealand.
Hojo was quickest on the gas out of T2,
Spain’s Antonio Serrat Seoane looking to bridge up to the likes of Kevin
McDowell (USA) and Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS).
Valentin Wernz (GER) and Marten Van
Riel (BEL) worked hard to try and close down Reid and Richard so that by the
end of lap one there was just 5 seconds separating the top nine athletes,
Sylvain Fridelance (SUI) and Brandon Copeland (AUS) among those going well.
Seaone, Manoel Messias (BRA) and
Aaron Royle (AUS) were then left chasing the precious tenth spot, all three 17
seconds off the front as the third and final bike lap played out and they
dismounted for the decisive 2km run.
Copeland went out hardest after a
swift second transition, Seoane likewise of the chasers. He soon had Valentin
Wernz in his sights and after a successful hunt over the first km, just three
seconds separated them at the bell.
First Seoane then Messias flew past
the German and made the top ten, Wernz going through to the repechage in the
agonising 11th place followed into the play off by Aaron Royle (AUS) and Alessandro
Fabian (ITA).
The second race saw Italy’s Gianluca
Pozzatti first out and up the long ramp into transition with Seth Rider and
Jonas Schomburg (GER). Hayden Wilde was back in 14th with Matthew Hauser (AUS)
on his shoulder, but New Zealand’s Olympic star soon worked his way to the
front on the bike with Jelle Geens (BEL) and Adrien Briffod (SUI) while Hauser
managed to get on the back and the entire field had come together.
By the time they hit transition for
the second time it was Schomburg heading the pack, the sheer number leaving
some uncomfortable moments as they all tried to manoeuvre into the best
position.
Leo Bergere was also well set on the
German’s shoulder, Geens and Hauser in touch. At the bell, it was Portugal’s
Joao Silva in the 10th place, Rider and Grant Sheldon (GBR) just outside, as
Hauser dropped back and began to conserve for the increasingly inevitable
play-off race.
Out front, Miguel Hidalgo (BRA),
Dorian Coninx (FRA) and Tim Hellwig (GER) were guaranteeing their spots as the
first ten were comfortably at the line, Sheldon in 11th, 7 seconds off
10th-placed Schomburg.
Valentin Wernz was able to make
amends in the repechage, coming home first with Gianluca Pozzatti and Matt
Hauser. Aaron Royle had made up good ground along with Alessandro Fabian to hit
the front bike pack of 15 before the pace slowed as the athletes prepared for
the final 2km run.
That group were all well set for
qualification, while Canada’s Jeremy Briand and Japan’s Kyotaro Yoshikawa were
locked in the battle for the all important tenth spot and the last ticket to
Saturday's finals. The home favourite lost ground on the sharp u-turn, though,
and as the pace picked up it was Yohikawa joining Ren Sato and Jonas
Breinlinger safely into the finals.
For the full list of results and
qualifiers, click here. https://triathlon.org/events/start_lists/2021_world_triathlon_montreal?mc_cid=71e0d7f4a1&mc_eid=6139649918
ABOUT WORLD TRIATHLON
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cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in
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