World Triathlon

Swiss number one Julie Derron produced an Olympic-distance triathlon masterclass in Chengdu, China, on Monday afternoon, putting together three superb segments to take her third World Cup win by almost a minute.

It had been Therese Feuersinger setting the early pace and exiting the water with a 50-second lead of her own, but once Derron and the small chase unit caught her, there was no coming back. Out of T2 and onto the run, the lead seven athletes had 90 seconds over the field, cue a Derron detonation, only Poland’s Roksana Slupek able to hold before eventually getting dropped and passed by Sweden’s young gun Tilda Mansson in second, a first ever podium for a thrilled Slupek all the reward she needed.

“I was really happy where I came out of the swim and just went for it on the bike. We had a good, motivated group and as the gap behind got bigger that was a boost and my legs were there all the way – that was a pretty special day,” said Derron. “I knew we could catch Feuersinger and once we did, we just kept going. I knew there were good runners in the group so I kept it hard on the bike. I’m so happy to be back on the World Cup podium and to take the win in the country I have been training feels extra special.”

Feuersinger off to a flyer

There was no doubt as to who the first segment of the race belonged to, Austria’s Therese Feuersinger summoning another huge swim to put 24 seconds into the field at the halfway mark, Zuzana Michalickova (SVK) and Wollongong winner Tilda Mansson (SWE) with an outstanding opening 750m next to emerge after 750m.

By the end of lap two and into transition, the Austrian’s lead had doubled, Mansson still going well in pursuit along with Italian duo Alice Betto and Ilaria Zane, Roksana Slupek, Denmark’s Anne Holm and race number one Julie Derron completing a potent six chasing hard.

Michalickova, Nicole Van Der Kaay (NZL) and Lotte Miller (NOR) just missed that group through transition and out onto the 40km bike, and before they knew what had hit them, they were caught by the third chase pack, 28 athletes now riding together but already a minute off the front by lap three of six.

Super six catch up to leader

Meanwhile, Derron had helped haul that six right up to the Austrian leader and the seven out front were soon going well and looking to push their lead to over a minute.

By the time the second transition approached it was in fact over 90 seconds, Derron with a typically fluid transition to exit with a small lead that simply grew and grew. Slupek stuck to the task and was in full flow, too, Mansson just unable to close the gap, while Betto and Zane were locked into a gripping battle for fourth.

Derron proves untouchable

The likes of Van Der Kaay, Elizabeth Bravo (ECU), Barbara de Koning (NED) and Jolanda Annen (SUI) were motoring, too, but out front it would be a sterling 34m25 time over the 10km run that ultimately saw Derron home for a hard-earned gold at the end of a first-class display.

Mansson was just able to pull clear of Slupek and take the silver, her second podium in a week after gold in Wollongong, Slupek in third some 50 seconds ahead of Zane and Betto, with Bravo, Van Der Kaay, Annen, De Koning and USA’s Erika Ackerlund rounding out the top 10.

“Very nice to get an Olympic distance podium this year, I’m very happy,” said Mansson. “I heard my brother and coach telling me, ‘Hey, you’re third!’ and I couldn’t believe it, but I’ve really worked on the swim and it’s great that it showed today. It was really good to have this result today and hopefully I’ll make it to Paris now.”

“I was thinking about where I was physically and mentally this time last year,” said Slupek. “I am very ambitious but honestly I didn’t care what place I got, I think I had never believed I could get a medal at this level so just so happy with bronze. Last year was probably the hardest time in my life and I never gave up, came back to training and good physical and mental health and here I am. I want to share this moment with all my friends and coaches who have supported me.”