Javier Gomez grabs fourth WTS win of the season

by Erin Greene on 29 Jun, 2014 11:26 • Español
Javier Gomez Noya (ESP) claimed yet another World Triathlon Series win with a supreme performance in Chicago. Gomez oozed class from start to finish and now has four wins from five WTS races...

Javier Gomez Noya (ESP) claimed yet another World Triathlon Series win with a supreme performance in Chicago.

Gomez oozed class from start to finish and now has four wins from five WTS races in 2014. Joao Pereira (POR) claimed a second successive podium in second place and Mario Mola (ESP) continued his excellent from with a third place finish.

Ben Kanute (USA) kicked off the day with a sizzling swim under an equally sizzling sun to lead the men out of the two-lap swim. Gomez swam a controlled 1500m tucked just behind the leaders in prime position to pop onto his bike at the helm of the bike.

Kanute gave it a go out in front on the first bike lap before being swallowed up by a midsized group on the first lap. Their pace wasn’t enough to hold off the cycling danger of Tom Davison (NZL) who pulled the chase up to make a large 33-man lead group by the second lap. That move got the likes of Mola and Ryan Sissons (NZL) back in the game, while South Africa’s Richard Murray fell behind in the chase.

A lactic acid’s dream course, Davison continued to hammer through the twisting eight-lap course that featured multiple hard right turns on each lap. The Kiwi had threatened a breakaway with no takers before he eventually went for it on lap 5. Cameron Good (AUS) followed suit and the duo kicked it up a gear and grinded away for a break that stuck in the final three laps.

Behind them, the main chase worked together to chip away at the distance from the large lead group and managed to sneak up on them by the end of the 40km bike, making it a congested transition of 44 men.

While Good and Davison hit the pavement with two feet first, Gomez and Mola immediately went to work hunting them down and did so by the end of the first run lap.

Pereira, who finished third in London over the sprint distance, seized the opportunity to run with the dazzling Spanish duo making it a three-man break early in the run. But true to their signature run speed, Gomez and Mola dropped the Portuguese, leaving him to fend off the quickly approaching Adam Bowden (GBR).

With the crowd anticipating another thrilling sprint finish between the Spanish speedsters, Gomez kicked on with a burst from nowhere and left Mola for dead with two run laps remaining. Gomez maintained his lead for a lap before increasing the distance and cruising home in the Chicago sun.

Behind him, the amazing Pereira, who looked limp on his feet after being dropped by Mola and Gomez, staged a remarkable recovery and was gaining on the beleaguered Mola. On the last lap, Pereira passed Mola and went onto claim a career best second place in the World triathlon Series.

Mola did just enough to fend off any further threat from down the field and finished in third, making it his third successive WTS podium.


Article gallery
Related Event: 2014 ITU World Triathlon Chicago
28 - 29 Jun, 2014 • event pageall results
Results: Elite Men
1. Javier Gomez Noya ESP 01:47:21
2. Joao Pereira POR 01:47:29
3. Mario Mola ESP 01:47:40
4. Dmitry Polyanskiy RUS 01:48:00
5. Fernando Alarza ESP 01:48:05
Related articles
  • Jorgensen creates history winning in Chicago
    Gwen Jorgensen ran herself into the history books on Saturday as the first women to claim six World Triathlon Series titles clinching victory in Chicago and continue her outstanding form in 2014.
    08:07 - 28 Jun, 2014
  • Athlete chatter ahead of World Triathlon Chicago
    From strategy to comebacks to career advice, the USA’s Hunter Kemper and Gwen Jorgensen, together with Great Britain’s Helen Jenkins and Spain’s Javier Gomez shared their thoughts ahead of Chicago.
    09:22 - 27 Jun, 2014
  • Paratriathletes gear up for Chicago
    As the Edmonton World Championship paratriathlon races approach, precious qualification points are up for grabs at the Chicago World Paratriathlon Event on Saturday.
    06:28 - 26 Jun, 2014
  • Spaniards primed to conquer WTS Chicago
    In its debut on ITU’s World Triathlon Series calendar, Chicago promises to be one of the most exciting to date with maxed out age group races and three of the top four ranked men slated to compete on Sunday.
    03:12 - 24 Jun, 2014
  • Jorgensen headlines home WTS race in Chicago
    This weekend, the long awaited debut of Chicago on the ITU World Triathlon Series schedule will come to fruition with the women set to tackle the race on Saturday.
    03:07 - 24 Jun, 2014
Tracker Pixel for Entry