NEWS

Europeans rule men’s race in Cartagena

By Erin Greene | 12 Oct, 2014

Unperturbed by torrential rain that threatened to interrupt the inaugural ITU World Cup race in Cartagena on Sunday, France’s Pierre Le Corre won gold ahead of Sven Riederer of Switzerland and Le Corre’s countryman Dorian Coninx.

Le Corre clocked a rapid 1:45:40 on the flat, seafront course despite a deluge that began in the second lap of the bike race, tumbling roadside barriers and sending spectators scurrying but fortunately not dampening the athletes’ enthusiasm.

“We [he and Dorian] wanted it to rain, to make it easier for us, but we had to be careful on the turns so as not to fall off,” a soaked Le Corre said after the race.

Riederer raced in 1:46:09, with Coninx finishing in 1:46:17 after being second out of the water. Russia’s Alexander Bryukhankov finished fourth after leading the field in lap one of the run, and Felipe Barraza of Chile finished fifth after being third in the swim, in second place after the first lap on the bike and lying fourth in the first lap of the run.

“It was a lot of fun and great to finish second in my last World Cup race of the year,” Riederer said.

Asked if he thought the heavy rain would lead to the race being stopped due to the hazard, he said nobody would have been able to stop the athletes from finishing the race.

“I don’t like the heat, like in Cozumel last week,” he said, a race in which he finished 40th.

Slovakia’s Richard Varga clocked the fastest swim and crossed the line first on the bike, but failed to keep up the momentum in the run and finished sixth.

A cooler than expected and overcast morning gave way to a cloudburst as the riders completed the first bike lap, which rapidly flooded the road, while gusts of wind tumbled roadside barriers.

USA’s Hunter Kemper completed the fastest run, in 21:08, while none of the six Colombians competing in the city’s inaugural race, and who were cheered on by crowds of excited locals, finished inside the top twenty.

Related Event: 2014 Cartagena ITU Triathlon World Cup
12 Oct, 2014 • event pageall results
Results: Elite Men
1. Pierre Le Corre FRA 01:45:40
2. Sven Riederer SUI 01:46:09
3. Dorian Coninx FRA 01:46:17
4. Alexander Bryukhankov RUS 01:46:25
5. Felipe Barraza CHI 01:46:39
6. Richard Varga SVK 01:46:41
7. Hunter Kemper USA 01:46:47
8. William Huffman USA 01:47:07
9. Irving Perez MEX 01:47:15
10. Andrea Salvisberg SUI 01:47:16
Results: Elite Women
1. Nicola Spirig SUI 01:55:21
2. Paula Findlay CAN 01:55:30
3. Katrien Verstuyft BEL 01:55:46
4. Lisa Perterer AUT 01:56:08
5. Anahi Leon MEX 01:56:41
6. Anastasia Abrosimova RUS 01:57:00
7. Johanna Gartman USA 01:57:07
8. Charlotte Bonin ITA 01:57:16
9. Anja Knapp GER 01:57:20
10. Mariya Shorets RUS 01:57:22