“I’m pretty happy with my performance as I came here really tired ‘cause we have been training very hard this past week,†said Gomez at the finish. “It was really tough conditions for me but I run pretty fast. I know I will run faster at the Games but I know the other guys will too.â€
As temperatures skyrocketed to 37 degrees Celsius, Beijing was on the mind of many of the 63 men toeing the start line. As expected, Gomez and a small group of three took the pace out hard, stringing out the field in the non-wetsuit swim. By the end of the swim, Gomez would exit the water 22 seconds up on Kahlefeldt, Gaag and the other top runners on the start list. Showing their countries development, host nation Hungary placed four athletes in the top seven out of the water.
“It is the most similar race to Beijing. Heat, humidity and a non-wetsuit swim,†commented Gomez on the sweltering conditions. “I’ve won all the world cup races [I’ve entered] this year. I think it is the best way to go into the Games.â€
“It’s a pretty hot day,†added Kahlefeldt. “Probably the hottest race I’ve done in a few years.â€
This lead would be erased quickly though as by the time the men rode the eight kilometres back to town after the swim it was one large group of 39. Once into town however, American Mark Fretta and Hungary’s Balazs Poscai were not content to sit in the large pack and made a break, stretching their lead to almost 50 seconds by the end of the 40-kilometre bike course. Ever watchful was the chase group with many of the sports top runners making sure not to give too much time to the duo.
It was obvious within the first kilometre of the run that Fretta and Poscai had expended too much energy under the hot sun on their breakaway and were caught and spit out the back by the fleet-footed Gomez and his posse of Kahlefeldt, Gaag, Steffen Justus of Germany, Reinaldo Colucci of Brazil and Oliver Freeman of Great Britain. These six ran side by side for the first five kilometres until, like clockwork, Gomez tightened the screw.
The first to fall off the pace was Gaag shortly followed by Colucci and Freeman. Kahlefeldt and Justus made a valiant effort to stay with the Spaniard but soon dropped back as well. Gomez kept the heat on the others and did not let up until the final 50 metres to acknowledge the thousands of spectators who braved the midday sun to cheer the competitors on.
“I was pretty disappointed after my performance last week. People think I was gone and dusted after Hamburg,†said silver medalist Kahlefeldt. “It was great today to show I’m back in the game a few weeks before Beijing. I was out for quite a while with my hip injury. I’m going to improve over the next few weeks. Things are going very well.â€
Kahlefeldt finished in second for the third time in a row this year, each time to Gomez. A late charge from Gaag managed to bag the Kazak the bronze medal. His first world cup podium since 2006, which was also in Tiszaujvaros.
2008 Tiszaujvaros BG Triathlon World Cup
1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run
Elite Men - Unofficial Results
Gold – Javier Gomez (ESP) 1:51:32
Silver – Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) 1:51:51
Bronze – Dmitriy Gaag (KAZ) 1:52:08
4th – Steffen Justus (GER) 1:52:16
5th – Reinaldo Colucci (BRA) 1:52:29
6th – Oliver Freeman (GBR) 1:52:37
7th – David Dellow (AUS) 1:53:12
8th – Franz Hofer (AUT) 1:53:26
9th – Mathias Zoell (GER) 1:53:42
10th – Kyle Jones (CAN) 1:53:47
La súbita temperatura de 37º C hizo que Beijing planease sobre la mente de muchos de los 63 corredores que estaban en la lÃnea de meta. Como se esperaba, Gómez y un pequeño grupo de tres pusieron un ritmo duro, poniendo contra las cuerdas al resto de participantes en una natación sin neopreno. Al final de la natación, Gómez saldrÃa del agua con una ventaja de 22 segundos sobre Kahlefeldt, Gaag y otros de los principales corredores que tomaron la salida. Mostrando el desarrollo de su paÃs, HungrÃa el paÃs organizador colocó a cuatro atletas entre los siete primeros a la salida del agua.
“Es la carrera que más se parece a la de Beijing. Calor, humedad y una natación sin neopreno,†comentó Gómez las sofocantes condiciones. “He ganado todas las copas del mundo en las que he participado este añoâ€. Creo que es la mejor manera de llegar a los Juegos.â€
“Ha sido un dÃa bastante caluroso,†añadió Kahlefeldt. “Probablemente la carrera más calurosa en la que he participado en los últimos años.â€
Esta ventaja se desvanecerÃa en poco tiempo aunque con el tiempo los hombres que venÃan desde atrás en la natación formaron un gran grupo de 39. Una vez en la ciudad, el americano Mark Fretta y el Hungaro Balazs Poscai no se conformaban con estar en el gran grupo e hicieron una ruptura, consiguiendo una ventaja de casi 50 segundos al final de los 40 kilómetros del recorrido de la bicicleta. Pero el grupo perseguidor en el que estaban los principales favoritos, estaba atento y se aseguraba de no dar demasiado tiempo al dúo.
Se hizo obvio en el primer kilómetro de carrera a pie que Fretta y Poscai habÃan gastado demasiada energÃa en su escapada bajo el caluroso sol y fueron atrapados y superados por el veloz Gómez y su armada formada por Kahlefeldt, Gaag, Steffen Justus de Alemania, Reinaldo Colucci de Brasil y Oliver Freeman de Gran Bretaña. Los seis corrieron codo con codo los primeros cinco kilómetros, hasta que Gómez pegó el estirón.
