90 WORLD TRIATHLON 2017 I WORLD TRIATHLON SERIES
The race started with 53 athletes diving off the pontoon
of the Jacques-Cartier Basin, in the Old Port of Montreal,
on a beautiful day that was perfect for a non-wetsuit
swim. The field spread out over the two laps and left
several athletes unusually adrift of the leaders, some
52 seconds behind the pace-setting foursome of Varga,
Brownlee, Kanute and Royle.
Those four athletes were soon joined in the first bike lap
by Janier Gomez, Kristian Blummenfelt and impressive
20-year-old Seth Rider (USA) in his first ever WTS race.
The group worked up a rapid pace through the Montreal
hills before passing trough the heart of the city and, after
nine laps, the gap to the chasing pack was over a minute.
Having Transitioned together, Gomez quickly made his
intentions clear, assuming the lead after the first 500m,
followed by the only two able to match his burst of speed:
Blummenfelt and Brownlee.
Mola and Murray began a more frantic rhythm to build
a chase from 4th and 5th position respectively with one
lap to go, but after the 10km, it was Gomez who crossed
the finish line a full 15 seconds ahead of Blummenfelt.
Murray's impressive push at the close was enough to
earn him the bronze medal, just as he had in Edmonton.
GOMEZ MAKES EMPHATIC
RETURN TO PODIUM IN CANADA
WINNER OF 2017'S CURTAIN-RAISER REDISCOVERS
THE GOLDEN TOUCH
