Coninx Beats Blummenfelt, Mansson Outkicks Vermeylen in Bergen
With 20,000 spectators roaring and cheering for native hero Kristian Blummenfelt in the first World Triathlon World Cup in Bergen – where Big Blu grew up – how could the Olympic gold medalist, the Olympic distance World Champion and Ironman World Champion – lose? With three Olympic medalists in the field – Blummenfelt, Jonathan Brownlee (gold in Tokyo Mixed Relay, Silver in the 2016 Rio Individual, and bronze in the 2012 London Individual, plus Dorian Coninx of France (bronze in 2020 Tokyo Mixed Relay). Along with them, Norwegians had a star-studded group including Gustav Iden, Casper Stornes and young gun Bergsvik Thom. Not to forget Gustav’s neighbors wearing T-shirts with his name, and Kristian’s family, kids from the local club coached by Gustav’s brother, volunteers and police officers.
The venue was a tough test of speed – a 750-meter swim in 15.9 degree Celsius water, 20 kilometer bike on a twisty turny modestly hilly track, and an unrelenting flat out super flat speed run in the heart of downtown.
With a few hundred meters to go, Jonathan Brownlee and Iden tried to organize a chase but the narrow cobblestone streets made it tough ask. Soon Iden and Brownlee fell 45 seconds astern. When it came down to the no excuses finish, two Frenchmen – Tom Richard and Coninx – with three Norwegians – Blummenfelt, Casper Stornes and Thorn, the kid – were in the frenzied chase. Just at the final limb to the city center, Blummenfelt looked left and right looking for the ideal line of attack. But Coninx found the final gear on the blue carpet, enough to eke past Bergen’s beloved hero and claim his first ever World Cup win, followed one second later by Blummefelt and 5 seconds later by 23-year-old Vetle Bergsvik Thorn, making his first World Cup podium.
“It was a really hard race that I don’t even know how I found the legs to sprint to the finish and win” Coninx told World Triathlon media. “The atmosphere was just astonishing, I can only thank Bergen and everyone who came to cheer today. It was incredible.”
Blummenfelt was gratified to take second. “To grab the silver medal on a sprint race just a week after competing and winning the Collins Cup, in long distance” he told World Triathlon media. “I have been doing mostly long distance races this year, but I have been preparing for Bergen all year long. I am just extremely happy to be able to do it at home in front of so many people.”
Young Thorn was no holds barred happy. the youngest of the Norwegian team. “I am so happy that I just can’t believe it.”
World Triathlon Cup Bergen
Bergen, Norway
August 28, 2022
S 750m / B 20k / R 5k
Men's Results
1. Dorian Coninx (FRA) S 8:29 T1 00:43 B 31:18 T2 00:20 R 14:47 TOT 55:37
2. Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) S 8:46 T1 00:44 B 31:00 T2 00:24 R 14:44 TOT 55:38
3. Vetle Bergsvik Thom (NOR) S 8:33 T1 00:43 B 31:15 T2 00:23 R 14:48 TOT 55:42
4. Tom Richard (FRA) S 8:31 T1 00:48 B 31:13 T2 00:21 R 15:03 TOT 55:56]
5. Casper Stornes (NOR) S 8:39 T1 00:46 B 31:05 T2 00:22 R 15:08 TOT 56:00
6. Seth Rider (USA) S 8:31 T1 00:46 B 31:14 T2 00:21 R 15:10 TOT 56:02
7. Gianluca Pozzatti (ITA) S 8:36 T1 00:43 B 31:12 T2 00:23 R 15:11 TOT 56:05
8. Sylvain Fridelance (FRA) S 8:35 T1 00:44 B 31:12 T2 00:21 R 15:24 TOT 56:16
9. Simon Westermann (SUI) S 8:33 T1 00:46 B 31:11 T2 00:22 R 15:38 TOT 56:30
10. Márk Dévay (HUN) S 8:29 T1 00:45 B 31:16 T2 00:22 R 15:41 TOT 56:33
11. Matthew McElroy (USA) 8:51 T1 00:47 B 32:01 T2 00:24 R 14:35 TOT 56:38
45. Brent Demarest (USA) S 8:49 T1 00:53 B 00:53 B 33:42 T2 00:31 R 15:31 TOT 59:26
Women's Race Recap
In another nailbiter, junior world champ Tilda Mansson fought back from a 24 seconds swim deficit with a race-best 16:32 run to top Jolien Vermeylen by one second.
While no Norwegian triple pre-race favorites in this contest, a young and gifted Scandinavian phenom, current junior world champion from Sweden Tilda Mansson, prevailed over another World Cup novice Jolien Vermeylen of Belgium by one second for the gold medal at Bergen.
Taking third place and grabbing the third medal of her World Triathlon career was Kate Waugh of Great Britain – 6 seconds behind the winner.
Racing in the back yard of super star Kristen Blummenfelt was no picnic as the Vägen waters were chilly, the bike was a technical and demanding bike course laid out on slippery cobblestones, with each lap including the Nordess hill climb and wicked descents.
As it Happened
Mexico’s Lizbeth Rueda Santos led the field out of the water and into T1 followed by Olivia Mathias of Great Britain, Sara Vilic of Austria, Michela Sterbova of the Czech Republic, and Selina Klamt of Germany. By the time most of the field were on their bikes, a massive pack formed that also included Yuko Takahashi of Japan, Anja Weber of Germany, and Valerie Barthelmy pf Belgium.
The pack arrived at Nordess Hill still in formation, but on the zigzag descent through the cobblestones, Takahashi took the lead. But halfway through the 20km ride, Kirsten Kasper of the U.S., Charlotte McShane of Australia, and Audrey Merle of France caught the courageous Japanese woman. Further along the omnipresent technical sections, trying to ditch the chasers proved futile as the gap maxed out at 40 seconds.
When the leaders arrived at T2, two British women, Mathias and Waugh, tried to break away on the run but were tracked down by Takahashi, Kasper, and Amelie Kretz of Canada. Halfway through the 5k run, heavy hitting runners including Vermeylen and Mansson sliced through the field and into the lead.
With 500 meters to go, only Waugh could maintain contact with Vermeylen and Mansson and made the last turn before the blue carpet straight. Vermeylen and Mansson were blasting away shoulder to shoulder with Waugh hanging on for dear life in third.
After a race-best 16:32 5k, Mansson crossed the line in 1:02:48 with a one second margin over Vermeylen and 6 seconds over third place finisher Kate Waugh.
“I am just so happy, I can’t believe it”, Månsson told World Triathlon media. She won the Junior World Championships in Montreal in June and was entering a world cup for the second time. “It was a really hard race, hard course, but I am happy. I thought I wouldn’t make it but here I am.”
“I simply can’t believe it,” Vermeylen told World Triathlon media. “I thought to myself that the third place would be fantastic and I almost gave up, but I decided to keep pushing and am really happy to take second today,”
Waugh praised the course and the crowds, “which have made this race so special, even though it was so hard,” she told World Triathlon media. “I didn’t have a good swim I knew I had to make it up. I found the energy to survive the hard bike course and then give it all on the run.”
Women's Top 10 Results
1. Tilda Mansson (SWE) S 9:46 T1 00:51 B 35:10 T2 00:29 R 16:32 TOT 1:02:48
2. Jolien Vermeylen (BEL) S 9:22 T1 00:48 B 35:37 T2 00:23 R 16:39 TOT 1:02:49
3. Kate Waugh (GBR) S 9:39 T1 00:47 B 35:16 T2 00:24 R 16:48 TOT 1:02:54
4. Yuko Takahashi (JPN) S 9:30 T1 00:47 B 35:25 T2 00:25 R 16:53 TOT 1:03:00
5. Olivia Mathias (GBR) S 9:20 T1 00:51 B 35:30 T2 00:24 R 16:57 TOT 1:03:02
6. Cathia Schär (SUI) S 10:06 T1 00:47 B 34:48 T2 00:26 R 17:00 TOT 1:03:07
7. Valerie Barthelmy (BEL) S 9:33 T1 00:45 B 35:25 T2 00:26 R 17:03 TOT 1:03:12
8. Amelie Kretz (CAN) S 9:42 T1 00:47 B 35:15 T2 00:24 R 17:06 TOT 1:03:14
9. Emma Jackson (AUS) S 9:37 T1 00:50 B 35:19 T2 00:27 R 17:05 TOT 1:03:18
10. Kirsten Kasper (USA) S 9:42 T1 00:47 B 35:13 T2 00:26 R 17:17 TOT 1:03:25
