Lehmann, Periault Top in Karlovy Vary
After taking 9th in 2020 and bronze last year. Csongor Lehmann of Hungary found the energy to take the gold at World Triathlon Karlovy Vary. The former Junior and Under 23 World Champion burst away from a three-way battle with Matthew McElroy of the U.S. and Lasse Lührs of Germany for the gold. Just past the halfway point of the final lap of the run, Lehmann attacked the final hill and pulled clear of his rivals for a race-best 30:32 split that brought him to the finish in 1:51:10 with a 10 seconds margin on McElroy and 32 seconds on bronze medal winner Lührs.
“This is my third race here and now at the top of the podium it really is an incredible feeling,” Lehmann. told World Triathlon media “I really love this place, but I didn’t think that I would be able to top the podium because there were so many incredibly quick athletes around me. Leaving transition in first position was a key moment as I really wanted to push hard from the beginning on the run. I knew Matt would be quick as hell but I just had one more gear on the uphill and did not look back.”
In the women's race, Leonie Periault of France seized gold, dominating runner-up Bianca Seregni of Italy by 43 seconds and 3rd place Summer Rappaport by 1:26.
Periault, Seregni, Rappaport, and Olivia Mathias of Great Britain and Lizeth Rueda Santos of Mexico were all part of a five-woman breakaway out of the swim that worked together to create a minute lead.
“I’m very happy with that!” an exuberant Periault told World Triathlon media. “The group was really good on the bike; we worked well but that run was just crazy. [good]!” said Periault afterwards.
Men's Recap
Richard Varga, Mark Devay, Nicola Strada and Diego Mola led the swim from the halfway point and launching back into Rolava Lake. But then an errant buoy forced the three leaders to come to a near dead stop and the field behind them bumped into a confused lump. By T1, 15 seconds separated the top 15 athletes with McElroy trailing by 21 seconds and Manoel Messias 75 seconds arrears.
On the opening point-to-point bike section towards town, Devay led the way until he was joined by Varga, Lehmann, Luhrs, and Samuel Dickinson of Great Britain, who led a 10-deep front group. Vetle Bergsvik Thorn of Norway was leading chasers that included McElroy, Leon Pauger of Austria, and Alberto Gonzalez Garcia of Spain. By the end of lap two the front packs merged, putting nearly a minute into Messias and the remaining chasers.
A swift transition into T2 saw Lehmann led to field on to the run, followed on his shoulder by Luhrs and Seth Rider. As Lehmann set the pace, McElroy quickly joined the frontrunners. On the second lap of the run, McElroy took the lead, with Lehmann and Luhrs hanging on. As the bell rang for the final lap, McElroy held the lead.
On the final climb, Lehmann made his move and McElroy could not respond. The U.S. star might be forgiven because this was his third World Cup in successive weekends – and the second sprint finish. This time, the elastic snapped and the Hungarian reaped the rewards.
“It was definitely the hill [not the three races in a row, that made the difference] McElroy told World Triathlon. “The breathing was good but the legs were hurting really bad. I knew our legs were shot, it was just a matter of time, who was going to make the move on the last lap.”
“To be honest, this race felt like a win after the swim,” Luhrs told World Triathlon. “I was so disappointed with it in Munich a couple of weeks ago so coming out in the top ten felt really great.”
Women's Recap
As she did last year, Seregni burst into the swim lead with Summer Rappaport and Olivia Mathias right on Seregni’s feet. As they came to the end of the first lap, Periault tucked in in fourth, Lizeth Rueda Santos of Mexico, Sara Vilic of Austria were next, with Lisa Tertsch 30 seconds further back and Julie Derron 47 seconds arrears.
When they hit T1, it was Periault, Seregni, Mathias, Rappaport and Lizeth Rueda Santos out front. By the time they hit the 6km ride into town, the quintet built a 40 seconds lead on chasers who included Lena Meissner of Germany, Therese Feursinger of Austria, Barbara De Koning of Netherlands. Next was Julie Derron of Switzerland, 75 seconds back, then Nina Eim of Germany, Vittoria Lopez of Brazil and Yuko Takahashi of Japan.
Germany’s Annika Koch’s race ended early in a crash. Sara Vilic was also forced to pull out, while Sweden’s Junior World Champion Tilda Mansson worked her way back into the race after struggling in the water.
Periault was looking strong on each of the steep climbs out of transition. As the seven-lap bike began to settle, a main chase pack of 21 formed but was unable to wrest back any ground despite the efforts of Derron and Takahashi. On the sixth lap, the gap grew by 15 seconds and the leaders were beginning to look out of reach. Lopes’ challenge ended with a flat and Amelie Kretz of Canada also dropped out.
Mathias found a good rhythm and concurrent speed and racked her bike and started the run in the lead. But it was Periault who issued the first burst of real speed, Rappaport and Seregni tried to keep up, Rueda dropped off and Mathias was alone in 4th place, ahead of Derron and Tertsch, who could not lessen their deficits.
By the end, Periault was uncatchable, following her bronze at Valencia by gold at Karlovy Vary, trailed by a smiling Seregni in second and third for Rappaport.
“I was very excited about this race after last year’s third,” Seregni told World Triathlon. “Leonie ran very fast today and I tried to pace the run to keep the distance.”
“I’ve missed being on the podium, it’s been a pretty rough season,” said Rappaport. “It’s been a battle and I am really happy to be back. It’s definitely encouraging, and it makes me feel like my fitness is rounding back into shape and I am excited for my next WTCS race.”
Karlovy Vary Triathlon World Cup
Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
September 11, 2022
S 1.5 k / B 40k / R 10k
Men's Top 10
1. Csongor Lehmann (HUN) S 16:38 T1 00:25 B 1:03:08 T2 00:25 R 30:32 TOT 1:51:10
2. Matthew McElroy (USA) S 16:53 T1 00:24 B 1:02:58 T2 00:26 R 30:35 TOT 1:51:20
3. Lasse Lührs (GER) S 16:39 T1 00:26 B 1:03:07 T2 00:24 R 31:02 TOT 1:51:42
4. Roberto Sanchez Mantecon (ESP) S 17:35 T1 1:02:44 T2 00:23 R 30:42 TOT 1:52:03
5. Grant Sheldon (GBR) S 16:54 T1 00:29 B 1:02:53 T2 00:29 R 31:19 TOT 1:52:07
6. Manoel Messias (BRA) S 17:44 T1 00:29 B 1:02:41 T2 00:27 R 30:51 TOT 1:52:14
7. Samuel Dickinson (GBR) S 16:44 T1 00:26 B 1:03:02 T2 00:33 R 31:31 TOT 1:52:19
8. Jonas Schomburg (GER) S 16:42 T1 00:25 B 1:03:07 T2 00:26 R 31:41 TOT 1:52:25
9. Márk Dévay (HUN) S 16:34 T1 00:25 B 1:03:13 T2 00:26 R 31:51 TOT 1:52:32
10. Gábor Faldum (HUN) S 17:35 T1 00:29 B 1:02:50 T2 00:26 R 31:12 TOT 1:52:35
Women's Top 10
1. Leonie Periault (FRA) S 17:56 T1 00:25 B 1:11:46 T2 00:27 R 34:27 TOT 2:05:04
2. Bianca Seregni (ITA) S 176:42 T1 00:33 B 1:11:53 T2 00:29 R 35:07 TOT 2:05:46
3. Summer Rappaport (USA) S 17:44 T1 00:34 B 1:11:51 T2 00:27 R 35:50 TOT 2:06:29
4. Olivia Mathias (GBR) S 18:00 T1 00:26 B 1:11:41 T2 00:27 R 36:09 TOT 2:06:45
5. Lizeth Rueda Santos (MEX) S 17:54 T1 00:28 B 1:11:46 T2 00:35 R 36:08 TOT 2:06:53
6. Lisa Tertsch (GER) S 18:32 T1 00:29 B 1:12:05 T2 00:28 R 35:34 TOT 2:07:11
7. Yuko Takahashi (JPN) S 19:06 T1 00:30 B 1:11:36 T2 00:28 R 35:36 TOT 2:07:18
8. Marlene Gomez-Gögel (GER) S 18:59 T1 00:27 B 1:11:44 T2 00:27 R 35:46 TOT 2:07:25
9. Selina Klamt (GER) S 18:12 T1 00:28 B 1:12:30 T2 00:26 R 35:47 TOT 2:07:26
10. Tereza Zimovjanova (CZE) S 19:26 T1 00:29 B 1:11:17 T2 00:26 R 35:50 TOT 2:07:30
