Spirig tops Madrid WCS
Nicola Spirig of Switzerland sprinted away from French newcomer Emmie Charayron and 2008 ITU World Champion Helen Jenkins of Great Britain in the last 300 meters to win Round Three of the World Championship Series event in Madrid Saturday. The win makes it two in a row for the Swiss as countrywoman Daniela Ryf won the previous World Championship Series event at Seoul South Korea four weeks ago.
Spirig completed the tough Madrid course on a sweltering 32 degrees Celsius day in 2:06:01, with Charayron 4 seconds back in second and Jenkins 8 seconds back to complete the podium.
The win added a fifth major ITU victory to Spirig’s resume following wins at the 2007 Eilat World Cup, the 2008 ITU World Cup in Kitzbuhel, and 2009 wins at the European Championships and at the London round of the World Championship Series. The win was Spirig's first after earning a law degree in the past year.
"I always try to have a fast transition and today that worked to my advantage," said Spirig to ITU media. "I wanted to make sure that the group couldn't stay together at the start of the run."
Indeed, Sprig led a group of six women breaking away from a lead pack of 30 cyclists to start the run.
At the beginning, Spirig, Jenkins of Great Britain, Charayron of France, Sarah Haskins of the USA, Mariko Adachi of Japan and the 2010 sensation Barbara Riveros-Diaz of Chile left the rest of the lead pack in their dust.
By the bell lap, only Spirig, Charayron, and Jenkins were left to decide the medals. With 400 meters left, Spirig made her move and opened up a 10 meter gap. In the final meters, the rookie Charayron outpaced Jenkins and took the silver medal.
"I am so happy right now. I can't find the words to express my feelings," said an elated Charayron after the race. "I worked very hard in the winter to get to this point and to have a result like this is just amazing."
Mariko Adachi of Japan was 4th, Sarah Haskins of the USA was 5th and Chilean sensation Barbara Riveros-Diaz was 6th.
In a return to competition after a year off due to injury, 2008 Olympic silver medalist Vanessa Fernandes of Portugal pushed hard at the beginning of the run to advance to 6th place. But by the end of the race, the groundbreaking winner of 20 ITU World Cups and 2007 ITU World Champion faded to an honorable 10th – with a return to her dominating form likely by the end of the year.
Dextro Energy World Championship Series Madrid
Madrid Spain
June 5, 2010
S 1.5k / B 40k / R 10k
Results
Elite women
1. Nicola Spirig (SUI) 2:06:00
2. Emmie Charayron (FRA) 2:06:04
3. Helen Jenkins (GBR) 2:06:08
4. Mariko Adachi (JPN) 2:06:32
5. Sarah Haskins (USA) 2:06:48
6. Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) 2:07:05
7. Anja Dittmer (GER) 2:07:37
8. Liz Blatchford (GBR) 2:07:39
9. Ainhoa Murua (ESP) 2:07:40
10. Vanessa Fernandes (POR) 2:08:07
Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series Rankings
1. Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) 2082
2. Mariko Adachi (JPN) 1767
3. Daniela Ryf (SUI) 1543
4. Sarah Haskins (USA) 1447
5. Nicola Spirig (SUI) 1433
6. Helen Jenkins (GBR) 1383
7. Emma Moffatt (AUS) 1370
8. Andrea Hrewitt (NZL) 1326
9. Jessica Harrison (FRA) 1255
10. Anja Dittmer (GER) 1050
11. Lisa Norden (SWE) 900
18. Emma Snowsill (AUS) 542
23. Jillian Peterson (USA) 439
27. Laura Bennett (USA) 290
31. Jenna Shoemaker (USA) 249
39. Sarah Groff (USA) 197
53. Alicia Kaye (USA) 123
68. Jasmine Oeinck (USA) 48
