Suunto Ambassador Javier Gomez recorded an emphatic victory in Sydney, Australia on Sunday April 10, after recovering from a crash on the bike leg to win the opening leg of the World Championship series.
A downpour of rain hit the course in the second lap of the bike leg and from then on it almost became a survival of the fittest, as a number of riders hit the deck. Gomez went down with 10km remaining to the second transition but, riding solo, he managed to claw his way back to the lead group just as they finished the 40km cycle.
It was then a question of whether Gomez still had the legs to out-run the favourites at the head of the race. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR), Alistair Brownlee (GBR), Sven Riederer (SUI), Brendan Sexton (AUS) and David Hauss (FRA) were setting a rapid pace but Gomez overhauled all of them, pulling clear with 2km to go.
The 2010 World Champion crossed the line with 1hr 50min 22sec, which included a scintillating 30min, 9sec run. Jonathan Brownlee was second, and Sven Riederer ran his way into third.
“I realised that I was fitter than I thought,” said Gomez who uses a Suunto t6c heart rate monitor during training. “I thought maybe I should give up after the crash, the time (gap) was a bit far and I wasn’t sure if I would catch them or not... I realised I was really strong today."
"It was definitely one of the hardest races,” Gomez said. “It doesn’t happen many times that you crash and then you get up again and catch the first group again and then be the fastest runner, I’m really proud. I will always remember this race.”
Fellow Suunto Ambassador Jan Frodeno (GER) suffered badly in the wet conditions finishing in 45th. “Not so sure what happened there,” tweeted the 2008 Olympic Champion, “but one thing’s for sure: I hate going bad when it’s a surprise like yesterday. Think I need more rest..."
In the women’s race, Canada’s Paula Findlay was first ahead of Barbara Riveros-Diaz (CHI) and Andrea Hewitt (NZL). Suunto’s Ai Ueda of Japan was a more than respectable seventh, 39sec behind Findlay.
Images by ITU / Delly Carr
