Fifth Madrid title for Fernandes
Vanessa Fernandes of Portugal has just won the 2007 Madrid BG Triathlon World Cup in the Spanish capital. Dubbed as her second home the 21-year-old Portuguese star has won on this course every year since the race’s introduction in 2003. Using her superior strength, Fernandes managed to erase a 43 second deficit after the opening 1,500-metre swim on the tough bike course to run to her fifth consecutive Madrid world cup victory in a time of 2 hours 7 minutes and 33 seconds. It was almost a minute back to second place Andrea Hewitt of New Zealand, who managed to nip Michelle Dillon of Great Britain at the line in an exciting sprint finish.
With warm overnight temperatures, a non-wetsuit swim was called as the 54 women hit the water for the fifth round of the 2007 BG Triathlon World Cup series. A small group of women would exit the water first including Hewitt, her team mate Nicky Samuels and Annabel Luxford of Australia. The young Fernandes would be over 40 seconds back with eventual bronze medalist Dillon a further 53 second down. The small front group would not be able to coordinate a break-away however and would be swallowed up by the chase pack, being pulled by Fernandes. This pack of 12 would also choose not to work together, allowing the second chase group, containing Dillon, to pull up and form one large group of 30 women.
Watch exclusive race video now.
With no break-aways on the bike, a 10-kilometre run race would ultimately decide the victor. Fernandes, who won the recent ITU Duathlon World Championships two weeks ago, immediately pulled to the front and would never look back, despite falling in the crowded transition area, crossing the line with bloodied knees and a Portuguese flag overhead.
It would be almost another minute before Hewitt and Dillon would come into view, with last years silver medalist Hewitt managing to beat out the veteran Dillon in her first ever sprint finish.
Finishing in fourth and fifth were Annabel Luxford of Australia and young Elizabeth May of Luxembourg, respectively.
2007 Madrid BG Triathlon World Cup Elite Women results
1.FERNANDES, Vanessa (POR)2:07:33
2.HEWITT, Andrea (NZL)2:08:25+:53
3.DILLON, Michelle (GBR)2:08:30+:57
4.LUXFORD, Annabel (AUS)2:08:45+1:13
5.MAY, Elizabeth (LUX)2:09:09+1:37
6.DITTMER, Anja (GER)2:09:20+1:47
7.ZEMANOVA, Lenka (CZE)2:09:21+1:49
8.SAMUELS, Nicky (NZL)2:09:26+1:54
9.DOLLINGER, Eva (AUT)2:09:29+1:57
10.LORBLANCHET, Marion (FRA)2:10:16+2:44
Watch exclusive race video now.
Full results are available here.
La portuguesa Vanessa Fernndes acaba de ganar la Copa del Mundo BG de Triatln de Madrid 2007 en la capital espaola. Denominada por ella como su segunda casa la portuguesa de 21 aos de edad ha ganado la carrera todos los aos desde que se introdujo en el 2003. Utilizando su mayor podero Fernndes recuper los 43 segundos de desventaja tras los 1500 metros de la natacin en el exigente segmento de la bicicleta para alzarse con la victoria por quinta vez consecutiva en la Copa del Mundo de Madrid en un tiempo de 2 horas, 7 minutos y 33 segundos. El segundo lugar con casi un minuto de desventaja fue para Andrea Hewitt de Nueva Zelanda, quien super a Michelle Dillon de Gran Bretaa en un emocionante sprint final
Con una temperatura nocturna templada, no estaba permitido el uso de neopreno, las 54 atletas fueron llamadas para lanzarse al agua y as dar comienzo a la quinta prueba la la Copa del Mundo de Triatln BG. Un pequeo grupo de mujeres salieron primeras del agua incluida Hewitt y sus compaeros de equipo Nicky Samuel y Annabel Luxford de Australia. La joven Fernandes saldra con 40 segundos de retraso sobre la eventual medallista de bronce Dillon y con 54 segundo de retraso sobre la cabeza de carrera. El pequeo grupo delantero no sera capaz de romper la carrera y finalmente sera tragado por el grupo perseguidor liderado por Fernndes. Este grupo de 12 tambin decidira no trabajar en conjunto permitiendo al segungo de 12 atletas entre las que estaba Dillon alcanzarlas y formar un grupo grande de 30 mujeres.
Sin haberse decidido la carrera al llegar a la bicicleta, el recorrido de 10 kilmetros decidira la victoria de Fernndes, que gan recientemente el Campeonato del Mundo de Duatln ITU dos semanas atrs, se situara al frente y nunca mirara hacia atrs, a pesar de llegar de manera apretada al area de transicin, cruzando la lnea con las rodillas ensangrentadas y una bandera portuguesa sobre su cabeza.
Con casi un minuto de antelacin sobre Hewitt y Dillon, con la ltima medallista de plata Hewitt intentando batir a la veterana Dillon en su primer final al sprint.
En cuarto y en quinto lugar finalizaron las atletas Annabel Luxford de Australia y la joven Elizabeth May de Luxemburgo, respectivamente.
Copa del Mundo Triatln BG Madrid 2007 Resultados Mujeres lite
1.FERNANDES, Vanessa (POR)2:07:33
2.HEWITT, Andrea (NZL)2:08:25+:53
3.DILLON, Michelle (GBR)2:08:30+:57
4.LUXFORD, Annabel (AUS)2:08:45+1:13
5.MAY, Elizabeth (LUX)2:09:09+1:37
6.DITTMER, Anja (GER)2:09:20+1:47
7.ZEMANOVA, Lenka (CZE)2:09:21+1:49
8.SAMUELS, Nicky (NZL)2:09:26+1:54
9.DOLLINGER, Eva (AUT)2:09:29+1:57
10.LORBLANCHET, Marion (FRA)2:10:16+2:44