The World Cup tour heads to Chengdu, China, this Saturday for some seriously fast standard-distance racing in the purpose-built Jintang Triathlon Centre. Watch the action on TriathlonLive.tv (live and on-demand) with the elite men lining up first from 9am local and the women to follow at 11.45am. The chase continues for athletes to earn valuable Olympic points in the qualification window towards Paris 2024.
The men’s start list is stacked for the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Chengdu with 55 athletes ready to tackle the standard-distance race format, featuring a 2-lap 1.5km lake swim, 6-lap 40km bike with hills and sharp corners to navigate followed by a 4-lap flat run course.
GERMANY HEADLINES WITH HELLWIG, SCHOMBURG AND PRIESTER
Germany’s Tim Hellwig will wear number one in Saturday’s World Triathlon Cup Chengdu. Hellwig has had a stellar season securing silver in the 2023 World Triathlon Championship Finals Pontevedra, gold in 2023 World Triathlon Mixed Relay Series Paris and 7th place in the 2023 World Triathlon Olympic Games Test Event Paris. Hellwig will be joined by fellow countryman Jonas Schomburg who will be next on the starting line in Chengdu. Schomburg was also part of Germany’s gold medal-winning team in the 2023 World Triathlon Mixed Relay in Paris and earned a deserving bronze medal in the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Karlovy Vary. Germany is well represented at the top of the start list with Lasse Nygaard Priester who will also be a main contender in the World Cup in China. Priester is still chasing a World Cup gold after earning silver in both 2023 World Triathlon Cup Valencia and 2023 World Triathlon Cup Weihai.
EXPERIENCED HUNGARIAN TRIO EYE WORLD CUP VICTORY
Hungary’s Bence Biscak, Márk Dévay and Gábor Faldum all have a shot at making the podium in Chengdu. Bicsák has had a strong season on the World Triathlon Championship Series stage where he came 6th place in Montreal in June and a top 20 finish in the recent World Triathlon Championship Finals in Pontevedra. Dévay, who is known for his incredible swim and bike combination, had a breakthrough performance in the recent World Triathlon Cup Karlovy Vary earning the silver medal. Faldum brings a wealth of experience into the field and this year was 12th in the individual Olympic Games test event in Paris, 4th place in the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Tiszaujvaros and will be chasing valuable Olympic points in the qualification window for Paris.
THE CHASE FOR OLYMPIC POINTS CONTINUES
Further down the start lists are names like Makoto Odakura, Takumi Hojo (JPN), Valentin Wernz (GER) and Mexico’s Aram Michell Peñaflor Moysen who are stand stars and who have all performed incredibly well on the World Cup level and could all be in the fight as medal contenders in China this week. Odakura secured an impressive silver in last week’s individual triathlon event in the Asian Games, Hojo is fresh from victory with Japan’s Mixed Relay team who secured gold in last week’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Wernz was awarded the bronze medal in the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Yeongdo. Could Chengdu be the place where New Zealand’s Dylan McCullough delivers a breakthrough performance and lands himself on a World Cup podium? The young New Zealander delivered an impressive race in Spain and was just outside a top 20 finish in the Championship Finals in Pontevedra, in a world class field. Don’t underestimate Ireland’s Russell White and Australia’s Luke Willian from contention, both athletes eyeing Olympic points and opportunities to deliver masterclass performances across the standard-distance in China.
BRITISH DUO BACK TO HUNT WORLD CUP SUCCESS
If Great Britain’s Jack Willis and Ben Dijkstra bring their best to Chengdu they both have good chances of racing for top spots. Willis produced a top 20 finish in the World Triathlon Championship Series Sunderland and although Dijkstra hasn’t raced much this season due to injury setbacks, we know that the British triathlete is highly motivated to deliver a solid setup with this race opportunity in Chengdu.
REPRESENTING CHINA
China has 6 representing athletes in the men’s field in the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Chengdu and will no doubt have incredible support from the patriotic fans come Saturday.
Review the full start list and follow the action on TriathlonLive.tv.
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