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A day of glory today for Vincent Luis and the French Triathlon Federation! The French triathlete became the Elite short-distance world champion today by winning the 2019 World Triathlon Series (WTS) at the end of the Lausanne Grand Final, where he took 5th place.
Leading the standings before the start of this Lausanne Grand Final, Vincent Luis had to stay on his guard to avoid missing out on THE race of his life (to date), due to a higher point coefficient (1 pt = 1.25). The National Technical Director, Benjamin Maze, had done the math: in case of a victory for Spain’s Mario Mola, the three-time reigning world champion and his closest competitor in the general classification, a 5th place was enough for the leader of the French team to clinch the world crown.
The start was given at 2:21 PM. The swim featured two 750m laps with an Australian exit. After the first loop, Henri Schoeman (South Africa), Igor Polyanskiy (Russia), Richard Varga (Slovakia), and Vincent Luis led the way. At the swim exit 750m later, the Frenchman emerged in 3rd position.
Henri Schoeman RSA, Igor Polyanskiy RUS, Richard Varga SVK and Vincent Luis FRA lead the field out lap 1 of the 1500m swim.#WTSGrandFinal #WTSLausanne
Follow the race at https://t.co/Fqki4ryQNE and never miss a moment! pic.twitter.com/lq8mGH1Bf1— TriathlonLIVE (@triathlonlive) August 31, 2019
From the start of the bike leg (7 laps to complete), a breakaway group formed, including the Frenchmen Vincent Luis and Léo Bergère, Spain's Javier Gomez, Norway's Kristian Blummenfelt, and Great Britain's Jonathan Brownlee. A few chasers, including Mario Mola, were about twenty seconds behind. But after three laps, the peloton regrouped and the Norwegians set the pace.
4 laps to go on this pinching bike course! Front group led by Casper Stornes NOR, @MartenVanRiel and riding with the likes of @mariomola @Jgomeznoya @vincentluistri @jonny_brownlee #WTSGrandFinal #WTSLausanne
Follow the race at https://t.co/Fqki4ryQNE and never miss a moment! pic.twitter.com/TzXSKgXgzX— TriathlonLIVE (@triathlonlive) August 31, 2019
Mid-race, the trend was more towards observation, especially among the top three in the general classification: Vincent Luis 4180 pts, Mario Mola 3783 pts (-397 pts) and Javier Gomez 3687 pts (-493 pts). On the French side, Léo Bergère was alongside Vincent Luis, while Pierre Le Corre and Dorian Coninx were in a 3rd group more than 1'40 behind the leaders. Pierre Le Corre would abandon a few kilometers later.
At a very high pace, the pack reached T2. Spain's Fernando Alarza was the first to start the run (4 laps of 2.5 km). Vincent Luis was 5th with Léo Bergère just ahead of him and Mario Mola right behind. But during this first lap, the group quickly split into three parts: Norway's Kristian Blummenfelt took the sole lead. Five men chased him four seconds behind: Vincent Luis, the three Spaniards Fernando Alarza, Mario Mola, Javier Gomez, and his two compatriots Gustav Iden and Casper Stornes. The 3rd group, with Jonathan Brownlee and Léo Bergère, was about ten seconds back.
Three groups have been established on the run. @kristianblu leading with a striking group of 6 chasing! @jonny_brownlee on the hunt with @serratantonio behind.#WTSGrandFinal #WTSLausanne
Follow the race at https://t.co/Fqki4ryQNE and never miss a moment! pic.twitter.com/PSHhy61Cyz— TriathlonLIVE (@triathlonlive) August 31, 2019
After two laps on foot, or halfway through the run, Kristian Blummenfelt was still leading the race. Two men were hot on his heels: Mario Mola and Vincent Luis. The three-time reigning world champion and his possible successor, but above all two friends who have belonged to the same training group for 18 months. In this 3rd lap, Mario Mola decided to make an effort to catch the leader. Vincent Luis could not follow the acceleration, he lost 10 seconds and was caught by Fernando Alarza and Gustav Iden.
.@kristianblu is leading but Spain’s @mariomola has the strike of fire and is hot on his heels! @vincentluistri has lost touch and is running 10S back.#WTSGrandFinal #WTSLausanne
Follow the race at https://t.co/Fqki4ryQNE and never miss a moment! @TRIATLONSP @FFTRI pic.twitter.com/Jw1oxPHj0Z— TriathlonLIVE (@triathlonlive) August 31, 2019
In this final Lap, if Mario Mola caught and passed the leader, the situation could become very tense for the Frenchman, in a group of three athletes vying for 3rd place, potentially making him 5th if things went badly. Crucially, Spain's Javier Gomez was only about twenty seconds behind, threatening to snatch 5th place from him…
Fortunately, things turned out well for the Frenchman: Kristian Blummenfelt held on and won this Lausanne Grand Final. Mario Mola took 2nd place, Fernando Alarza 3rd, Gustav Iden 4th, and… Vincent Luis 5th. He is the new short-distance triathlon world champion and wins these 2019 WTS.
Norway’s @kristianblu has won #WTSLausanne ???@mariomola in second, @Fernando_Alarza in third, Gustav Iden fourth and Frenchman @vincentluistri in fifth!!!#WTSGrandFinal #WTSLausanne
Follow the race at https://t.co/Fqki4ryQNE and never miss a moment! pic.twitter.com/RqUzYKKidA— TriathlonLIVE (@triathlonlive) August 31, 2019
RACE CLASSIFICATION AND FINAL WTS 2019 STANDINGS
IN A FUTURE FLASH
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