Murphy tries Break Away

3 Irish athletes, Conor Murphy, Russell White and Neil Bolger took to the
start line for the Alicante World Cup in Spain which attracted a field of just
shy of 70 athletes.

Murphy and White exited the water after 1500 meters of swimming just 2
seconds apart in 19:31 and 19:33 and safely inside the top half of the field.
Their solid swimming allowed them sit into the lead pack however not content
Conor Murphy put in a brave break away attempt.

He managed to pull out 30 seconds with 2 other riders and had a small
advantage going into the 10km run. The faster runners behind managed to reel
him in however Murphy can be pleased with his efforts and 16th place finish in
a World Cup.

U23 athlete Russell White played it a little
safer and remained in the bunch before running himself into 52nd. Neil Bolger
in his first ITU race lost time in the swim resulting in a DNF

ITU Race Report

Sven Riederer
(SUI) won bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and has podiumed in
several World Triathlon Series, but he had never won a World Cup race
until Sunday. Following a top 10 World Triathlon Series overall finish
two weeks ago, the Swiss finally claimed the allusive World Cup win in
Alicante in a tight finish against Spain’s own Vicente Hernandez and Great Britain’s Grant Sheldon.

“I am really happy. It is unbelievable to finish the season with a
victory,” said Riederer, who claimed his sixth podium in a World Cup in
ten years. Riederer obtained the triumph in the last running kilometre,
fending off Hernلndez and Sheldon in a fantastic race.

“I knew I had to keep going with the pace,” said Sheldon, who won a
bronze medal in the Junior World Championships two weeks ago in London.
“As I am not used to running in the Olympic distance, I did not want to
attack before the fifth kilometer and then I just wanted to see what
could happen.”

In the Port of Alicante, Francesc Godoy (ESP), Igor Polyanskiy (RUS) and Alois Knabl (AUT) were the three first out of the 1.5km sans wetsuit swim.

Although most of the cycling segment had a huge pack at the front, with more than 50 athletes riding together, Conor Murphy (IRL), Pieter Heemeryck (BEL) and Wikus Weber
(RSA) reached the second transition with a 30-second gap over the rest.
But when the remaining athletes hit the pavement, the trio were quickly
left behind.

Eleven men started to run together after two kilometres, but just six
were left midway through the 10km run, including Riederer, Sheldon,
Hernandez, Dmitry Polyanskiy (RUS), Miguel Arraiolos (POR) and Steffen Justus (GER).

While only the elder of the Polyanskiy brothers was the only one in
the group who had ever won a World Cup race before Sunday, it was
Riederer who sprinted ahead. The remaining followed suit, but the Swiss
was too great to overtake, scoring his first World Cup win in 1:53:44.
Hernandez hung tight for second two seconds later, while Sheldon crossed
over another two seconds after him for bronze. Polyanskiy edged out
Arraiolos for fourth in 1:54:07.

“Yes, everything was decided in the final 10,000 metres,” said
Hernandez after claiming his first podium in a World Cup. “I was strong
and I had to resist going too early. Polyanskiy lost contact and then I
knew I had possibilities.”

“The season was OK for me, but finishing like this is perfect,” concluded Riederer.