Europe Triathlon

It was another huge day of racing in Madrid on Sunday as the men’s and women’s European Championships took to the Spanish capital, where Luxembourg’s Jeanne Lehair and local favourite David Castro Fajardo took the golds.

With the format switched to duathlon due to water quality issues following heavy rain in the city, it was a different looking challenge facing the athletes, a rapid 5km run transitioning to 40km bike and closing with a 10km run to the titles in Casa de Campo park.

Lehair raising the stakes once more

The women were out first in Madrid, Germany’s Lisa Tertsch setting the early pace with Miriam Casillas Garcia (ESP) and Lehair for close company, but the top 20 all swarmed into transition together and out for the 40km bike. That front pack then lost athletes off the back with each passing lap of the tough and technical bike, so only seven were left after an hour in the saddle.

Cathia Schar (SUI) led the group out onto the second run segment as Audrey Merle (FRA) and Petra Kurikova (CZE) dropped back, but it wouldn’t be long before Tertsch and Lehair took the race on out front and pulled clear, only the Swiss staying within reach. That was how it looked for the vast majority of the 10km before Lehair kicked with the blue carpet in sight and the German former U23 European champion could not respond, crossing for silver 10 seconds ahead of Schar.

Castro kick leaves Brownlee adrift

It was Spain’s David Cantero Del Campo and Mario Mola throwing down the gauntlet immediately in the men’s race in a bid to stretch things early on, and a front group of 10 soon formed with 15 seconds of daylight behind. Jonathan Brownlee and Emil Holm (DEN) were there too, Castro and Csongor Lehmann (HUN) spearheading the pack hunting the leaders.

The front group boiled down to seven as Brownlee and Adrien Briffod (SUI) pushed the bike pace, and the front pack enjoyed a 25-second margin over the marauding Jonas Schomburg (GER) and Lehmann heading onto the 10km shootout for the medals. Castro was further back still, but quickly set about picking off those ahead of him until he was tucked in behind Brownlee and Briffod. Next to drop was the Swiss, and it was the Brit and Spaniard locked in battle for the remainder of the race until one decisive final surge saw Castro clear to the gold, Brownlee with silver, Briffod the bronze.

For the full results, click here.