Alistair Brownlee to race Madrid
World Champ to make his competitive return in Spain
World Champion Alistair Brownlee will make his competitive return at the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series Madrid on 6 June. He features as part of a British team of nine athletes including his brother, Jonathan, and 2008 World Champion, Helen Jenkins.
Brownlee missed the early part of the season due to a femoral stress fracture, announced on 25 February. His return to competition in Madrid will mark the start of his season, and demonstrates his commitment to supporting the Series as well as British Triathlon.
Brownlee swept to victory in 2009 by winning Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series races in Madrid, Washington DC, Kitzbuehel, London. He went on to win the Grand Final on the Gold Coast and lift the world title. Due to the complexities of the scoring system, and the fact that this will be his first race of the season, a title defence seems unlikely.
Head coach, Joel Filliol commented: “Alistair’s recovery and training have been based around a return to competition in Madrid and we’re pleased that this has gone according to plan. He lacks race fitness, and has had a gap in his training, but we’re excited about his return to competition.
“Our plan for the whole team this season has always been to prioritise the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship London and the Grand Final in Budapest. However, having missed out on two points scoring opportunities already, it will be difficult for Alistair to gain enough points to win this year.
“We’re sending a team of nine athletes to Madrid. Will Clarke performed well in Seoul, despite a fall during the run he finished 10th, and both Helen Jenkins and Liz Blatchford have recorded promising results already this season.”
The team also includes Jonathon Brownlee, who won the first round of the highly competitive French Grand Prix triathlon series in Dunkerque last Sunday (23 May).
Men
· Alistair Brownlee
· Will Clarke
· Olly Freeman
· Jonny Brownlee
· David McNamee
Women
· Helen Jenkins
· Liz Blatchford
· Hollie Avil
· Vanessa Raw