French triathlete Pierre Le Corre won his first-ever World Championship Series race in Sunderland today in a sprint to the line with teammate Léo Bergere.
New Zealander Hayden Wilde took bronze after an impressive comeback from a disappointing swim and chase-pack bike leg.
The weather gods smiled down on the sixth and penultimate round of the 2023 World Triathlon Series, as glorious blue skies greeted some of the world's best male short-course triathletes.
The sprint-distance race was missing a few big names, namely Matt Hauser, Alex Yee and Kristian Blummenfelt, but the top two in the standings pre-Sunderland – Vasco Vilaça and Wilde – were present and correct.
As was the reigning champion Bergere, lying seventh in the standings having sat out a few rounds.
What happened in the swim?
A rare UK beach start kicked off proceedings, with athletes going from a standing start in the water rather than run-in due to safety fears over rubble and stones on the beach.
The one-lap 750m swim was led out by the US's Chase McQueen, with Bergere just a few seconds behind. But Vilaça and Wilde had a tough swim, exiting down in 31st and 34th, some 13secs behind and missing the lead bike pack.
What happened on the bike leg?
By the end of lap one of five over the 21.3km bike course, Bergere was at the front of the lead pack of 11 showing the way. Pleasing the local crowds was Max Stapley and Barclay Izzard, both in that front group of 13.
About 10secs back was the huge chase group, which housed Vilaça and Wilde.
Very little changed over the next two laps, with Bergere always seen at the helm and setting the pace.
But by the final lap, the chase group had finally caught them, as always setting it up for a final run showdown.
What happened on the run leg?
Midway on the final lap, and Bergere pulled out a breakaway with Kiwi Tayler Reid and Portugal's Ricardo Batista, allowing the Frenchman to hit the 5km in the lead.
But mere seconds behind was the spectre of run-speed specialist, Wilde, who was quickly in the lead… but Bergere alongside teammate Le Corre, who had had a solid race throughout, was not going to let a potential first win of 2023 get away that easily.
The three traded places over the two-lap run, but it would come down to the final few hundred metres of the final lap, as the French duo pulled ahead of Wilde.
As they turned for the final corner, it was anyone's guess who would triumph but by the tape, it was Le Corre who took the title, and with it his first career WTCS victory.
Quotes from the podium finishers
"I used to be really strong on the sprints but as I'm getting older I don't know anymore," said Le Corre at the line. "Apparently I'm still good!
"Today is a boost [going into Paris Test Event], because you need some confidence when you race at this level."
Bergere ran in for silver, Wilde bronze and Vilaça fourth.
"It feels good," said Bergere on his second place, "because I changed coach a few weeks ago, so for the confidence for both of us [Le Corre] it's great. The preparation is going well [for Paris Test Event], and I'm happy with how it went today.
"I did most of the job on the bike because I didn't want to make it easy for myself, [but] when I came to the end of the bike section I was smashed.
"I had 1k to catch my breath until Hayden caught me, so that was a good battle. I am confident that he will be in top shape for Paris.
"The French team is in good shape but at the same time, there was no Alex Yee today, no Matt Hauser, we had this at the back of our minds, but everyone will be in top shape for Paris. So let's keep working."
The ever-good-value Wilde was all smiles at the finish, telling 220: "First time here in Sunderland, nice on the beach, sunshine, 13 degrees in the sea, coldest swim I've ever done in my life, but hey it was nice!
"I felt like I was last the whole time, which I think I was, but it didn't really matter. Got onto the bike and didn't feel that good, tried my best, and yeah since Hamburg just been struggling with a bit of flu symptoms. But training was going extremely well for the race, my recovery was terrible!
"I was surprised I got over the line in third. I went out real hard to get some sort of gap cause I knew I would fade so that a technical move.
"But as you probably saw I just did all I could to respect the race. It was really nice to see them [Le Corre and Bergere] out there, and it was a nice battle."
And you're leading the world title… "Yeah how good's that?! Yeah hopefully Paris goes really well, with 100% points, and get another top three, which is the aim and an automatic qualifier [for the Olympics] for me, that will give me some more points.
"And that would just give me the opportunity to do worse in Pontevedra [referring to Abu Dhabi last year where he went in leading the series but lost the title]!"
With one final race at the Grand Final in Pontevedra to go, Wilde leads the standings.
Top image credit: Tommy Zaferes/World Triathlon
