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The Norwegian triathletes were candidates for medals in the sprint WC in Hamburg, but the first places were already reached after swimming. On Sunday he awaits mixed relays.
After Casper Stornes broke the race, Gustav Iden and Kristian Blummenfelt were the Norwegian hopes. Photo: Geir Olsen, NTB scanpix
In a totally enclosed park five kilometers from Hamburg, the Norwegian triathlon expects Kristian Blummenfelt, Gustav Iden and Casper Stornes to battle for the World Cup medals on Saturday afternoon.
Norwegian hopes have their strengths in cycling and running. Therefore, it was important to keep up with the rhythm of the first part, which was a 750-meter swim.
– I think we depend on riding hard on the bike, Blummenfelt told Aftenposten the day before the WC.
From the water, Blummenfelt and Iden were 22 and 36 seconds behind the leader, respectively. Therefore, they had a great job ahead of them.
Stornes was the most advanced of the Norwegians after swimming, but problems with the wetsuit led him to finish last of all of them after the zone change and finally breaking the World Cup.
The swimming part was in fresh water and the athletes wear wetsuits. This is usually an advantage for less good swimmers. Photo: Axel Heimken / dpa via AP
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They have trained more than 1,300 hours since the last big convention. On Saturday they are finally ready for the “Different World Cup”.
I couldn’t catch up
During the cycling stage, a front group of about ten athletes was formed. In the group he was chasing behind sat Blummenfelt, and eventually Iden also joined that group.
The last few kilometers the Norwegian duo drove hard to catch up, but only managed to eat for a few seconds. So it took a full 20 seconds to catch up when the shoes were on.
Frenchman Vincent Luis was able to celebrate the World Cup title. Photo: Axel Heimken / dpa via AP
Out of the top ten
So, in the end, it was a battle to be in the top ten. Outside the substitution zone, Blummenfelt was 12th and Iden 21st.
To Blummenfelt, it seemed as if forces were finally running out, and Iden got it back.
In the end, Iden came in 11th and Blummenfelt finished 13th.
The winner was Frenchman Vincent Luis in the time of 49 minutes and 13 seconds. After a long sprint of 300 meters, he beat Portuguese Vasco Vilaco by 3 seconds and his compatriot Léo Bergere by six seconds.
– I did not know what the form was, but it turned out that it was not so bad, said the gold medalist Luis in an interview broadcast by TV 2.
Miller’s uplifting
An hour after the men reached the finish line, it was time for the women’s sprint WC. Lotte Miller was with the closed group for a long time up to a couple of kilometers into the race.
In the end, it was an encouraging ninth place. Stine Dale finished in 57th place.
Britain’s Georgia Taylor-Brown took the gold medal ahead of Flora Duffy in second place and Laura Lindemann in third place.
Historic Sunday
On Sunday, he is ready for the mixed relay in Hamburg. Stine Dale and Lotte Miller are the female part of the Norwegian relay team. Who will run for the men was not yet clear when Aftenposten went to press.
This is the first time Norway has started with a team in a mixed relay.
– I think it can be very exciting. The relay is quite erratic and a lot can happen, says Gustav Iden about Sunday’s chances.
But the newly formed Norwegian team is unlikely to fight for the medals. Actually, the Norwegian co-ed team was not qualified to participate in Hamburg, but due to the fact that some teams have not reached Germany, Norway is among the 22 teams at the starting line.
– In the relay everything is open and it is about the small margins. If we want to be realistic, it is good that we make it into the top ten, says sports manager Arild Tveiten.
