World Triathlon

Frederic Belaubre of France claimed victory today in the test-event for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games triathlon competition.  Belaubres time of 1:52:48 was good enough to win the 2006 Beijing BG Triathlon World Cup comfortably to the cheers of 15,000 spectators.

Watch race highlights now.

The course here is beautiful and will be very good for the Olympics in 2008, commented the European champion Belaubre.  I am so very happy to do so well on the Olympic course.  Everything felt good today.  Swim, bike and run.

Fifteen seconds behind Belaubre was Spanish champion Javier Gomez, who recently won the Hamburg world cup only two weeks ago.  Gomezs second place moves him into the lead of the overall world cup rankings, a place no Spaniard has been before.

I am very happy with my second place, stated the 23-year-old university student.  It is very exciting to be winning the world cups.

In third place was Belaubres team mate Stephane Poulat, who despite being one of the strongest swimmers and cyclists on the tour, has been on the World Cup podium only a few times before.

As the men started the 1,500 metre, non-wetsuit swim it was Olympics on the minds of many of the 88 starters.  The temperature began to rise as a southerly breeze gave no refuge to the athletes on the sheltered technical and hilly course.

Out of Changping reservoir a long string of athletes headed out on the 40 kilometre bike course.  By the end of the first of 8 laps two distinct groups had formed with many race favourites in the second pack.  Current number-one ranked Brad Kahlefeldt of Australia, world champion Tim Don of Great Britain and multiple world cup winner Kris Gemmell of New Zealand were a few of the big names who could not reel in the front group over the hilly course.

Four French athletes in the lead group worked extremely well together pulling the leaders to a 70 second lead coming into the second transition, making it clear the three podium athletes would come from this group.

Out onto the 4-lap run course it was Gomez who immediately moved to the front of the race, putting ten seconds between himself and Belaubre.  The tough run course took its toll on the young Spaniard though as he began to slow and was eventually caught be Belaubre with 3 kilometres to go and was unable to stay with the fleet-footed Frenchman.

Despite a strong start Jan Frodeno of Germany, who was in third position for the majority of the run, faded over the last 3 kilometres and Belaubres team mate Poulat was able to overtake him and claim the final podium spot.
Fifth place was Filip Ospaly(CZE). In a sprint Finish Bevan Docherty takes sixth place, with Petzold in seventh, then Polikarpenko, Don and Gemmell in tenth spot.

2006 Beijing BG Triathlon World Cup Elite Men results (unofficial)
1.BELAUBRE, Frederic (FRA)1:52:48
2.GOMEZ, Javier (ESP)1:52:58
3.POULAT, Stephane (FRA)1:53:44
4.OSPALY, Filip (CZE)1:53:53
5.FRODENO, Jan (GER)1:54:02
6.PETZOLD, Maik (GER)1:54:11
7.DOCHERTY, Bevan (NZL)1:54:08
8.POLIKARPENKO, Volodymyr (UKR)1:54:20
9.DON, Tim (GBR)1:54:27
10.GEMMELL, Kris (NZL)1:54:33

Watch race highlights now.

Click here for the full results.

Post race video highlights will be available shortly.

Click here for official photo gallery from Beijing.