The start lists featured a mix of a new talent and experience for the 2021 World Triathlon Duathlon World Championships in Aviles, Spain, on Saturday 6 November. The race format was staged across a 10km run, 40km bike and closed with a final 5km run segment.
In the women’s race Joselyn Daniely Brea Abreu was crowned 2021 World Triathlon Duathlon Champion with Japan’s Olympian Ai Ueda clutching the silver medal and Marion Legrand of France taking home the bronze World Championship medal.
The men’s field was stacked with all the big names of Duathlon but it was Frenchman Nathan Guerbeur who showcased power and control, across the entire course, to earn the 2021 World Triathlon Duathlon world title with fellow compatriot Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger earning silver and Arnaud Dely, of Belgium, finishing with bronze.
Women’s report
In the women’s field, Spain’s Sonia Bejarano took control of the race out on the first run with the likes of Japan’s Ai Ueda, Mexico’s Guadalupe Jazmin Aguilar Corona, Frenchwoman Marion Legrand and all shoulder to shoulder and applying pressure across the first 10-kilometre run.
Joselyn Daniely Brea Abreu was the first elite athlete onto the 40km bike course in Aviles and was soon joined by all the main contenders of the race. The lead group got organised early and established a sizeable gap on the chasing packs, of elite and U23 women. On the final 5-kilometre run it was a battle for gold between Brea Abreu and Ueda, both looking in phenomenal run form and keeping the pace on across the entire 5-kilometre section of the race.
Brea Abreu had the stronger legs today and powered across the finish line to claim gold and earn the 2021 World Triathlon Duathlon World Title. Ueda, who looked exceptional on course all day, claimed the silver World Championship medal and Legrand earned a deserving bronze medal for France.
“I am so happy with the race today, I had such a good day,” said Brea Abreu.
“So happy I get my fourth Duathlon World Championships podium. Second run, very fast girls. I tried together to make the racing but it was really tough,’ Ueda said.
“It was my first, today it’s a really good day for me and my coach. It’s amazing because it was a hard race because a lot of tactic on the bike because a big group came back and it was difficult to stay with them. I understand was only 5km to finish so I was thinking, I am stronger to finish and I was able to finish well. I am really happy,” said Legrand.
Review the women’s Elite | U23 results here.
Men’s report
29 athletes lined up to battle for glory in the 2021 World Triathlon Duathlon Championships in Aviles, Spain.
Nathan Guerbeur and Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger of France pushed the pace in the early stage of the first 10-kilometre run and continued to take it out hard across the four laps. Jose Isaac Valencia Villaverde of Mexico took a turn out front and pushed the pace on the final stretch of the run segment and as the men headed into transition to bike.
A crucial transition saw Hueber-Moosbrugger of France first out onto the 40-kilometre bike course, with the main contenders chasing hard.
Morocco’s Jawad Abdelmoula, who earned the gold medal in the recent World Triathlon Cup Tongyeong with a powerful run, was well positioned out on the bike and kept in contact with the race leaders. Belgium’s Angelo Vandecasteele was also among the leaders.
Across the final stages of the bike course, the group of men who were in charge featured the French duo, Vandecasteele, Dely and Abdelmoula. These athletes jostled for positions as they contemplated tactics, for the final stage of the day.
Nathan Guerbeur FRA made a statement at the end of the bike course as he took over as race leader and established a gap as they entered the final transition of the day. The French athletes went out hard and opened up a solid gap on the men’s field in Aviles.
There was no stopping Guerbeur as he dominated the final 5-kilometres of the Duathlon World Championship course.
Guerbeur surged to victory in Aviles and was crowed the 2021 World Triathlon Duathlon Champion. French training partner Hueber-Moosbrugger claimed a brilliant silver medal and Dely settled for a hard fought bronze medal.
“The goal was to keep the medal for France. It’s crazy for me to win today, my first World Championships. The first part of the run was a little bit slow and the bike, first was strong but in the second part, I tried to push hard and in the last lap, I succeeded. We did the breakaway and I just ran as hard as I can in the last run. I finished first so I am happy,” Guerbeur said.
“I am very happy to make the double with Nathan. We train together and we keep the medals for the French team after Benjamin Choquert, who wasn’t here today. We keep the gold and solver medal to take home and we are very happy to do this for the French team,” said Hueber-Moosbrugger.
“I saw the guys working together with controlled pace. I managed to stay with them. On the run I tried to keep cool and calm and see how it foes. My legs were cramping and after 3km, the cramps were gone and I was able to run my own pace in the last 2km but it was too late. A podium is always great, we will come back next year and see what’s possible. Very happy, I need some rest after a long season but we are very happy,” said Dely.
Review the men’s Elite | U23 results here.
