A huge effort over the final leg from Tanja Neubert saw Germany home to a sensational Junior/U23 Mixed Relay World title in Hamburg on Saturday afternoon.

Henry Graf had kept the team in the hunt with a strong finish to his opening leg before Julia Brocker hauled them right into contention with a superb bike-run, handing over to Eric Diener on leg 3. Diener worked well with Italy’s Nicolo Strada on the bike to close down Saxon Morgan and Team New Zealand and then hand over to Neubert, who pulled away on the run and never looked back, the crowd sweeping her and the team to the title.

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Just as they had been in the previous day’s elite races, Brock Hoel and Alessio Crociani were in commanding form through the water, giving Team Canada and Team Italy a useful early advantage up and out of T1 in the first of the four legs.

New Zealand’s Dylan McCullough was soon on the gas and reeling them in on the bike, so that by the end of the three laps they were side by side and with 16 seconds to Ireland and the chasing Bradley Course (AUS) and Graf for the home team, USA and France 30 seconds back.

Sidney Clement was next up for Canada, and she was soon caught and passed by Myral Greco (ITA) and Brea Roderick (NZL) on the bike, Anja Weber and Faith Dasso hauling the Swiss and USA into contention.

Brocker was up on the Italian at the bell and into second, Tilly Anema and Anouk Sterkers putting the British and French into prime position at halfway, some 40 seconds back along with Hungary’s Marta Kropko.

Saxon Morgan picked up duties all alone out front for New Zealand, Roderick handing him a 30-second advantage over Briac Tence for France now second, but he faded on the bike as Eric Diener and Nicolo Strada went about chasing down the leader.

That they did superbly over the 3 laps, and all three handed over for the final time to their teammates who flew down the ramp to dive in as one.

The gap to the chasers was now up to 50 minutes, and it was all down to Hannah Knighton, Costanza Arpinelli and Neubert to decide the order of the medals.

Riding together for three laps, Neubert didn’t put a foot wrong in transition and took full advantage of the small gap she had suddenly gained, soaring home to gold and the world title, Arpinelli and Team Italy second, Knighton and Team New Zealand with bronze.

Full results can be found here.