Javier Gomez took one step closer toward regaining his ITU world championship crown with a decisive win at WTS Montreal on the weekend. It is his second win of the year after the season opener in Abu Dhabi.
With the event held over the standard distance, the five-time world champion’s strengths came into full play over the course of the race. While he missed the front pack of swimmers by a few seconds, Gomez quickly rejoined the lead group in the first lap on the bike and began pushing the pace to separate the packs by more than a minute leading onto the run. He then used his trademark running acumen to lead throughout the final ten kilometers to clinch the win.
The Spaniard is the inaugural champion of the Montreal World Series race, which was formerly a World Cup event. He said, “That was a tough honest race, but enjoyed every meter of it. I was disappointed last weekend because I knew I was fit, but couldn’t race well. This time I could give my best and fortunately became the oldest guy winning a WTS.”
South of the Canadian border, Ben Hoffman took the final spot on the Ironman 70.3 Boulder podium. The 2014 Kona runner-up said, “Always a good day when you get to crack a bottle and enjoy a champagne shower. Nice to stand on the podium with Matt Chrabot and Tim Don today in Boulder. Back to work for Kona now.” The American has been quietly building into his Ironman World Championship form after taking the Ironman African Championship crown early this year.
In hotter climes, Brent McMahon had a solid fifth place finish at the Ironman 70.3 Philippines, where he is a mainstay and former champion. The Canadian backed up well from his Ironman Lake Placid win, and this finish puts him en route to peaking for Kona.