Madrid Triathlon: World Series

in this year's world triathlon series and the start of the circuit

of the European leg. Below us is the Spanish capital's largest park. The

venue for this weekend's hot and hilly action. It is that challenging

bike course through those hills which make this course so popular

among the stronger athletes. We have got highlights coming up of the

women's race and then later, a real treat as we show in full the latest

instalment of Gomez versus Brownlie. will start with the women and after

three races, the battle to success is getting serious and most of the

leading contenders are taking part this weekend.

Looking at the latest world triathlon series rankings, the

American has a comfortable lead but the race is far from over four Anne

Haug and her new training partner, Emma Moffat who will net 's see

later. Jodie Stimpson earned her first podium by finishing third in

Yokohama and the Black Country girl is confident there are plenty more

to follow. Swansea's competitor may be down in the position that she has

only raced once at this level so far this season. In San Diego, she beat

Moffat to finish second and having won a friend Grand Prix race last

weekend, it looks as though she has been able to maintain that great

form coming into Madrid. And Stamford is going to finish in

second for Great Britain! We have to mention your very first podium

results, congratulations. How are you feeling? Thank you. It was nice

to finally get there. You watch these girls and think it is really

not attainable but I knew I was in good form going into the race but it

is a different type of racing. And to make that successful transition

was nice and it is a great way to start the season.

And a dramatic finish with a Moffat? Yes, I left it until the

last second! I did not think I could catch her because she was so far

ahead and we started out on the run but she started coming back to me

pretty quick and I thought of my coach at home and thought I cannot

try not to outsprint her. COMMENTATOR: it will be tight,

Moffat and Jodie Stimpson. Jodie Stimpson takes her.

Jodie, how do you feel about your podium finish? I have not stopped

smiling, to be honest! It is nice to be able to get on the podium and

Yokohama is such a nice event. Hopefully it is the first of many.

What is it like training with your rivals, Emma Moffat and Anne Haug?

You know you are in good form if you stay with them in training and then

it is nice to race with them. are you feeling about Madrid?

confident, the sun is shining and I have raced here before so hopefully

the third time I will race even better. You are raising Non this

weekend, what is she like to race against? Non is in fantastic form at

the moment. Things seem to be clicking into place for her and she

is one of the athletes that really works hard and she deserves a good

result she is getting. When, you are still series leader, have is that

feel -- how does that feel? Gwen. do not really think about it, every

race is a race and I am raising the best girls in the world so I have to

show up and I have to know that it is a tough battle. You are now based

in Spain after being based in Australia for a while. What are you

enjoying most about it here? It is beautiful, and the training is

awesome. It is relaxed. I never get sick of the running because it is so

beautiful and there are swimming pools everywhere that we can swim

in. It is great. How are you feeling ahead of the Madrid raise? I put

Russia on myself every race and I try to perform at that level.

put pressure on myself. I will hand you over to our

commentators, Rob Walker and Steve Trew.

COMMENTATOR: welcome to round four which sees us hit Europe for the

first time this season having started in Auckland where it

finished last year, it soaked up the sunshine of San Diego and then the

reigning weather of Yokohama. The course here is described by some as

one for the triathlon purists. We are doing to lapse on this fabulous

course. Eight circuits on the bike. And they climb of 400 metres on

every single loop, one of the single toughest bike courses. Gwen has come

through brilliantly in the last two editions and then for loops, and

bearing in mind how hilly the bike race is, the run course is fairly

flat. Gwen goes with number one, Anne Haug, great victory in

Auckland. Jodie Stimpson has her first podium finishing third in

Yokohama and Non finishing second in San Diego just outsprinting Emma

Moffat in the final part of the race. Lots of attention on Non in

the past couple of days as they begin to line up. This is round four

and there will be seven in total before we get to the grand final in

London. Here we go, in the sunshine of Spain, round number four is under

way here in Madrid. A fascinating another in a row? Or will Non

prevent that from happening? But, Steve Trew, they must get through

the water first. It wasn't a clean start by any means there. One of the

swimmers there being left off but interesting, Carolina Routier had a

fast start and also Aileen Reid from Ireland really seem to push out. In

this early stage, there seems to be a huge impact, people trying to get

away to get clear. Over 50 starters and quite crucial in this early

stage for them to get a good position in the pack rather than

having to sitting back and then try to work their way up. That has

really spread out so early on. is Pamela Olivero, the Brazilian,

15th in the grand final last year but definite moves here in the early

stages and we are definitely seeing a change in tactics from previous

races, all of these women are all too aware of how well I'm strongly

Gwen Jorgensen came through in the last two editions of the series.

There are your temperatures. Far too warm for a wetsuit but there are

couple of women out there, Aileen Reid from Northern Ireland

representing Ireland at the front towards the left-hand side and that

is on the right side, Carolina Routier, taking some clear water and

a different line as you said, Steve. There is a real move here to try to

make it as hard as possible, maybe get a small group picking away at

the front on that really testing bike course. Looking at how the

swimming is developing, it looks like Carolina Routier chose a

position to be away from the melee. Jorgensen has lost as much as 25

metres already. You can see on the screen the arm/really is not very

smooth by Jorgensen, it will be crucial for her to try to get in the

front pack. No secrets in this, and interestingly, Non who is such a

good runner has improved dramatically over the last few

months on swimming and cycling and has moved from number 23 -- the

under 23 to the senior ranks and I think she will be a real player here

today. Carolyn , the Brazilian, and it looks like the leading three have

an advantage. Aileen Reid back in eighth or ninth place. Having

started very quickly. It is Olivero on the left, and then comes pretty a

and Sarah with the leader of a few metres. And I know that the Brownlee

brothers call this a really honest course and a pure race, you come out

of transition and you are faced with a 400 metre climb, right at the

beginning, there is no time for the lakes to adjust to the bike, you are

straight into the hard work on this course. Will of the other things,

Jessica Harrison who used to represent Great Britain and now

represents France, she was saying earlier that she felt the transition

here was very tight indeed. The obvious swimmers speed up the head

of the field, these athletes will have a big advantage if they can get

into the transition area with a bit of open space, they will take away

the chances of shoes being knocked off, crashed out going and they are

moving away, we have seen this forced many times before but this

really does appear now that we are getting a break early in the

swimmers. Olivero has a couple of metres on Routier and a feature of

this course, how fantastic that as a spectator you can get that close to

world class action. Normally you only see them on the 750s when they

go around twice, you see them coming out but that is a fantastic view for

the crowd there. 9.20 at the halfway mark so it looks like we'll be

getting under 19. The level keeps on going up and up so a ten second gap,

that is quite sink difficult. -- that is quite significant. We keep

looking for the British athletes. Aileen Reid representing Ireland at

the moment. Kate McIlroy a good runner as well just trying to get

indication as to where Jodie Stimpson and Non are and also when

Jorgensen and Barbara Riveros Diaz. I thought -- Anne Haug. I thought I

saw her go through in that group. The Brazilian is really putting it

in there. So coming into the closing stages of this win here in Madrid.

And we have a line of five triathletes away and clear from the

rest of the field. Alice Betto has done well but it is Olivero who set

the pace right at the beginning and these five will be heading out on to

one of the toughest bike courses on the triathlon courses, apart from

the one course which is like a mountain. A climb of 400 metres on

each and every five K circuit. look as if we are having a second

group gaming to get detached as well but that will make it even more

interesting and crucial. Is Anne Haug going to be up in the second

group back in the third? Before the race, people were talking about Anne

Haug and Gwen Jorgensen saying they had different tactics and whether

Anne Haug and the rest of the field would be able to take enough out of

Gwen Jorgensen's running ability to stave off her advances and she timed

it to perfection in San Diego and Jorgensen in group number two, as it

appears at the moment, that rings and other twist into the tactics.

Anne Haug cannot sit back on the bike because if when Jorgensen will

sit back with her, it means that Anne Haug will have to push on the

bike. Whether she will blow some of the other athletes out of the back,

whether she will manage to bridge the gap to the five leaders

currently, or not, it is that sensational mix of triathlon. It

looks like those are just moving away a couple of seconds which could

be so important going into the second discipline. Routier leading

now having taken over from the Brazilian. It will certainly get the

crowd excited. Madrid is bidding to host the Olympic Games in 2020. The

result of that is due early in September in buona sera ease. Madrid

up against Istanbul and Tokyo so we could be looking at a potential

Olympic triathlon course. They are coming to the end of this win.

Routier to the delight of the Spaniards watching exits first. The

Brazilian who led for such a long time, and then the fourth person in

the Olympics, Groff, Nicky Samuels and Alice Betto. Those five with a

clear advantage on the rest. It looks like Jessica Harrison is

exiting the water that. The running into transition. Jodie Stimpson is

in that second group, just 20 seconds adrift. Non Stanford is four

seconds behind her. So the big names are bad. Good to see bin NASA

wrought coming back to fitness. Absolutely ravaged by injuries. --

good to see Vanessa Raw. These early triathletes have the advantage of

getting in and out fairly quickly and not getting caught in any

tangles. Now heading out on to this brutal bike course. Jodie Stimpson

we just saw her in the back of the shot running towards her bike. How

delighted was she to finish third in Japan? It looks like Jodie Stimpson

and Non Stanford RMS. -- are in this. The critical thing is are they

going to be able to close early on the bike. Aileen Reid is about 15

seconds down. The NASA has been concentrating on the due Apple on

recently. -- Vanessa has been focussing on the duathlon. And how

is such a long way down. This will have a huge impact on the race.

Jorgensen is safely onto the bike course. I wonder whether something

went wrong with Anne Haug? We would not expect the Auckland winner to be

that far adrift at the start of the bike. So there is a potential

development. There is a long way to go, she could still be in it. She is

desperate to join Gwen Jorgensen who won the last two. But she has a lot

of work to do as the first five swimmers help -- had up that big

incline. Jess Harrison, Non Stanford, how good is that? Two of

our goals up there in that chase group. Can these five stayaway?

at that. She was out of the saddle right out of transition and she has

split that five. They are going to have to work hard to get back. I

think Routier has been dislodged them. I love watching this. This is

of the flat ground. There aren't too many places on this course where you

can get liquid on board. Certainly not able to do that on the 400 metre

incline or the steep descent. There we get a glimpse back to the two

athletes in fourth and fifth who just looked over their shoulder and

realised that a high-quality group are closing. Those chasers are going

to close down on Routier and Oliveira quite soon. I know the

camera foreshortened is quite a deal there but I make it about a 22nd gap

between the leads three and the two groups just coming together. -- a 20

second gap. They looked to be working hard. If they don't have the

reworking it will be hard to stay away. Felicity Abram am now taking

their tactics. You are quite a fan of that, you like to see people

going for it. It didn't quite pay off for her in San Diego in the end,

but she is clearly feeling confident and has decided to be aggressive,

which makes it a better race to watch. It is the way the Brownlee

Brothers race, isn't it? Just go for it. You're right, I love to see an

honest race, people putting in the hard work and getting their just

deserts. -- desserts. So we will keep our eye on the lead group and

the chasers. Look at the quality of the first group. And Alice Betto has

fallen. We are waiting for a replay to see what has happened, but that

is so unlucky. Alice Betto is the last of the trio there. The back end

just steams -- just seems to slip out. I can't see how that happened.

It didn't look like there was any grease on the road. Maybe that

really is bad luck. For a single chaser to try to get back on is so

difficult. And it also makes it difficult for the girls in front

because they've lost that third person. The workload goes up by 33%.

Alice Betto looks to be in trouble on the climate. -- the climb.

do you do if you are Alice in that context? Do you say, OK, the chances

are I'm going to get swallowed by the group, and you can serve a bit

of energy, or do you go as hard as you can to be attached to the

group? Well, Alice 's strength is the swim. She is an improving

athlete on the bike and the run, but I have that sort of thing happen,

it's not just the physical aspect, but mentally, I had done so well so

early on and now it has been taken away from me. That is the sort of

thing that goes through your mind. Aileen Reid is now on the third

chase and still no sign of Anne Haug. That is the unknown, to me.

Needless to say, this is a downhill section of the cause as we get a

glimpse of the chasers. -- the course. British contenders are still

keen to share the pace and the workload. I think it was Jodie

Stimpson just going to the front of that group. Sarah Groff, seventh in

Madrid two is ago, she -- two years ago so she knows her way around the

course. But no shortage of bravery, and the way she attacked the first

lap of the run in San Diego, I guess that is the other subplot that is

playing out -- what is happening between Anne Haug and Gwen

Jorgensen. That is hugely disappointing. Kate Mcilroy, her

race comes to an end. Perhaps a nasty fall. There is a very hard

early 400 metre climb, and then on the descent and the flat they really

are a lot of turns. We saw poor Alice Betto come down, which makes

you think maybe the service is a bit rougher than one would hope. -- the

surface. So maybe that is a factor we need to take into consideration

when we talk about closing the gaps, and the care that needs to be

taken on the corners. Anne Haug and thinly closing that gap. -- and

Findlay. Look at how hard they're working. They are going to rejoin

that group. That is a great effort by Anne Haug. I think she did the

majority of the work there. The last 400 metres, that's a huge effort,

and Anne Haug is going to join this second group in the next few hundred

metres. All credit to Paula Findlay coming back from those long-term

injuries. She was very upset after the Olympic Games, she must be so

pleased after the results last week and now to be back featuring in

this. You can see with your own eyes that the gap is getting narrower and

narrower from art to long-term leaders. Sarah Groff just takes an

anxious look. The chase group are bearing down and doing so in fine

style and with some fine athletes in amongst a group of about 12 or 15.

Possibly even more than that. I think that gap is down to 15 seconds

and just over two laps to go. I'm sure that will be closed. What is

going to happen with the third group? That is the one with Gwen

Jorgensen which could make the difference with our running ability

and be ability of the athletes in this meaning -- in this middle pack.

Sarah Groff is going to be thinking, what should I do? This is where the

mind games come in and where the mind games and confidence becomes so

powerful, overriding, almost. It is a question of making a decision and

sticking with it. Whatever you decide, that is the right thing to

do. I was just watching Sarah as you were talking and she looked across

at the gap. It is down to seven seconds. She looked across and

muttered something to herself. I'm not sure it was repeatable, but she

obviously didn't like what she was seeing! They are now fully aware

that the girls are right behind them, and all that hard work to get

away has not resulted in a positive outcome as they had on to the last

two laps. That group with Gwen Jorgensen, I believe, we just saw

them going through. They are only 33 seconds adrift. Gwen Jorgensen is

also being pulled back into the story and into this race. Don't we

love it! The athletes will prove as wrong time and time again. It is

absolutely fascinating. Credit Alice Betto, because it would have been so

easy for her after the shock of the fall, to full-back. -- to fall back.

Gwen Jorgensen is aiming for three and a road, trying to close in on

something only done twice before by women in the world triathlon series.

-- three in a row. But can the likes of Non Stanford get their hands on a

Non Stanford and all the other athletes in this group, second at

San Diego, Gwen Jorgensen was first at San Diego. What will be the final

distance in the final lap. That will be critical. Gwen Jorgensen will

certainly come out of transitions so quickly. It looks as if that time

has really slipped away. We thought it was down to under 30 seconds.

That is as much as 200 metres down going into the run. That is a tough

one to call. It is not an unbridgeable gap the Gwen

Jorgensen, as she has demonstrated twice so far this year. But there

are some really, really classy there and put the hammer down and

the Canadian must be relieved to be healthy and fit and in contention

once again after some really difficult spells in the doldrums.

is lovely to see Paula there and Vanessa as well, great news, just

the depth of talent in Great Britain. We talked about the running

strength and we did not mention Anne Haug. She has made sure that

everybody has worked hard on the bike from her group and that will be

another critical factor. Running off a tough bike course is one of her

strengths. It is still quite open from this group and from the chase

group, to kill you with Gwen Jorgensen in that group. --

particularly with when Jorgensen. Having cycled so well, all of the

girls in the lead group would want to get out and quickly and safely

ready to negotiate the last element of what so far has been an

absolutely fascinating race. Anne Haug, Non Stanford, Jodie Stimpson,

the big names are there. And I guess do things -- guest to things

happening, getting out unscathed and as the clock ticks by, we will need

to keep an eye out on how much time Gwen Jorgensen must make up on these

leaders and a group of some 25 triathletes are now out onto the

run, shaking off the lactic acid. I think this is the athlete who was

lapped just a moment ago. Maybe her race is over. Jodie Stimpson,

Stamford right up there for Great Britain and Non Stanford has gone

straight past Anne Haug and into the lead. Such confidence for the

triathlete based in Leeds who so far this year touch wood does not seem

to be putting a foot wrong. Jodie Stimpson right on the shoulder

of Anne Haug. Great Britain go out one and three there. I don't know

what happened to Aileen Reid there, she seemed to be a few seconds back

so maybe a trip or a fall that we did not sleep. Non Stanford has

released these -- has really seized it there. Jodie Stimpson forget

about the second half of the race, just relies on the pure guts and

determination that she has had I think if we would have thought of

the three athletes leading out, it would not have been that far to say

that before. Anne Haug, Jodie Stimpson and Non Stanford. Non

Stanford flying away now, getting away from Jodie Stimpson and from

Anne Haug. We still have not got a report yet as to how far behind Gwen

Jorgensen is at the end of the cycle but so far, it is Stamford for Great

Britain, Jodie Stimpson for Great Britain and Anne Haug the German in

third place. And those three already have an advantage on the rest of the

field. Very Gwen Jorgensen on the left, the taller athletes in the

back of shot coming through. Is that a slight grimace on her face? She

has a lots of distance to make up against a world-class ten K runner

in the form of Non Stanford and Anne Haug in third place keeping Jodie

Stimpson company. It is a huge margin for the American to make up

and Non Stanford will be doing absolutely everything she can to

ensure that the American is disheartened after the first of our

four loops and look at that, not only is she leading Anne Haug and

Jodie Stimpson, who has decided to put the hammer down. She has taken

maybe 20 metres out of the German and her team-mate, Jodie. Such a

sign of confidence here in the early stages of the run from Non Stanford.

There was a lot spoken about Non when she was a teenager about her

running progress. People were talking about her becoming

potentially be next Paula Radcliffe and then came the injuries and then

university and fortunately for the sport of triathlon, she found it or

it found her and the world under 23 champion is looking very, very good

here in the early stages. We have to remind ourselves in the early stages

of this run. Anne Haug now taking it on, Jodie Stimpson needs to hang

onto the German and she should be confident, and let's take nothing

away from Jodie Stimpson's performance so far, what a year she

has had? To have hypothermia in Auckland and then she was fifth hind

Gwen Jorgensen and Non Stanford in San Diego and then a great third

place in Yokohama and she is having a battle royal with Anne Haug in

second place and not totally out of contention here, it is the early

stages. Is it possible that this by the fact that Non Stanford is such a

good runner, is it feasible that she may well have gone too early? At the

moment, she is looking very good indeed. And we still don't yet have

a clocking four Gwen Jorgensen. The gap was sizeable when she headed out

onto the run and it will be fascinating to see how soon her name

comes along the bottom of your screen on the ticker. How big is the

gap she has got to make up? She now only has 7.5 K to close down on Non

some of the athletes that started out on the run with her. We are

getting an indication, it is over one minute, Aileen Reid, a minute

down on that, so when Jorgensen is no doubt that her ten K run

helped her to those victories in San Diego and Yokohama and even though

she ran 32.44 in Japan, we know this young woman can also run that fast.

So Non Stanford, such confidence. The shoulders look relaxed, she

looks focused. Everything about this run so far is composure. She has got

it under control and she is closing in on what would be a huge victory

here in the Spanish capital. would be stunning. And looking at

Jodie Stimpson running in front of her team-mate in Darren Smith's

training group, that will give her the confidence to stay up with her

now. Coming into the season, she said she was learning an awful lot

from Anne Haug but now beginning to duel with her. Non Stanford now

looks like a 1500 metre runner. The speed of turnover, the drive and

thrust of the elbows, I don't think her head has moved at all. She is

looking forward, slightly up, she really does have her sights set on

through the shot, Jodie Stimpson and Anne Haug in second and third, in

the distance, shadowy figures of Sarah Groff and you read a train to

close down on Felicity Abram. Gwen Jorgensen, the winner from earlier

in the season in the background and you can see she is coming so Gwen

Jorgensen has got herself up into seventh place all of a Southern so

she has taken some distance at the athletes immediately ahead of her

but as far as the lead is concerned, it is still a sizeable advantage for

Great Britain's Non Stanford but what a competitor, Gwen Jorgensen.

It would have been so easy for her to give up. She is still pushing and

knowing how competitive she is, she will want to get ahead of her

compatriot, Sarah Groff and the Japanese athlete. She is really

pushing herself into that that surely this is too big an advantage

for Non Stanford on this occasion? You have got to say, particularly on

this lap, the way that Gwen Jorgensen has come through, she is

within grasp of fourth, fifth or sixth place. The she might not be

aware of what sort of time gap there is between second and third because

she is such a great competitor, she has got on the podium twice as she

would look to be there again and what a sensational run that would be

issue could close down on Anne Haug and Jodie Stimpson. Non Stanford, I

don't think so because she slowed a bit on lap number three but the

amount of distance and time that she put in prior to that was really

sensational. Around 30 seconds, we will get a time check shortly on

second and third. She has increased the lead, Steve. Jodie looking up.

It is up to 39, 40 seconds so she has put another ten or 11 seconds

between her and Jodie Stimpson and Anne Haug but the subplot continues

here. Gwen Jorgensen was streaking through the field and at one stage,

element and then up to seventh place with graft in her sights and Abram

running in fourth place and graft took a little look over her shoulder

and the loping figure of Gwen Jorgensen should be the next round

the corner and it is. That is the second story of the race, just how

much Gwen Jorgensen is catching up. Felicity Abram has been aware that

Ide and Sarah Groff are turning round and it will be a bit about

fear and how she reacts to that. Gwen Jorgensen, one minute and 24

seconds down. Non Stanford has increased her lead over Gwen

Jorgensen that is outstanding. over two kilometres now separates

Non Stanford from what would be a fantastic victory here in the

sunshine in Madrid. She is making the transition from under 23 to the

senior ranks look absolutely seamless. Jodie Stimpson, could she

make this a British one, two? She finished off last season with

victory in New Zealand, fourth in San Diego and she will want to claim

second place for herself but at the moment, it is Non Stanford with the

shoulders which are still not working or rolling. The head looks

steady. It is composed and this is a really classy way for her to secure

her first senior world triathlon series victory. Jodie Stimpson,

third in Yokohama, she has never finished higher than third in a

world triathlon series event and how she would love to build on that

Japanese momentum and take second here but she will have to earn it

because Anne Haug will not want to concede ground to her long-term

training partner. Non Stanford, this must be over a kilometre to go now,

it is getting close indeed so as we say unless anything absolutely

untoward happens, we will see a great big smile as she crosses the

line. But then the drama oh, my goodness me, Felicity Abram in

fourth, Gwen Jorgensen now opt into -- now up into fifth place but

perhaps with the running ability of Gwen Jorgensen, perhaps not soon

enough for Felicity Abram who has been the hunted rabbits throughout

this run in on fourth place. Stamford still looking bright and

smooth -- Non Stanford still looking smooth. Knowing now that it will be

her first top slot on the podium. As a senior. What is going through her

mind and the mind of Jodie Stimpson and Anne Haug? They have been less

than a metre apart for the entire run. Overtaking Gomez from Spain, on

the third lap rather than the fourth. And I would suggest that it

is a number of athletes who have been lapped here. That is not usual

at all, another mark of how strong the running is of the sharp end with

Non Stanford, Anne Haug, Gwen Jorgensen and Jodie Stimpson. We

think she has overtaken Felicity Abram. The face of a winner, Non

Stanford. There hasn't been the beginning of a grimace, even. And

the damage her pace has done. Gwen Jorgensen is into fourth place but

unlike a dramatic efforts in San Diego and Yokohama, her charge

through the field will not end up with the American taking a third

consecutive world triathlon series victory. Can she close the gap on

Anne Haug and Jodie Stimpson? Not too far to go but it has been a

spirited performance from the American, it would have been easy

for her to have given up when the news filtered through to her at the

start of the run that she had one minute and a half or so to make up

on this woman, Non Stanford. It is closing in. A fabulous maiden

victory, it would be. There was a lot of talk about her potential to

do something special here in the Spanish capital, and hopefully the

smile is coming now. Now the emotion comes forward. The world under 23

champion has taken everything by storm so far this year. A win in

Portugal in April, a second place in San Diego. Now, she picks up the

Welsh flag. Non Stanford takes her first victory in the senior ranks.

Second in San Diego, it is first in Madrid on one of the hardest courses

there is on the circuit. That is a fantastic victory. Anne Haug has got

the better of Jodie Stimpson. The German who won the first event in

Auckland sat on Jodie Stimpson's shoulder for so long. Second in

Spain. She is absolutely exhausted. Jodie Stimpson, for the second

consecutive time, finishers in third place. A big smile and hug. Another

world-class performance. She is also growing with aplomb this year. A

brave run from Gwen Jorgensen. performance that from Non Stanford.

She won by almost half a minute. She works and works and works. She will

be delighted not just with the finishing position, but also with

the amount of effort she put on. And Sarah Groff is just hanging on their

in seventh position. What a result, what a victory for Non Stanford of

Great Britain. What a great race and what brilliant scenes for the

British team. Non Stanford with her maiden victory, and in some style.

Jodie Stimpson with her second successive podium finish, an

excellent day for her. And the rest of the field is left trailing in the

wake of Non Stanford. Here are the series rankings as we head towards

the business end of the year. Gwen Jorgensen, first in San Diego, first

in Yokohama. Jodie Stimpson is working her way up the leaderboard.

Congratulations, your first ever World Triathlon Series win.

actually have no words right now. I won't lie, the second lap, I thought

I'd really overdone it. I was hurting really bad but I kept

getting feedback that I was still moving away from them. It was nice

being told to slow down by my coach on the last lap. There was a real

look of determination on your face at the start of the run. I think if

you can psychologically hurt people on the first lap, it is hard for

them to come back. Gwen Jorgensen proves that she can come back in the

second half. It will be interesting to know her second half split.

You've really backed up your silver that you one in San Diego. Yes, I

think I need some rest and recovery now! I wanted to be a consistent

athlete. It is starting to come together. That was the main goal.

Just to be consistent in my performances. There was a real

battle with Anne Haug the silver. What was going through your mind?

tried to work together for the start. I just didn't want when to

catch up. I just had to keep pushing to be honest. I could see Non

Stanford in the distance and that just kept me going. I felt a bit

sorry because it wasn't the nicest running. I try to help her but I

couldn't, I was so flat-out from the bike. I feel a bit sorry for her

because she did all the work. But that is sport. Gwen, fourth place

here in Madrid. Are you pleased? think this race really proved that I

have a lot of work to do. Those girls really rode hard and I need to

keep improving on my swim and my bike. How frustrating was that,

especially when you could say -- when you could see Paula Findlay and

Anne Haug making a break for it? Yes, it shows how strong those other

goals are. Don't go anywhere, there is even more excitement coming up as

Johnny Brownlee lines up against his main opponent. While we get ready

for that, let's hear from them. After Johnny 's started the season

was delayed by injury, it now Alistair's turned to be hampered by

ankle problems, so he is sitting Madrid out. We are expecting to see

him for next months race, but missing Madrid means he has to also

race in Hamburg and Stockholm ahead of London's grand final in

September. So not quite the line-up we were hoping for here. But this

Brownlee Gomez rivalry is still his home soil? He has raced in

England a lot of times. He beat me in the Olympics and obviously the

Spanish people are very proud. The support for Spanish athlete is very

big here. If I could beat him in Spain, it would be great. I know how

hard it is to beat him on any course, but at home it's always

better. This race is probably one of the most important for others here

in Spain. The Brownlee's have dominated this for the past few

years. What was your reaction when you heard Alistair was missing

Madrid? It is probably better for everyone else. There is more

opportunity to win the race. But I like to raise the best. Your main

rival has got to be Johnny. Do you think he is better than he's ever

been? I think so. I was surprised in Japan because he had an injury. But

he ran very well. How satisfying was beating Gomez in the way that you

did in Yokohama so comprehensively? Yokohama was a great race for me. I

went into it not knowing what to expect, which is very unusually --

very unusual for me. To beat him by 30 seconds was great and I felt

good, but I know that had the was an incredible athlete. -- Javier was

incredible. He is able to run very quickly on the first lap and it is

not easy to follow him. He is young and will probably improve in the

next these years. Gomez, you know he's got no weakness, so it is very

difficult. He's a great swimmer, a bit -- a great cycler, a great

runner. You are certainly a man that likes a challenge. Just last weekend

you performed in your first half Ironman. What made you decide to do

that middle-distance race? I always wanted to try it so I went for it.

It's a different type of racing. I had fun. So you're not feeling too

tired going into Madrid? I'm tired not only from that race but from

racing a lot. So I don't know what to expect. I've been racing year

since 2004 and I'm really happy to be here again. It's a really special

course, very challenging, so I look forward to having a good one. I love

racing this cause. It is a pure triathlon course. The swimming is

fast, the bike is fast and the run is fast. I'm really pleased to be

here. Looking at the standings, both the Brownlee 's had some standing to

make up. That is because they've only raced once each so far this

season, with five races so far, including Madrid. From a British

perspective, the rankings look healthy, with five athletes in the

top 20. Of those five, one is not competing this weekend as he

competes for the European champions in Turkey. But Matthew Sharp is here

and is alongside David Mcnamee. Now, let's cover to raise

commentators Rob Walker and Steve Trew. What a week it has been. We

now turn our attention to the elite men. Round four of the World

Triathlon Series incorporates two of the three winners so far this season

and without doubt two of the three biggest stars of the sport. Alistair

Brownlee is not here this time. We are told that it is more a caution

rather than a cause for alarm. Gomez is number one. Richard Murray from

South Africa is in second. Jonathan Brownlee is wearing number nine.

Keep an eye out for Matthew Sharp as well. Gomez, the Olympic silver

medallist, and Johnny Brownlee who recovered from that injury so well.

He was almost emotional at the finish line in Yokohama. It was a

brilliant run. Perhaps in some ways that injury did him a failure -- a

favour. There have been rumours here that Javier Gomez has been over

racing. He's done all three of the World Triathlon Series events. He

was feeling a bit off-colour in San Diego. He finished second in

Yokohama but since then he's gone on and completed a half Ironman, which

he won by some margin. Safety people feeling perhaps as though that

longer course could still be in the Spaniard's legs. He has won twice

here in Madrid, in 2006 and 2008, but it's the Brownlee brothers who

have secured victory in the last four editions of this race. Alistair

won up to 2011, and Johnny won emphatically a year ago. There is

Javier Gomez. He's won everything in this sport apart from the Olympic

title. World senior champion in 2010. His rivalry with the Brownlee

brothers has electrified this sport. There is Johnny going for a second

consecutive victory. No signs of any lack of form after that injury. A

great run in Yokohama. Some talented Russians in this race. Mario Mola

has promised great performances for so long. Perhaps this year he is

starting to deliver. He came second in Auckland, running the ten K in

under 30 minutes. Here we go. The men's race is under way. It's a very

wide start. We have over 60 athletes competing. If it's anything like the

women's swim in their race, there will be one or two keen to avoid a

huge bottleneck at the top end of the lake. It is two laps. What a

in with a chance will go for it. We can see the impact, he has got away

from the other chasers and we saw with the women's race, and people

got themselves into trouble so I think that side, interesting Jarrod

Shoemaker, not the greatest women from the standing right next to him

but Jarrod Shoemaker has been lost off the first of hundred meters. It

is a fascinating race and when we watch that women's race, I think the

men's will be just the same. Ivan Vasiliev setting the pace in the

middle pack and they are spread out. Look how wide the swimmer on the

left-hand side has gone having to cut in but got clean water. And it

really does narrow down this course. This course is brilliant for

spectators because there are various sections where you get very close to

the triathletes. But is not always the case in the first discipline.

Javier Gomez, not usually a leader when it comes to the swim but he is

usually there or thereabouts when he gets on the feet as he does so

there. We see them closing in and coming together as they approach the

first turn. I think Tommy Zaferes has begun to move in and over. Quite

a lot of ground to cover on that. Quite a novice triathlete if I can

use this term at this level. An extraordinary college swimming

background and they are just coming through from the US but he will

feature in this swim, certainly. He was involved with setting the pace

in San Diego, lovely, warm conditions there. I am sure many of

these triathletes will be enjoying the fact that the weather is good

here again. A bit cold in Yokohama but warm enough here for a

non-wetsuit swim and Ivan Vasiliev is in the centre of our picture

there. One to just coming wide and look how spread out they are. That's

what we were talking about -- one or two just coming wide. We can see on

this, quite a big disadvantage and Tommy Zaferes is closed in, he was

almost content to let the swimmers in the middle, Ivan Vasiliev, and he

has made in close and put himself in a strong position, taking no risk at

all getting the goggles taken off but we always see it, it is the

natural triathlon, the tight turns, things like that will happen, the

athletes that cope with that will come through. We are beginning to

see developments, the first 12 of 15 and almost a gap of perhaps four

metres and then a huge wide pack up the back, nobody willing to give any

time at all and choosing to go wide rather than going the middle of the

melee there and take that risk of having the goggles knocked off.

can see how close the spectators are on this course, it really is a

fabulous place to watch world-class triathlon. Just outside the centre

of Madrid, the Casa de Campo. loose leading pack of about 15 there

and just desperate writ trying to hang onto it. That might just trying

to desperately hang onto it. Jan Frodeno with the long lazy/ leading

up the back -- the long, lazy swimming place. No reason to doubt

that Jonny Brownlee is in that in the shot there. And great things

have been expected from Mario Mola for a long time here in Spain. Aaron

Royle wearing number 12. It shows you how difficult it can be, if you

have not managed to get yourself clear water as these leaders have

certainly managed to do and a carbon copy of the women's race. Why we

have seen the strong swimmers very keen to get out front and give

themselves the space and the momentum to dominate. Ivan

Vasiliev, his season has improved, he was 20th in Auckland, 13th in San

Diego and fourth in Yokohama and he was perhaps spurred on by the

interest of places in the Russian Olympic team. We always say with the

Brownlee brothers and Gomez, it is always an honest race. And you can

say that right across the board with the three sets of Russian brothers,

they are willing to give it everything early on. If anybody sets

a hard place, they will be willing to go from the front and do their

share of work. The only weakness of the moment is that it does not seem

to hold together for any of them on the run but they are still learning.

And at this top level, a bit of and experience in them may come through.

We have got the silly of -- Ivan Vasiliev leading, Richard Varga from

the Slovak Republic and Igor Polyanskiy and you can see how

spread out this field is. Some arms and shoulders when they negotiate

that floating device. No quarter asked or given. Lots of extra

distance to be swum if you are not on the inside, and that is the risk

you run of being impeded. -- not being impeded. It is a calculated

risk. Much better to be at the front with the free water. That looks like

Jonny Brownlee, right in the middle, a battle at the front, isn't

it, it looks like Jonny Brownlee has got a grin on his face! And he is

right next to Javier Gomez so Olympic silver against Olympic

bronze and Johnny right up on the shoulder of Javier, saying "anything

you can do, I can do just as well". It is not just a jewel, we have got

other world-class triathletes here -- not just a duel. The rivalry has

ignited the past couple of seasons, it is fantastic for the sport of

triathlon but unlike London, almost 12 months ago, it will be Gomez who

gets the bulk of the crowd support here. He missed a race last year and

was disappointed to have done so. Years back here but he has got the

British winner from Yokohama Chalet Brownlee right on the shoulder --

Jonny Brownlee right on his shoulder. Richard Varga also setting

the pace here as they come towards the halfway stage of this swim.

Olympic distance, 1500 metres in the water, 40 kilometres on the bike and

the ten kilometre run to finish. you were going to write the script

before this race started to unfold, it would follow this exactly, get

one of the Russians in front and have Gomez or Brownlee side-by-side.

That is what we are seeing. I think the subplot has been written and

there are gaps beginning to develop. The second lap of the swim

will be critical in defining how the single pack develops. It is a tough

white course and when you have Gomez and Brownlee and the Russians more

than prepared to put themselves on the limit, we will see that early

on. David McNamee, the boyfriend of Non Stanford who has already

registered a tremendous victory here in Madrid. David has had a good

season, based in Leeds. He has had two top-10 finishes with a bit of

distance to make up here in the water as Ivan Vasiliev continues to

dominate here. Such a powerful looking man. Always impressed as to

how well he runs. He is not as quick as the likes of Alistair Brownlee,

or Johnny or Gomez but he is a huge man. He is not look like 810

kilometre run. You almost have images of him like a pic athlete

lumbering around the 1500 metres but Ivan Vasiliev is strong and

determined -- like eight pic athlete -- and athlete of the decathlon.

he comes off the bike in a good position, he will work so hard on

the run but it is when we get to about 3.5 kilometres, that is when

it sits in for him and he has two work hard trying to maintain that.

But that has two be his tactics. If you sit back on the swim, then you

triathletes make swimming look. It is so much harder when you are in

there doing it yourself. Television cameras take away the majesty of

what these guys are doing. Absolutely superb power in the water

as Mario Mola tries to hang on, a really good runner as he proved with

his early season's performance. think the standard has shot up, you

think you get to the ultimate level and with every ill, it redefines the

standards. Everybody has to attain that in the top athletes will be

lucky to change in pace -- will be looking at a change in pace. Richard

Varga has taken the lead. Richard Varga now setting the pace, coming

through on the inside of Ivan Vasiliev. Ivan moved over from the

left-hand side to the right, I thought it was for breathing,

breathing on the left but, no, he is a bilateral breather. I am not sure

of the strategy there. Almost wrote 4/ there. Fantastic to watch. --

almost stroke for stroke there. is really stretched right the way

through. It must almost be a minute with no big gaps in skewing. The

start of the bike section will be behind the leaders. And there is an

arm of a shoulder there and always a danger when they are so tightly

packed going round these tight aquathlon last year. Always a

familiar figure at the front of the Dennis is also competing here today.

And Igor Polyanskiy... Started the season well. Ninth in one of the

earlier races but then only 21st in last couple of hundred metres in

Yokohama. He almost looked a bit emotional in his winning interview

because he said at one point he thought he would lose an entire

season to injury. He felt something wasn't right with his ankle, but he

said a lot of children had turned out to watch them and that he

decided to run because it wouldn't be fair to them if he decided to

pull out. That was a decision he came to regret. He is such a nice

guy, but at this elite level you have to put yourself first. You feel

as though you are on stage but I think essentially, you have to be

selfish as a top athlete. Very often, it is that ability to be

purely selfish as a competing athlete and a nice guy when you are

away from that. A lot of these athletes have that perfect balance.

They are fiercely competitive. Absolutely single-minded when

racing, but away from the arena they are the nicest guys in the world.

The Brownlee brothers are very happy to have a laugh, but on the race,

that race-based goes on and takes over. We do have a split, don't we?

Maybe 20 athletes. Less than two minutes till the end of this swim.

It will be interesting to see what the time is. We thought around 17

minutes judging from the split online act on lap number one. We

talk about going to a new level, but I think the swimming for both men

and women this year has got to a new level. Back in 2000, the swimmers

for women were dominated by five or six swimmers with Olympic

experience. That is now beginning to happen again this year. Vasiliev is

leading for a while. He will be the first to exit the water. Stage one

is almost complete for the leaders, but this bike course is a real test.

There is no time to settle into a rhythm. That 400 metre climb awaits

all these guys when they get out. We did hear their rights -- the likes

of Jess Harrison talking about the fact that transition was a bit too

cosy. There is Johnny Brownlee safely out. Harrison was talking

about how she felt there was room for the odd accident in transition

when it is tight, so it's good these guys are getting out with a bit of

distance between themselves and the chase pack. Jan Frodeno is looking a

bit tired as he exits the water. good swim by Phil Wolfe, just a few

seconds off the pace there. You will be delighted by that. A lot of

people have turned out to support. It is packed on both sides of the

transition, many of them hoping to they head out onto their first of

eight circuits. Five kilometres per each loop and that big hill awaits.

David Mcnamee mounting his bike there. How quickly will this big

pack get themselves away? Jan He spends a lot of time training in

New Zealand. Mario Mola has not had a particularly good swim. There is a

lot of pressure on him to challenge his compatriot Gomez and Brownlee as

well. Helmets slightly skewed to the left on Brownlee there! The two

favourites, side-by-side as they go around the beginning of this bike

course to tackle the hill for the first time. It is playing out so far

exactly as was predicted in terms of this great rivalry. It is our little

subplot, isn't it! Thanks, guys, it's fabulous. Someone has struck

some bad luck very early on. I can't believe it. Alexander Bryukhankov

again. This guy has such bad luck on the bike. He didn't finish in

Auckland at the start of this year or last year either. And there was a

problem in San Diego. He is a really classy competitor and was second in

this race last year, so that is hugely disappointing for the

Russian. He must be wondering what he has to do to finish a race this

season. Desperately unlucky for him. He is now running out of

opportunities to raise. -- to race. A good position for Phil Wolfe bad.

He is looking around, thinking what you should be doing. Look at that.

That critical gap, ten metres perhaps. You are going to have to

work if you're going to stay with us. So Ivan Vasiliev, who was

leading the swim, is taking it on here. This big pack has been

separated for the time being. That is hugely, hugely disappointing that

Alexander Bryukhankov. Is it mechanical? He looks like he is not

walking very well. I don't know. had been holding his right hamstring

as he was walking away from the bike. But bearing in mind the

difficulties he had in Auckland and San Diego, desperately disappointing

for him. He will hope his brother has better fortune as the race

continues. There are three sets of brothers racing here. Johnny is

doing his share of the work there. Richard Varga is there as we would

expect. I thought Tommy Zaferes might make the front of the pack. He

really went for it on the first straight of the swim. Then he seemed

happy just to sit back in the second pack, allow the others to do the

work. But he hasn't made the jump to the first four. Let's see if using

this chase pack. If these could get together, that would be a viable

working pack. Richard Varga having to work to hang onto the back wheel

of the lead three. They have been aggressive here. They have. Already

that initial pack of 20 as split into four. The aggressive attitude

by Gomez and Brownlee on the first climb has really struck the whole

unusual incident in Madrid. He was brilliantly going on the bike 12

months ago but one of the marshals took his running shoes and it took

30 seconds for them to be found. He will be hoping the same stroke of

misfortune does not apply here. Those three seem to be joining

together well to get back on the pace. Richard Varga seems to be

struggling a bit to stay on that lead pack. It's going to be easier

now as we get seven together. The cap is closed. -- the gap. I'm sure

exactly what Javier Gomez and Jonathan Brownlee would've wanted. A

working group together. Already, they will be looking around,

deciding who the strong runners are and how much to put in on the early

stages. It seems like Johnny Brownlee is prepared to put

absolutely everything on. The two men who produced a thrilling climax

to the final last year in Auckland. Johnny was world champion but it was

Javier Gomez who outstripped the Britain in New Zealand. Some

dialogue going on there. -- the Briton. I make the gap unofficially

about 15 seconds. That is easily closed with consistent effort. But

already on this first lap people will be anticipating the climb on

the second lap. The Brazilian leading the charge on that chase

champion, does a lot of his training with Matthew Sharp who was fifth in

Auckland. The Australian has got himself in this front back at the

early stage. One lap completed here, seven more to go. I don't think we

would have been surprised by this lead group. What is surprising is

how the in Tyre field is split. It's not one chase pack, there are twos,

threes, fives, split right the way down the course. An indication of

the laps ticked down. It was 23 seconds at the end of the first lap.

Kyle Jones and Igor Polyanskiy will do their best to catch up. Being

part of a big group is a lot easier than being in a pair. We saw how

difficult it was the Sarah Groff and her partner to stay out the front

when it was just the two of them after Alice Betto got knocked off

her bike. We just saw Kyle Jones shaking his head, I don't know if

that was in frustration. Again, we're going up the hill. You can

immediately see a split beginning to develop in that front back. Richard

Varga, my goodness me. A tremendous athlete at world level, and really

finding it hard on the second climb. Beginning to look behind. What is he

thinking? Is somebody else going to come and help me? Because that is

not going to happen. What a gap, just the two of them. As soon is the

hard work comes in, they really take it to a new level. It is fracturing

is so early on. That was amazing, to see how much distance Gomez and

Brownlee took from the rest of the lead group. Denis Vasiliev, the

younger of the two brothers, he has been dropped. Richard Varga is

struggling. And this is older brother Ivan Vasiliev looking over

his shoulder to see where his younger brother is, and the answer

is, he is struggling. Alessandro Fabian, who had a good finish last

year despite those missing shoes, but this is at the moment turning

into the jewel in the sun. -- the dual. I don't know if those front

two will be surprised by the speed at which that group was fractured by

their injection of pace. But this is world-class cycling. These are two

of the best three in the world. They are demonstrating that here in the

early stages on this second climb on wrenched apart. The big group and

then the small group away of seven and they are splitting already. Well

done to Aaron Royle, to getting back in that. I'm Jonny Brownlee is

relentless. -- Geneva Jonny Brownlee is relentless. Vasiliev is finding

it hard on the flat. So seven becomes five and we have lost

Richard Varga. The next climb will be critical, receive the ability of

Brownlee and Gomez to move away almost at will and it is the early

stages on the bike and what is happening here today, somebody

else? Carlos Peres from Venezuela. 13th in one of the Pan-American

cubs, not the most experienced campaigner -- cup 's. And another

casualty, alongside Alexander Bryukhankov, clutching his

hamstring. One or two falling by the wayside and look at these two, this

will be Richard Varga and the younger of the Vasiliev brothers,

Dennis Vasiliev but seven has become five-year. As Ivan Vasiliev looks

over his shoulder to try to work out where his brother was put Denis and

Richard Varga have been left behind by that injection of pace by Jonny

Brownlee and Javier Gomez. And they are making lots of world-class

triathletes work really hard. Gomez particularly, when he comes

off the hill, he is very aggressive going into the turns and he is

prepared to take it to the limits. Jonny Brownlee will follow him and

the other three will appreciate. They are lucky to be up there

because if it continues like this, we are almost a quarter of the way

through the bike, it will put them in a very strong position in the

run. The gaps keep on stretching. this group of which Ben Anne -- then

Shaw is involved with, they are trying to chase down others and they

have been left behind by a quintet who have been driven on by the

reigning world champion from great written, Jonny Brownlee who once

again goes to the front who dictate the terms -- and Dick hates the

terms. -- and dictates. The same professional cycle team, the way

they work together, and they have got used to it, they know the way

they race. Again, maybe we will get a better idea or me get away from

that front camera shot. And Richard Varga and Vasiliev have been

swallowed up by that pack which now includes Sven Riederer who also

knows his way around this course, Gomez looked over his shoulder as

well as Brownlee and they are all trying to take stock here as to how

much damage their place has done and hopefully from their perspective,

they will like what they are seeing. Closing into the end of the second

lap, we will get an official time split as they come through. But the

chase pack coming through now. But what is the gap before the third

group? The gap that the leaders had, the seven of them at the end of

the first lap, there are advantage over the chase group was 23 seconds.

And we will keep our eye out as Gomez soaks up the applause as well

as the sunshine here in Madrid. And the chase group led by Sven Riederer

having absorbed Richard Varga and Ivan Vasiliev, 23 seconds so they

have stayed around the same, the personnel may have changed but they

are still there. It will be interesting to see whether Gomez and

Brownlee inject the pace going up this 400 metre climb because that is

what did the damage for Richard Varga and one of the Russians at the

same stage on the previous lap. can almost sense Aaron Royle

preparing for the climb in the position looking for a wheel to

follow and the third group, almost one down, including Jan Frodeno and

Laurent Vidal there as well, my goodness! Aaron Harris and David

McNamee but Richard Murray as well. Richard Murray's running strengths,

if he will try to claw back a minute... Early stages on the bike

as you say, Rob, but the third big hit on the climb. When you look at

the facial expression of Jonny Brownlee, he is concentrating but

there is no grimace. He looks fresh and I know he was worried as we look

back to the chasers led now by then Shaw. You get an impression that

some of the officials moving some of the keen observers. Some legendary

story about the injury about not a single day of running being missed

for three years. That much training and that many miles in the bank does

not disappear in the space of a couple of months and the manner with

which he won in Japan would suggest, as we get this aerial shots here,

the lead group in blue and the chasers in red as they negotiate the

400 metre climb at the manner of that victory in Japan suggests he

did not lose any sharpness at all. think Sebastien Coe said the life of

a professional athlete is a life of being perpetually tired apart from a

couple of times a year and I guess it is. If you have that injury, it

is just an opportunity to stick at and maybe look at the big picture

and as you say, with Alistair Brownlee as well, both coming back

from injury they have been stunning in their race performances. Just

getting a few more pieces of information as we look at the super

slow picture, Ivan Vasiliev looked like he was enjoying that heading

out onto the course. Mario Mola, he has got some work to do to head back

into contention. And also the champion, Jan Frodeno -- also the

Beijing champion. An update on Bryukhankov who has had so much bad

luck in the last 12 months, he has had a crush, that is why he was off

the bike and he was in the medical tents receiving some treatment and

we very much hope that the Russian who finished second here in Madrid

12 months ago will be back for Kitzbuehel and then later in the

season in Stockholm. One of the Russian companions still in the

Leeds quintet, Ivan Vasiliev as well as at the lead quintet, Ivan

Vasiliev as well as Abbey chases -- as we look at the chasers, Denis

Vasiliev and Richard Varga spat out that they would be a lots of

strength and dynamism going on the hills and both the Russians in

there, you would think there would be some attack in there. I must say

I was surprised that that time gap had not gone out by any more. For

that to stay consistent demonstrates that there is a lot of work going in

in the second gap and the addition of the two athletes who dropped out

of the original early leaders might help that a bit. We talked about

Gomez and his cornering abilities, watching him sweep down there and

taking a beautiful line going wide into the corner, coming out narrow

and even then, just moving your head a couple of metres with no real

effort. -- moving ahead. enjoying the downhill section,

stretching the legs. At the Casa de Campo Park here. Aaron Royle of

Australia, Ivan Vasiliev, Jonny Brownlee of Great Britain, Fabian

who ran well here 12 months ago and have your Gomez and that chase group

are now 28 seconds adrift and that means that the leading five have

added five seconds to their lead here, still in these fairly early

anticipating something else. We thought it would be happier Gomez

and Jonny Brownlee but now they have established themselves as a leading

five, there is a big turnaround and certainly that will be one of the

reasons that that time gap has stretched out those few extra

seconds. Jonny Brownlee looks over again, to see who is coming through.

Moving that extra bit, taking the two opportunity to have a breather

as they go through and as they get to the front, they don't put any

extra effort in in terms of speed, it is the total focus concentration

so really sharing the workload out, 20% each time going through rather

than having to sit at the front, totally by yourself and taking the

whole brunt of the wind resistance and the pressure and the focus and

concentration of staying in the front position. That is a glint of

the chasing group. -- glimpse. And then the third pack coming through,

Mario Mola to the left-hand side and now somewhat obscured. But Fabian

with Gomez and Jonny Brownlee, with the rest of the leading five. Five

laps to go on the bike and the Spanish home crowd excitement still

very much in evidence, Mario Mola, the other Spaniard who they were

hoping would feature, they had two up in Auckland, they were

high-fiving each other on the cause, but only one Spaniard in the hunt

for the victory but it is the one we would have expected. I will update

their shows that our predictions were accurate. The advantage is

well in this group, it looks like it is David McNamee and Aaron Harris.

Just about a minute adrift now. you have Richard Murray, Steffen

Justus, Jan Frodeno in the third pack, it wakes you really appreciate

how fast and solid it is at the the bike, out of the saddle apart

from Jonny Brownlee who says, "I can choose my gears and do this sitting

down". And have a look round and say come on, guys, who else is helping?

Now, he is out of the saddle. As we look at the chase group, Richard

Varga is still hanging on there. Polly and ski, Sven Riederer tried

to do some work to minimise the advantage of the lead five. Almost

eight Tour de France real as they take on the incline. Last year, I

remember somebody had written Richard Varga's name in chalk, there

it is again! He has obviously got some friends here in Spain. And

people lining the Park here in Casa de Campo, all treated to a great

race and so far, it is turning into just that. It is that climb, very

similar to the Tour de France, the spectators coming and we see that in

the other triathlon races, it almost becomes single file within the

spectators coming in and urging Yuan and that will lift the athletes no

end especially when they are feeling tired about halfway through the bike

and thinking like that. It is only 30 seconds and we thought it might

extend early on, but it has not and the second group are working hard to

maintain that gap as it is. However, it will take a lot of pressure on to

their legs as well. Another climber of, another Russian. A real shame

for Igor Polyanskiy, started the season well, didn't finish in Madrid

last year and he will have paid did not finish by his name again this

year, Alexander Bryukhankov, one of the Venezuelan athletes has dropped

out as well, Igor Polyanskiy. Not a good day for the Russians, for some

of them anyway, but even Vasiliev still here -- Ivan Vasiliev as Gomez

cranks up the pressure and the pace. Fabian is cycling here very well,

the Italian in second place. Aaron Royle, the world under 23 champion

trying to copy the smooth transition that Great Britain's Non Stanford

made from world under 23 champion to senior contender. And senior winner

here in the women's race in fine, fine style. This is the chase group.

As you said, Steve, it is only a few seconds, but irrespective of whether

this group reached the five lead or not, on paper, the two best runners

are in the lead five. It is Javier Gomez and Johnny Brownlee. They will

be aware that Richard Murray is a minute down. Jan is a great

all-round triathlete but I don't think he has the ability to catch

Javier Gomez by one minute. It is a different mindset as well. At the

front, it is challenging, exciting. If you are in the third pack, it is

total frustration. Is it worth going on? The mind games once again begin.

We just saw Aaron Royle taking the opportunity to have a drink. Johnny

Brownlee does the same. It is such an undulate in cause there on that

many places on the five K bike loop where these triathletes can safely

reach for their water bottles and get the necessary hydration on

board. These last couple of moments are pretty much the only chance.

There are so many twists and downhill sections that concentration

is needed throughout. You see that athletes take the opportunity when

they are at the back of their pack. Alessandro Fabian. The Italian

sometimes disappears under the radar as Johnny Brownlee moves onto the

shoulder of the Australian. He was 10th in the Olympic Games last year.

A really excellent performance here. So the Italian is in good company

here. I think that's a fair comment. We talk about some athletes

falling under the radar. We haven't even mentioned the French athletes

today and yet they came fourth and fifth at the Olympic Games. Perhaps

it is a measure of what we've come to expect from Gomez and the

Brownlee Brothers. The focus is on them because we expect them to be in

the winning positions. Certainly that is the case in Spain and

Britain. We talk about Mario Mola coming through but he has yet to

bridge that gap. There are some tremendous athletes out there, and

perhaps they don't get the the pace. Time is ticking along and

all of a sudden where halfway through this 40 kilometre bike. And

once again, the all-important time factors, as we get an indication as

to whether the chase group are making any inroads at all into the

lead group. Last time it was around 27 seconds. Marco Van Der Stel from

the Netherlands takes up the chase, the lead. It's gone from 22nd

seconds to 40. So on that lap alone, the lead five have extended their

advantage by 13 seconds. It's the dog days, that middle section of the

bike. Concentration goes a bit, the emphasis is on continued hard work.

40 seconds, that is a big call now. And interesting, this huge second

chase pack, as it were, containing the likes of Aaron Harris and David

McNamee. They are now within 17 seconds of the first chase pack, so

perhaps they will merge and come together as one. But will they be

able to take anything out of the likes of Javier Gomez and Jonathan

Brownlee? It is the two Olympic medallists, the two men who have

registered victories so far on this World Triathlon Series who we are

looking at. A win for Gomez in Auckland, and the Brownlee -- and

four Brownlee in Japan. Alistair Brownlee was the other victorious

athlete this season, sitting this one out. The second group are

definitely reeling these guys in. can't believe it, looking at a time

gaps were being fed. I can't believe the third group are moving that much

faster. Good news for the Brits, I would say. Just an opportunity to

sit back and maybe recover a bit on the legs. We've had some good

British results already this season. The juniors, the under 23

is, are coming through and beginning to pose some serious results.

been a really good start to the season for the British elite men.

Not just the Brownlee brothers. David McNamee has had two top-10

finishes. In fact, there are five British athletes ranked in the top

20. Matthew Sharp, fifth in Auckland as well. So tremendous strength in

depth in British triathlon, headed of course by the Brownlee brothers,

setting the standard, as Gomez has done in Spain, for the last five or

six seasons. The only medal missing from the mid--- the collection of

Javier Gomez is the Olympic one. isn't that the one you want? It's

almost a cliche. How many other medals would you give up for the

Olympic one. It's a big call when you get to grips amalgamating and

coming together. There will be a lack of incentive to take the work

on at the front. People will be there sitting that the group is big

enough for me to hide. It very often high -- turns out that nobody is

prepared to but themselves forward. -- put themselves. Just looking at

the ability, the chance to sit at the back of this big pack, it does

tell a story. Sometimes the aerial time checks are not as accurate as

the ones we get at the end of the lap, but if that is the case, then

it is a number -- another eight seconds they have taken out on that

climb. And still at the moment no sign of any weakness from the lead

five. Denis Vasiliev was dropped, Richard Varga was dropped, seven

became five. They look as if they have been sharing the workload

really well. Johnny just momentarily up out of the saddle. So, as we

said, sometimes these aerial time checks are not quite as accurate,

but if that is the case, and suddenly it's jumped to over a

minute, although we do have to take into account that the chase group

have only just started the descent, so that could account for a few

seconds there. But there is no doubt that the lead five on moving further

and further away from a huge chase pack where two packs have now become

one but they have to start working Brownlee who were doing all the

work. Now it looks like they are working together. In terms of

difference, it will probably be about 300 metres before the second

pack even get close to transition. It is still Johnny Brownlee and

Javier Gomez right there. Too early for them to start thinking about the

run just yet, but they will so be acutely aware that the great rival

is right there alongside them. This is a massive chase pack now.

Sometimes hard to tell from those angles, but they didn't look as

though they were particularly moving hard or trying to chase down.

Different body language and different rotation here among the

lead five. We saw Aaron Royle take the lead there. Immediately Johnny

Brownlee comes over. They've established a rhythm, and they've

almost become accustomed to the pressure and the hard work. They are

prepared to accept it, to keep improving and increasing this lead

over the chase pack. A few shakes of the head there, almost size of

resignation as they come through. Now, the next official time check

with just three laps to go. Just outside the hour for this tough,

climbing and very twisted course. Let's keep our eye on the clock as

it ticks on. At the end of the last lap, the lead was 40 seconds. Jan

Frodeno trying to do some of the work. Denis Vasiliev, who was

dropped from the lead five, an awful lot of triathletes here in this

group. And the gap is over a minute. So on that last lap, the five

leaders have added over 20 seconds to their advantage. Richard Murray

is in there, Aaron Harris, great work from him. Mario Mola, who ran

so well but beat his run split in Dunkirk a week ago. With the best

will in the world, if you have runners of the quality of Johnny

Brownlee and Javier Gomez over a minute art at the start of the ten

Kate, you would have to be Mo Farah to start -- to close that gap. --

the start of the 10km. Just that maintenance of the speed, the hard

work, the effort at the front, comparing to almost sitting back and

easing off a bit. It is understandable. That sort of pack

mentality takes over and people say, why should I go to the front

and do any work? I need to save my legs. There will almost be that self

reassurance that what you are doing is right. Is anybody going to be

brave enough to try to break away from the pack? Very unlikely,

because if they do, their legs will suffer, and somebody will come along

on. Superb support here in the afternoon sunshine of Madrid. It

looked like a mini previews Ayla -- a mini South African horn from one

of the spectators there. Will we see a lone break away from this chase

pack? Meanwhile, the lead five. We have got Alessandro Fabian of

Italy, 10th in the Olympic Games last year, but in Madrid, a great

run. Ivan Vasiliev fourth in Yokohama, a season that has improved

from a slotted two sluggish start. Javier Gomez who beat Jonny Brownlee

in the 's rent finish in Auckland. Johnny got the advantage in

Yokohama, Brownlee finishing first in Japan, Gomez second. Aaron Royle,

world under 23 champion. Real quality in that league quintet. And

the chase group have a huge amount of work to do, they trailed by over

a minute. -- they trail. As the leaders prepare for the sharp

left-hand turn having successfully negotiated that 400 metre climb.

This is a city that sits 700 metres above sea level, so this is a real

physiological test as well as the usual mental and physical stamina.

The small matter of the altitude to take account of as well. Yes, and I

don't think people appreciate that. We don't think of Madrid being like

Mexico City in terms of altitude but it certainly does play a part.

Steve, let's talk about Gomez for a moment. He went away after finishing

second to Alistair in the Olympic Games and decided that his tactics

for closing the gap and trying to assert his dominance was to train

harder and race more often as we look at the chase group but is there

a danger that Gomez has already raised so much this year, that he

will start suffering from fatigue before it gets to the big climax in

London? There has to be a danger but Javier Gomez is possibly the most

experienced athlete on the circuit, he has been around for such a long

time, world level are coming through the junior ranks, he will not take a

decision like that without thinking through. He will have much advice

from his coaches, the exercise physiologist, the psychologists, the

medical team, the whole of the Spanish structure will be geared

around him and if he is in a position of power, and he is such a

great athlete, he would not do something without really looking

into it and taking the advice. Perhaps this is part of a long-term

strategy, perhaps that they will race through the early part of the

season doing everything. We do not know what his plans are for the

second part. He has already said he knows he will be in London for the

grand final. Maybe he will take some time off and do some specific

training, takeaway perhaps he has seen Johnny and Alistair Brownlee

improve and come away with that. From the outside, we will be looking

at it and saying that it is a dangerous strategy but we do not

know what is going on and the other athletes, the other national teams

will not know what is going on as well. He will be taking a lot of

advice on deciding what is the best for himself. Confirmation of the

Olympic bronze medal, the wind in Yokohama, and the world champion

despite finishing second in that rent in New Zealand last autumn. --

in that sprint. Good to see Jonny Brownlee back in form and fitness.

He was worried the cross country aggravated injury at the beginning

of this year would cause him some problems moving into the summer but

so far, he seems OK touch wood. Certainly no ill effects from the

great run in Yokohama. 29.21 he ran in Japan, quite amazing of the back

of a 1500 metres swim and 40 kilometres on the bike working the

different thigh muscles. Two laps to go for the lead five and in the last

couple of laps, they have taken even more time out of a huge chase pack,

ten kilometres to go on the bike and ten kilometres to go on the run and

at what stage do Jonny Brownlee and Javier Gomez start thinking about

two hours, four minutes for Non Stanford, and looking at the split

times we are getting on the mend's race, I think we are likely to be

about one hour and 50 minutes, that is a stunning performance in

conditions like this. It is not an easy bike course but some people

will say oh, it is only a 400 metres climb, but taking the stress out of

the legs every time on that and going into the run with tired legs,

certainly we saw with Non Stanford, just what she can do now and how she

has moved up to that top level and there is no reason to doubt that

Johnny and Javier will be able to do even though we have got the likes of

Mario Mola and Richard Murray, this one it and the South African, to

really world-class runners coming off the bike -- the Spaniard and the

South African, but the deficit is too big at this stage. David McNamee

going well, no reason why he can't potentially close in on a third

top-10 finish on the World Triathlon Series. Based in Leeds, some banter

going around about the intensity of the training sessions with him

having to work hard to finish the 400 rats and the one kilometre burn

ups ahead of his girlfriend, Non Stanford as Johnny looks over his

shoulder and Fabian comes through, Gomez is still there. As you say,

there is no reason to doubt that some of the people in that second

pack could close down, we have got five out in front and looking at

what Gwen Jorgensen was able to do in the women's race, there is no

reason to doubt that some of these athletes will be thinking that they

may not be able to get first or second but maybe get third. Jan

Frodeno Sven Riederer will, there he will think there is an opportunity

and David McNamee and the other Britons will think they can do it

too, they have proved they can do it with the very best and maybe this is

the day to get on the podium to how steep the ink line is as

Mario Mola takes up the reins -- the incline. Benjamin Shaw, 13th in

Yokohama. Trying to hang on and good to see Aaron Royle showing

aggressive tactics here. Johnny was looking like he was reaching for a

drink. We heard one of the coaches shouting from the sidelines there,

"this is great" so if we can hear that then so can the cyclists and

they are getting all this information and every lap that goes

past, Gomez and Fabian, Vasiliev and Jonny Brownlee and Aaron Royle will

be informed that their hard work is paying off and the lead is growing.

Rafael, so disappointing for him, he had a great race in Dunkirk and the

Polish athlete, Maciej Chmura. Here in the sunshine and humidity of

Madrid, some really decent athletes coming up short. Before we have even

course is tough and taking its toll on the athletes, it is just five

weeks to Kitzbuehel and that is almost like a mountain time trial on

the bike and on the run so if we are seeing the effects on this course

which is tough but there's no com Paris and -- there's no comparison

to Kitzbuehel, it is that. Denis Vasiliev taking a drink, part of the

saddle, trying to close the gap. He was part of the lead group in the

early stages of the bike. But still the lead five have the edge of this

big pack of chaise triathletes. When they come round into transition at

the next time of asking they will hear the bell and their thoughts. To

turn -- and their thoughts will start to turn towards the run on a

largely shady and somewhat flat runners in this group although

Fabian did well in the hot conditions here in Spain 12 months

ago. Aaron Royle is the world under 23 champion and if things stay as

they are, we might expect Jonny Brownlee and Javier Gomez to head

out onto that run. Jonny Brownlee with the winning momentum having

beaten the Spaniard in Japan in fine style but this is home turf for

Gomez who has won twice here when it was a World Cup event in 2006, and

2008. And how he would dearly love to wreak revenge on Jonny Brownlee

in front of what would be a very excited home crowd. We must not

discount the other three, Aaron Royle, world under 23 champion,

Fabian, 10th in the Olympics. The focus has to be on Jonny Brownlee

and Gomez but it is not assured, we could see something special coming

out. I don't think before the race, people would have expected Non

Stanford to be as dominant as she did but she demonstrated that she

has gone up to that next level. We may see that in this men's race as

who went so well in Auckland at the start of this year, he is about five

minutes down at this stage from the lead men as Jonny Brownlee,

Vasiliev, Gomez, Aaron Royle and Fabian take the bell with just five

kilometres left, just one more agonising ascent of this 400 metre

climb. Matt Sharp having a tough job today despite the great start to the

season and we also have the likes of David McNamee, Aaron Harris, Phil

Wolff who has a great nickname of Hungry! Richard Murray, the South

African wearing number two, he ran behind Alistair Brownlee as runner

up in San Diego as his confidence of a decent finish will be growing as

the race begins to unfold. But they are still a long way behind the

leading five who are already tackling that Hill for the last