0:00:53 > 0:00:58# Wait now # Hold on
0:00:58 > 0:01:06# Say you still believe # We can do better
0:01:12 > 0:01:17Mola reigns supreme here in Australia.
0:01:24 > 0:01:30Winning leads again, Alistair Brownlee. The Australians are the
0:01:30 > 0:01:36champions of the world.
0:01:37 > 0:01:44champions of the world. Mola wins in Edmonton. Jonathan Brownlee back to
0:01:44 > 0:01:52his brilliant best.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59And absolutely stupendous performance.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04Hello and welcome to the first of this year's world triathlon series,
0:02:04 > 0:02:08and if the competition is anything like last year, we have a real treat
0:02:08 > 0:02:14in store for you. Triathlon's elite have descended on the normally warm
0:02:14 > 0:02:20and dry Abu Dhabi. I am here with Annie Emerson outside of the cold
0:02:20 > 0:02:23and freezing temperatures. Here is what we have for you this afternoon.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28We bring you extended highlights of the men's and women's race as an
0:02:28 > 0:02:33all-star cast look to get their season off to a flyer. Non Stanford
0:02:33 > 0:02:36says she is looking forward to putting the past couple of years
0:02:36 > 0:02:40behind her.I do realise that for the Olympics is in the end of the
0:02:40 > 0:02:44world, and I will hopefully be able to rectify that.Our very own Annie
0:02:44 > 0:02:51catches up with Tom Bishop.How long in here?Another 40 minutes on the
0:02:51 > 0:02:54bike, then 35 and it's on the treadmill.And the Commonwealth
0:02:54 > 0:02:58Games will soon be upon us. We take a look at who will rival the home
0:02:58 > 0:03:05nations on the Gold Coast. Welcome. We have so much to look forward to
0:03:05 > 0:03:09this season. Lots of developments since last season as well. Let's
0:03:09 > 0:03:18start with those. How VA Gomez.He is sitting out the championships
0:03:18 > 0:03:23this year, he is focusing on qualifying for the Ironman in Kona
0:03:23 > 0:03:28this year. He wasn't going for the title last year, he dipped in and
0:03:28 > 0:03:33out, and did very well when he did, but we were seeing in this year on
0:03:33 > 0:03:39the triathlon circuit.And Gwen Jorgensen, a change for her.That is
0:03:39 > 0:03:42a change forever, I can see why she has done it. She has been double
0:03:42 > 0:03:51World Championship, got gold at the Olympic Games.So she is going to
0:03:51 > 0:03:54marathon?She is moving to marathon running, and we know how strong she
0:03:54 > 0:03:57is. When you train for triathlon, the beauty of it is you have the
0:03:57 > 0:04:01diversity of the three sports, but with marathon it is all about
0:04:01 > 0:04:05running and those miles. She ran five K on the track just a few weeks
0:04:05 > 0:04:08ago in just over 15 minutes, which I think surpassed many people's
0:04:08 > 0:04:13expectations of what she would be doing only a few months after giving
0:04:13 > 0:04:18birth, but
0:04:18 > 0:04:21birth, but certainly at the moment she is on track, a long way to go
0:04:21 > 0:04:23but another great athlete we won't see on the triathlon circuit this
0:04:23 > 0:04:25year.And excitedly this year, we have the Commonwealth Games, and a
0:04:25 > 0:04:31strong home nation.Yes, the two Brownlee brothers are there, Tom
0:04:31 > 0:04:36Bishop, Vicky Holland is back this year, she won a bronze medal in
0:04:36 > 0:04:41Glasgow in the Commonwealth Games in 2014, and of course the young
0:04:41 > 0:04:45athlete, Sophie Caldwell, so a great team fainted. Non Stanford will be
0:04:45 > 0:04:56racing for Wales, mark Austin for Scotland. And we have this new
0:04:56 > 0:05:00series, I think the athletes love watching it, it is a great spectator
0:05:00 > 0:05:03sport, so fast. There is a series which starts in Nottingham, it will
0:05:03 > 0:05:07be there on Thursday couple of days before the athletes move across to
0:05:07 > 0:05:09leads to race, then the World Championships in Hamburg, and also
0:05:09 > 0:05:14they will be racing in Edmonton as well, so there's this little series
0:05:14 > 0:05:16starting where the athletes will be gaining points for Olympic one
0:05:16 > 0:05:22vocation.Alistair Brownlee is not lining up for Abu Dhabi.He is very
0:05:22 > 0:05:25cautiously not racing this weekend because he has a slight calf issue,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28but otherwise his training has gone phenom only well, not forgetting he
0:05:28 > 0:05:37had a hip operation. And he had that amazing 70.3 race in Dubai, he just
0:05:37 > 0:05:40has to be careful with his calf at the moment, but he smashed that one.
0:05:40 > 0:05:45There is a lot to look forward to. So let's concentrate on how the
0:05:45 > 0:05:51World Series takes shape over the course of the season. We start of
0:05:51 > 0:05:55this weekend in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. We
0:05:55 > 0:05:59then move on to a new, on the series, Bermuda, home of the current
0:05:59 > 0:06:05world champion Flora Duffy. From there, it is on to one of the
0:06:05 > 0:06:09regulars on the circuit, Yokohama in May. It is then time for a
0:06:09 > 0:06:13double-header on these shores. The inaugural world triathlon mixed
0:06:13 > 0:06:18relay in Nottingham. And then Leeds a few days later. Both of these will
0:06:18 > 0:06:23be live on the BBC. There will be more relay and World Series fun over
0:06:23 > 0:06:28in Hamburg, and Edmonton in July, with the penultimate event staying
0:06:28 > 0:06:33in Canada, with Montreal hosting at the end of August. And we end with
0:06:33 > 0:06:36this year's Grand Final on the Gold Coast in Australia, the venue for
0:06:36 > 0:06:43this year's Commonwealth Games. That is of course we Non Stanford will be
0:06:43 > 0:06:48trying to get amongst the medals after being out of injury for the
0:06:48 > 0:06:52Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014. She is back and fit, and as
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Tom Brown has been finding out, she is trying to put the past behind
0:06:55 > 0:07:03her.2017 was a really tough year for me. I was in quite a bad place
0:07:03 > 0:07:08with everything. There were points where I didn't have the love for it
0:07:08 > 0:07:15any more. I felt like I was banging my head against a brick wall and not
0:07:15 > 0:07:18really getting anywhere. Going out to Australia at the end of the year
0:07:18 > 0:07:23has really let me reset and refresh and find my love for it all again.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Now I'm really excited about 2018, and in a much better place with my
0:07:26 > 0:07:28training and with my triathlon.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Did it really get that bad?There were points in the last year where
0:07:36 > 0:07:41it was really tough. And I think when you are more rational about it,
0:07:41 > 0:07:44you would never really just walk away, but my Achilles, we persevered
0:07:44 > 0:07:49with it for a really long time, and then in June it just gave in, and I
0:07:49 > 0:07:53had to have injections and a lot of rest, and I never really was able to
0:07:53 > 0:07:56get back. COMMENTATOR: The bronze Vicky
0:07:56 > 0:08:02Holland of Great Britain. And Non Stanford comes home for fourth
0:08:02 > 0:08:07position.It is still very mixed emotions, I had to move on, and I am
0:08:07 > 0:08:10far more positive than I was immediately afterwards. I felt like
0:08:10 > 0:08:14I had let a lot of people down and I was super disappointed with fourth.
0:08:14 > 0:08:19I still wish that I had got a medal, but I do realise that for that first
0:08:19 > 0:08:24Olympics is in the end of the world, and hopefully I will be able to
0:08:24 > 0:08:33rectify that in a few years' time.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36I will probably be quite apprehensive going into Abu Dhabi,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40but it will be exciting to be back out there. I am going in with no
0:08:40 > 0:08:45pressure after last year, and that will be quite nice. It will be nice
0:08:45 > 0:08:49to go in, flying under the radar maybe a little bit, and hopefully
0:08:49 > 0:08:52deliver a good performance. It is still very early season, hopefully
0:08:52 > 0:08:55going to go out and blow a few cobwebs away, get used to racing
0:08:55 > 0:09:01again. That is what I will be using Abu Dhabi for, then I a good
0:09:01 > 0:09:05four-week block leading into the Commonwealth Games after that.And
0:09:05 > 0:09:09just weeks away from the chance of a first Commonwealth Games.I am
0:09:09 > 0:09:12really positive and looking forward to being part of team Wales. I
0:09:12 > 0:09:19missed out in 2014 with injury, but I have heard great things about it,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22it is supposed to be the friendly games, and the only opportunity I
0:09:22 > 0:09:27get to travel with Wales and be part of that team.What I targets on that
0:09:27 > 0:09:31first morning out on the Gold Coast? My target is to come away with a
0:09:31 > 0:09:34medal. I would love to get Wales off to really good start and hopefully
0:09:34 > 0:09:39inspire the rest of the team for the rest of the games.And go against
0:09:39 > 0:09:42some of your biggest team-mates?It will be really weird to be racing
0:09:42 > 0:09:48against them rather than in the same kit and effectively as a team. It
0:09:48 > 0:09:53will be a bit different. But at the same time, I think those bonds are
0:09:53 > 0:09:57already formed, and hopefully they are not too mean to me!Bragging
0:09:57 > 0:10:03rights will be useful for the rest of the season. I definitely want
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Wales to beat England, definitely. And you are one of the most senior
0:10:05 > 0:10:08and high profile members of the team. Are you happy with that
0:10:08 > 0:10:12status?Definitely. Although it is my first Commonwealth Games, I'm
0:10:12 > 0:10:18hoping Meakes periods from the limericks will help me. -- I'm
0:10:18 > 0:10:21hoping my experience from the Olympics will help me. It is
0:10:21 > 0:10:23something I am interested in doing, working with the younger generations
0:10:23 > 0:10:29coming through. I was so fortunate to be helped by Dame Kelly Holmes
0:10:29 > 0:10:32when I was a teenager, and I would love to be able to pass similar
0:10:32 > 0:10:38experiences onto the next generation.What would winning a
0:10:38 > 0:10:42medal 30 Wales mean to you?I feel like I would have made up for the
0:10:42 > 0:10:45disappointment of missing the Commonwealth in 2014 and falling
0:10:45 > 0:10:48short in the Olympics, and hopefully just inspire the rest of the team to
0:10:48 > 0:10:51go out there and believe that they can also deliver those medals for
0:10:51 > 0:11:00Wales.Annie, it is lovely to see Non in a good place at the moment.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04It is great. She is such a lovely person, but she is a phenomenal
0:11:04 > 0:11:08athlete as well, and I don't think we have seen her at her absolute
0:11:08 > 0:11:15best. She is great, but I think she can be better she is going to the
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Commonwealth Games for the first time, she sat at Glasgow because she
0:11:18 > 0:11:21was injured, and this is a great opportunity for her to have an
0:11:21 > 0:11:25amazing rate of the top Championships.And congratulations
0:11:25 > 0:11:28to her, because since that interview she has been announced as team
0:11:28 > 0:11:32captain for Wales.Yes, she is very patriotic and what a thing to happen
0:11:32 > 0:11:40as an athlete. Overall captain for the Welsh team.And Vicky Holland,
0:11:40 > 0:11:44both she and Non had a fantastic race in Cape Town, first and second,
0:11:44 > 0:11:51gold and silver, great for both of them.Really good. They were both on
0:11:51 > 0:11:54great form, Non lacking a little bit on the run, but she swam and bikes
0:11:54 > 0:11:57really well. Vicky has suggested that it is a smaller race, Abu Dhabi
0:11:57 > 0:12:01will be a lot bigger, the girls will all be there racing, but looking at
0:12:01 > 0:12:05her times in Cape Town, she still ran very well. She put together a
0:12:05 > 0:12:09great race. So it is really good to see both of their back on form, and
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Vicky Holland won the bronze in Glasgow, so let's she a few can go
0:12:12 > 0:12:18one or two better on the Gold Coast in a couple of weeks.Looking at the
0:12:18 > 0:12:23Gold Coast, who will be their main rivals?You can't look beyond Duffy.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28What an incredible athlete, she is so strategic, very smart. She will
0:12:28 > 0:12:33be hard to beat, I really do think. Ashleigh Gentle has proved to be one
0:12:33 > 0:12:37of the most outstanding runners I have ever seen in triathlon, so it
0:12:37 > 0:12:41will all depend on her swim as to whether she is there at the end of
0:12:41 > 0:12:46the bike, and if she is she will be a problem for the girls.And also
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Andrea Hewitt.I love her, she is so consistent, she has been around for
0:12:50 > 0:12:56years, she has won a lot of races, for anomaly experienced athlete.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Will she be in contention? I hope so, but I don't think she will be a
0:13:00 > 0:13:07major contender, I don't think she will threaten non-Duffy, Ashleigh or
0:13:07 > 0:13:11Holland.Who do you think will be first, second and third?Sprint
0:13:11 > 0:13:16distance racing is tricky, it is so fast, and one tiny mistake and it
0:13:16 > 0:13:20could be all over. That is the beauty of it or not. But I think it
0:13:20 > 0:13:23is difficult to call that one because it is a sprint distance.And
0:13:23 > 0:13:27it is thrilling to watch.It does make it thrilling, very exciting.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Before the Gold Coast in April, we have the small matter of the world
0:13:31 > 0:13:35triathlon series in Abu Dhabi to get under our belts. Let's go to the
0:13:35 > 0:13:39commentary team now. Here is the women's race.
0:13:43 > 0:13:49COMMENTATOR: It is the sprint distance in Abu Dhabi, 750 metres in
0:13:49 > 0:13:54the water before the exit and find transition to find the bikes. They
0:13:54 > 0:14:01will then write 20 kilometres around the motor racing circuit, five laps
0:14:01 > 0:14:11of four kilometres each. And then there will be a 5000 metres run, a
0:14:11 > 0:14:155K run to round off today's triathlons, that will be two lapse
0:14:15 > 0:14:22of 2.5 K each. Concluding just near where it began at the start of the
0:14:22 > 0:14:23swim.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30Kaiser we had a bit of rain falling earlier. It is overcast now. Air
0:14:30 > 0:14:37temperature relatively mild for this time of year. 19 degrees, very good
0:14:37 > 0:14:41condition for triathlon racing here in Abu Dhabi. Here is the line-up
0:14:41 > 0:14:45for round one of the World Triathlon Series. World champion Flora Duffy,
0:14:45 > 0:14:53world number one. Ashleigh Gentle the Australian with two, the two
0:14:53 > 0:15:00Americans, Zaferes and Kasper in three and four. Hewitt, the leading
0:15:00 > 0:15:06New Zealand triathlete is in number five. The first of the British, Jess
0:15:06 > 0:15:10Learmonth, number six, also said they Coldwell at 24 and Non Stanford
0:15:10 > 0:15:18and Vicky Holland returning to racing. Non Stanford will run 26,
0:15:18 > 0:15:24Vicky Holland number 30, so plenty of British interest would Learmonth,
0:15:24 > 0:15:30Coldwell, Stanford and Holland all in action in Abu Dhabi today. The
0:15:30 > 0:15:38first instalment of the 20 18th World Triathlon Series is about to
0:15:38 > 0:15:46get under way here in Abu Dhabi. The hooter sounds, and the series begins
0:15:46 > 0:15:51with a dive start to begin this sprint race here in the United Arab
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Emirates, Abu Dhabi playing host, perfect conditions, barely a breath
0:15:55 > 0:15:59of wind on the water, and a fast start from some of these strongest
0:15:59 > 0:16:03swimmers as they head out. The channel will narrow and they will
0:16:03 > 0:16:13come into this marine section with spectators lining the route either
0:16:13 > 0:16:17side providing a spectacular backdrop to the beginning of the new
0:16:17 > 0:16:23World Series, and we have lots of British interest here, Jess
0:16:23 > 0:16:27Learmonth, so they Coldwell, Non Stanford and Vicky Holland, the
0:16:27 > 0:16:32Olympic bronze-medallist, all in action, some returning from injury,
0:16:32 > 0:16:36others returning from solid winter training, and they are under way and
0:16:36 > 0:16:42watching over them is Annie Emerson. What a race. We have eight of the
0:16:42 > 0:16:51top women from 20 18th in this field, the
0:16:51 > 0:16:54field, the -- there are only a couple of athletes missed missing,
0:16:54 > 0:16:59those we will be looking out for, Learmonth, phenomenal swimmer with a
0:16:59 > 0:17:05fantastic breakthrough season last year, Flora Duffy as well,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08fantastically strong, the Spanish athlete Carolina Routier and young
0:17:08 > 0:17:13Brit Sophie Coldwell, I think they will play a big part in the swim.
0:17:13 > 0:17:20The athletes well spread out at the moment but as they reach the first
0:17:20 > 0:17:25buoy they will all come together. Very tall athlete there, number six,
0:17:25 > 0:17:30Jess Learmonth, no surprise to see her up there, phenomenal swimmer.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Looking at the pictures of her before the race she also goes into
0:17:33 > 0:17:37the race relaxed, chatting with the athletes, I think she's enjoying her
0:17:37 > 0:17:42position at the moment in the sport, ranked number six at the moment with
0:17:42 > 0:17:47a great year last year where she finished second in Stockholm, third
0:17:47 > 0:17:52in Rotterdam and sixth in Leeds and won the European Championships as
0:17:52 > 0:17:57well stop whites there is no doubt that Learmonth is one to watch
0:17:57 > 0:18:01today, full ofconfidence. She has all the backing of the team in
0:18:01 > 0:18:08Leeds. Always an advantage to be first to the turn, and that will be
0:18:08 > 0:18:11with Jess Learmonth, she will be first to turn because there are no
0:18:11 > 0:18:16arms or feet to worry about, no whitewater being pushed up by the
0:18:16 > 0:18:20other competitors, and nice, clean, left-handed turn therefore Jessica
0:18:20 > 0:18:24Learmonth who was off into the clear water, which takes them between
0:18:24 > 0:18:31these two cylindrical buoys, and you can see the kayakers pour used with
0:18:31 > 0:18:39the jury members alongside, making sure there are no rule breakers on
0:18:39 > 0:18:45the turn. We have seen a clamp-down of the sometimes harsh elements of
0:18:45 > 0:18:55the swim turn in triathlon. Should be just over nine minutes for the
0:18:55 > 0:19:02swim. And it is Jessica Learmonth, right on the nine minute mark, 9.01
0:19:02 > 0:19:06as she comes out of the water and makes her way to transition in good
0:19:06 > 0:19:11company with Flora Duffy in second and Summer Cook coming out in third,
0:19:11 > 0:19:19then Kate is a heroes, Bragmayer, the Hungarian, Sega of Japan, Van
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Coevorden the Australian, Routier, Santos, Coldwell has swung well in
0:19:22 > 0:19:27tenth position, we will keep an eye on the names as they come through
0:19:27 > 0:19:32with a view to spotting Non Stanford and Vicky Holland to come out
0:19:32 > 0:19:37together in 17th and 18th position, around 15 seconds down, so with a
0:19:37 > 0:19:42chance to ride with Duffy, Learmonth and Cook, but they will need to be
0:19:42 > 0:19:47Sharpe in and out of transition. We know Duffy is the strongest cyclist
0:19:47 > 0:19:52out there and may well force a breakaway in the early stages. Now
0:19:52 > 0:19:57she has to nail transition, it is smooth, Duffy first in first out,
0:19:57 > 0:20:01perfect execution there. Learmonth hot on her heels, past the mount up
0:20:01 > 0:20:06line and away she goes with Summer Cook struggling slightly, she has
0:20:06 > 0:20:10dropped three four places there, with a mistake just coming of
0:20:10 > 0:20:19transition.It is amazing how the ten or 15 seconds you lose in the
0:20:19 > 0:20:23swim can increase when the transition gets tight. Duffy have
0:20:23 > 0:20:26the sharpest transition and for me it was a touch of deja vu from what
0:20:26 > 0:20:34we have seen her do so many times last year.Ashleigh Gentle, a long
0:20:34 > 0:20:43way back. The front group of four or five already deep into the first lap
0:20:43 > 0:20:48with Flora Duffy forcing the pace out in front, Learmonth's transition
0:20:48 > 0:20:54was good, held it together, Cook not quite so strong and she finds
0:20:54 > 0:20:59herself a few paces removed from me she would expect to be. We know the
0:20:59 > 0:21:04track is greasy and already we have lost one of the Japanese, Sega has
0:21:04 > 0:21:09come off at the first hurdle, falls at the first turn, difficult start
0:21:09 > 0:21:16for Sega of Japan.It is not great, dry under there, it is obviously
0:21:16 > 0:21:21oil, lethal, when you look at the tyres these guys are on, very small,
0:21:21 > 0:21:26quite slippery although some would have chosen to put grip tyres on so
0:21:26 > 0:21:29they can ride write better in these wet conditions but there is nothing
0:21:29 > 0:21:35you can do when you hit oil. Looks like Learmonth has joined forces
0:21:35 > 0:21:38with Flora Duffy. We have to look where Stanford and Holland are, 15
0:21:38 > 0:21:44seconds down, positive swim for Stanford to be with Holland. It has
0:21:44 > 0:21:48also always slightly been her Achilles' heel, the swim, but that
0:21:48 > 0:21:53was a good place for Vicky Holland to be, 15 seconds down after 750
0:21:53 > 0:22:00metres.There is the gap Duffy has opened up after some purposeful
0:22:00 > 0:22:06riding in the first lap. She was fearless, others more cautious, wary
0:22:06 > 0:22:09of the slippery road surface underfoot but Duffy's lead over
0:22:09 > 0:22:15Katie Zaferes is already significant and growing, four seconds.I didn't
0:22:15 > 0:22:19think we'd see Duffy riding away, but at the moment she has put
0:22:19 > 0:22:23herself in a great position. A big group behind that looks like it will
0:22:23 > 0:22:27all come together, I think we will find Stanford and Holland in that
0:22:27 > 0:22:30group, Summer Cook, an early leader in the swim with Coldwell of Great
0:22:30 > 0:22:36Britain on her wheel stop whites are theorists of the USA, one of the
0:22:36 > 0:22:43more experienced-- Katie Zaferes, one of the more experienced
0:22:43 > 0:22:48triathletes from the USA. Coldwell in that group, number 24, making the
0:22:48 > 0:22:52turn, but first to conclude the opening lap is world number one
0:22:52 > 0:22:58Duffy on her own. No company at all for the world champion. She cruises
0:22:58 > 0:23:03through at the end of lap number one. The captives of heroes and
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Learmonth is nine seconds, Coldwell further two seconds back and we will
0:23:06 > 0:23:12keep an eye on the progress over the first lap of Holland and Stanford,
0:23:12 > 0:23:18who were 17th and 18th coming out of the water. Now 15 for Stanford and
0:23:18 > 0:23:2218th for Holland at the end of lap one.So they are in the second pack
0:23:22 > 0:23:27but it is a big pack and it will be hard to get these girls working.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Vicky and no need to see what they can do to get into the front of the
0:23:31 > 0:23:32pack -- Vicky and Non
0:23:32 > 0:23:36can do to get into the front of the pack -- Vicky and Non.
0:23:37 > 0:23:44I just heard a rash of something, we didn't see the pictures. I hope
0:23:44 > 0:23:52Flora Duffy hasn't had an issue with the turn. -- a rush of something.
0:23:52 > 0:23:58Yes, she did, I heard something, and it was Duffy going down. Duffy has
0:23:58 > 0:24:01crashed in the tunnel. Unfortunately we didn't get pictures but I heard
0:24:01 > 0:24:05the sound effects and it wasn't promising. Duffy has not got back on
0:24:05 > 0:24:12her bike and has had to instigate a repair in the tunnel.Yes, I'm not
0:24:12 > 0:24:16happy with what's going on here, I think they should have... This is a
0:24:16 > 0:24:21Formula 1 track, there will be Greece on it, but that patch there
0:24:21 > 0:24:25is lethal, that the second athlete to have gone down, we are only just
0:24:25 > 0:24:28through the first lap. The athletes will learn from that but it is
0:24:28 > 0:24:32really hard in that dark tunnel to see where the oily is on the floor.
0:24:32 > 0:24:40Sega fell in the first lap, Duffy has crashed in her second lap in the
0:24:40 > 0:24:49same part of the course, in the tunnel. We didn't see it.We heard
0:24:49 > 0:24:54it!We heard it then saw Duffy standing next to her bike. We will
0:24:54 > 0:24:57hope to bring you an update as soon as we can. That means it is all
0:24:57 > 0:25:03change at the front of the race. Yes, it certainly is.Here we go,
0:25:03 > 0:25:08this was the aftermath of Duffy's crash, and we also lost one of the
0:25:08 > 0:25:15Americans there as well. I think the American who felt there was number
0:25:15 > 0:25:2128, Chelsea Burns. Well, what a difficult start to this race.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Something to look at as well, the teams will be out there, the coaches
0:25:24 > 0:25:28will be out there and these athletes are going to the Commonwealth Games,
0:25:28 > 0:25:35the British team going, is this safe, do we want Non and Vicky,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37serious contenders for medals in the Commonwealth Games, going down in
0:25:37 > 0:25:41this race so early in the season? It is important because for overall
0:25:41 > 0:25:45series points but is it worth jeopardising the rest of your
0:25:45 > 0:25:54season?Duffy is out of the contest. She is limping back towards
0:25:54 > 0:25:58transition, pushing her bike, the world champion has fallen in the
0:25:58 > 0:26:02early stages of the second lap, and will play no further part in round
0:26:02 > 0:26:09one of the World Triathlon Series. All change here, a dramatic second
0:26:09 > 0:26:13lap during which we lost the world champion, and Kirsten Kasper leads
0:26:13 > 0:26:19them through with Joanna Brown of Canada, Miller of Norway in third,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Van Coevorden, then Coldwell and Learmonth, the best of the British
0:26:22 > 0:26:29triathletes so far, Santos in there, Stanford in tenth, only ten seconds
0:26:29 > 0:26:35back, Vicky Holland a little further down the track. So three British
0:26:35 > 0:26:40triathletes within ten seconds of leadership of this race in Abu
0:26:40 > 0:26:45Dhabi.Vicky Holland seems to have dropped off the pace. She has lost
0:26:45 > 0:26:48ten seconds, we know she was alongside Non Stanford but I would
0:26:48 > 0:26:53suggest the ten second gap means she drops back slightly into another
0:26:53 > 0:26:58group. Maybe playing it cautiously, thinking ahead to six weeks' time
0:26:58 > 0:27:02and the Commonwealth Games.Through the tunnel again, holding my breath
0:27:02 > 0:27:08watching these terms. Thankfully that time the first group have come
0:27:08 > 0:27:12through unscathed.Takes a bit of time to get your bearings on a
0:27:12 > 0:27:16course like this and try to work out with the slippy parts are, but it is
0:27:16 > 0:27:21difficult because you are head down, in race mode, you will miss it, it
0:27:21 > 0:27:28is not easy in that dark tunnel, and that makes it even harder.So, with
0:27:28 > 0:27:34just over five kilometres to ride, they are coming up to take the bell
0:27:34 > 0:27:41for the bike leg. There will be one lap to go. And we are down to seven,
0:27:41 > 0:27:47we've lost two on that last lap at the tunnel. The courses drying out
0:27:47 > 0:27:53quickly in the afternoon warmth here in Abu Dhabi, but there are still
0:27:53 > 0:27:58some treacherous, slippery sections that need be handled with great
0:27:58 > 0:28:02care.Vicky Holland said that this course looks a lot tougher than it
0:28:02 > 0:28:09looks like on TV. Obviously she didn't race here last year but she
0:28:09 > 0:28:12has had a chance to ride around it and says it is tougher than it
0:28:12 > 0:28:16looks. There is no letup, really, no chance to get down and work hard on
0:28:16 > 0:28:20the bike because it seems like every 400 or 500 metres you go around
0:28:20 > 0:28:28another turned.Katie Zaferes is our current leader, the experienced
0:28:28 > 0:28:36American wearing number three. She and her husband Tommy Zaferes, the
0:28:36 > 0:28:43triathletes family. Raced under her maiden name for a while. Originally
0:28:43 > 0:28:50from Maryland in the USA. And she will be taking them through onto the
0:28:50 > 0:28:58carpet. Nice and stable underfoot now, one lap to go, Zaferes takes
0:28:58 > 0:29:02the bell with Coldwell next in line, Learmonth is up there, Van
0:29:02 > 0:29:16Coevorden, Miller, Santos and claim. Kasper that group as well -- and
0:29:16 > 0:29:24Klamer. This is the chase group, number 30, this is the third group I
0:29:24 > 0:29:30think. Vicky Holland wearing number 30, just saw her come through. This
0:29:30 > 0:29:34is the chase group now, so hopefully Stanford and Holland are in this
0:29:34 > 0:29:38group. We will wait and see because lots can happen on this slippery
0:29:38 > 0:29:44circuit.
0:29:50 > 0:29:56Are the standard.
0:29:59 > 0:30:07The Non Stanford. This could be what happened to her. Is this her hitting
0:30:07 > 0:30:12the athlete who fell? That is worrying. Katie Zaferes, who is
0:30:12 > 0:30:16struggling to get up off the deck. This is absolutely insane now, the
0:30:16 > 0:30:22amount that have fallen and potentially damage themselves, and
0:30:22 > 0:30:28Zaferes is screaming in pain.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30Zaferes is screaming in pain.This is just absolutely shocking, really,
0:30:30 > 0:30:34I have never seen anything like it. It seemed like Zaferes came down
0:30:34 > 0:30:44from that font pack, then the next group came round. Non
0:30:44 > 0:30:46group came round. Non seemed to get round her, she was clear of Katie
0:30:46 > 0:30:53Zaferes coming round the bend.I think that was Learmonth or
0:30:53 > 0:30:56Caldwell, because there is only one British triathlete left in this
0:30:56 > 0:31:02front group of six.This is our front group, I think. Jessica
0:31:02 > 0:31:06Learmonth looks like she is still in there.So that may well have been
0:31:06 > 0:31:10Sophie Caldwell who piled into the back of Katy Tur Mac one, because
0:31:10 > 0:31:18they were in the same group.
0:31:18 > 0:31:24they were in the same group. -- who ploughed into the back of Katie
0:31:24 > 0:31:31Zaferes.So that was Sophie Caldwell who went over the handlebars, having
0:31:31 > 0:31:38piled her front wheel into Katie Zaferes's back. As an athlete, you
0:31:38 > 0:31:41don't want to win races and get onto the podium because other athletes
0:31:41 > 0:31:45have come off the bike in the way that they have here, no one has made
0:31:45 > 0:31:48any mistakes, it has just been impossible for some of these
0:31:48 > 0:31:53athletes to stay upright. This main group is down to six, Rachel Klamer
0:31:53 > 0:31:59at the back, and Jessica Learmonth still safe, touch wood. We know
0:31:59 > 0:32:04Vicky Holland went round as well in that penultimate lap. She was in the
0:32:04 > 0:32:11second group. Well, this race has been
0:32:11 > 0:32:19characterised by a catalogue of crashes in the dreaded greasy Tamil.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21characterised by a catalogue of crashes in the dreaded greasy --
0:32:21 > 0:32:26tunnel.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29tunnel. Kirsten Kasper is the first one to remove her feet from the
0:32:29 > 0:32:34shoes and rest on top. The others follow suit. Rachel Klamer on the
0:32:34 > 0:32:39right of the screen, a slight figure, the best of the Dutch. And
0:32:39 > 0:32:45they are approaching the end of what has been a very, very difficult ride
0:32:45 > 0:32:49on the motor racing circuit. At the dis- madeleine, Kasper arrives
0:32:49 > 0:32:55first, Learmonth of Great Britain is in excellent shape here. She has
0:32:55 > 0:32:58watched her team-mates and her opponents, some of them have fallen
0:32:58 > 0:33:04during that 20K, they will be relieved to be hanging up their
0:33:04 > 0:33:08bikes in one piece. It is a good transition from Kasper, a little
0:33:08 > 0:33:12slow from Learmonth, but she is away now and leaves transition in third
0:33:12 > 0:33:20position,
0:33:20 > 0:33:28position, followed by van Coevorden. A little slow transition from
0:33:28 > 0:33:32Learmonth, Kasper was quickly out, and Palmer has just sat in behind,
0:33:32 > 0:33:39kept herself out of trouble. She is an athlete to look out for, she was
0:33:39 > 0:33:41European champion in 2009, and the girlfriend of Richard Murray so she
0:33:41 > 0:33:46is in a great training group with the Dutch athletes. She did race in
0:33:46 > 0:33:54Cape Town back in February, finished sixth. Her best finish was a podium,
0:33:54 > 0:34:01she has been on the podium just once. She has had some decent top
0:34:01 > 0:34:04ten finishes, but at the moment she is on the heels of Kirsten Kasper
0:34:04 > 0:34:09who is leading this race, and the British athlete not too far behind,
0:34:09 > 0:34:17Natalie van Coevorden in third place.So our leader is the
0:34:17 > 0:34:21American, Kirsten Kasper, 26, ranked fourth in the world triathlon series
0:34:21 > 0:34:27at the end of the 2017 campaign. She has been a triathlete only since
0:34:27 > 0:34:32June 20 14. They are into the tunnel now, the scene of so many trials.
0:34:32 > 0:34:38And worryingly, I think that is the paramedics still attending to Katie
0:34:38 > 0:34:44Zaferes, who hasn't been able to make her way out of the tunnel.It
0:34:44 > 0:34:50is not nice for the athlete having to run past. Hopefully she will be
0:34:50 > 0:34:53OK, but it is a good angle to look at when the athletes run through,
0:34:53 > 0:34:58you can see how tight that bend is and how dark it is, and with oil on
0:34:58 > 0:35:02the floor, they didn't stand a chance. Jessica Learmonth needs to
0:35:02 > 0:35:07work a bit harder to get onto this group of three.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10Learmonth buzzing with confidence after victory at the European
0:35:10 > 0:35:16Championships last year. This is only her 12th world triathlon series
0:35:16 > 0:35:20start today, so she is relatively inexperienced compared to the other
0:35:20 > 0:35:25three who have plenty more than that. But a couple of podiums, the
0:35:25 > 0:35:32win at the Kitzbuhel ETU triathlon Championships in 2017, second place
0:35:32 > 0:35:38in Stockholm, sixth in her home city of Leeds. Learmonth knows that the
0:35:38 > 0:35:43time is potentially right for her to assume her position as the British
0:35:43 > 0:35:47and one, and the 29 your old is leading them through to half
0:35:47 > 0:35:54distance on the run.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59distance on the run. 2.5 K down, 2.5 to go. Will this be the day for
0:35:59 > 0:36:09Learmonth? She looks full of energy and running. Rachel Klamer, Kasper,
0:36:09 > 0:36:14van Coevorden, standing in her way. I think that the last win of a
0:36:14 > 0:36:23British athlete was back in Cape Town, Non Stanford, 2016, if I have
0:36:23 > 0:36:27got my facts right. So we haven't had a British athlete on top of the
0:36:27 > 0:36:32podium for some time now. Obviously Holland and Stanford both at last
0:36:32 > 0:36:38year.2016 the British team started really well, there was a victory for
0:36:38 > 0:36:41Jodie Stimpson here in Abu Dhabi over the full course, then Helen
0:36:41 > 0:36:45Jenkins won on the Gold Coast, then Non Stanford won the sprint event in
0:36:45 > 0:36:55Cape Town, so we had three straight British wins. Learmonth and Klamer
0:36:55 > 0:36:59are winning this contest. Into the final 1500 metres now. They are
0:36:59 > 0:37:04shoulder to shoulder as they battle for supremacy in the concluding
0:37:04 > 0:37:08stages of around one of the world triathlon series, and there is an
0:37:08 > 0:37:12injection of pace from Rachel Klamer. It looks as if Kasper is
0:37:12 > 0:37:16unable to stay with them. Van Coevorden has been pushed back to
0:37:16 > 0:37:20fourth position as Jess Learmonth grits her teeth and looks behind her
0:37:20 > 0:37:24to see what has happened to the other two.Don't look behind. Look
0:37:24 > 0:37:30forward, stay with Klamer. They have a few minutes of running to go, too
0:37:30 > 0:37:35early to make a break. Learmonth, head slightly back, she is hurting,
0:37:35 > 0:37:42that's for sure. Klamer looks relaxed, they have these positions
0:37:42 > 0:37:46now because it looks like Natalie van Coevorden has dropped off, and
0:37:46 > 0:37:51our podium finishes are going to come from Kirsten Kasper, Jessica
0:37:51 > 0:37:55Learmonth and Rachel Klamer.Van Coevorden losing touch with the
0:37:55 > 0:38:00leaders now. They have taken the final right hand, the big
0:38:00 > 0:38:03right-handed turn, and are pointing in the direction of the finishing
0:38:03 > 0:38:08straight. One kilometre to go. Klamer has tried to break Jess
0:38:08 > 0:38:13Learmonth unsuccessfully so far. Another burst of pace from the Dutch
0:38:13 > 0:38:18triathlete, but Learmonth so far is able to respond to everything that
0:38:18 > 0:38:24Rachel Klamer has thrown at her. Klamer takes the next turn, and this
0:38:24 > 0:38:28time puts a bit of daylight between her and Jess Learmonth. Will that be
0:38:28 > 0:38:33decisive?It's not over yet, but you don't want this to happen at this
0:38:33 > 0:38:37stage of the race. You have got absolutely stay there. Has Klamer
0:38:37 > 0:38:41gone a little too early? Has Jessica gone anything left in the tank?
0:38:41 > 0:38:44Remember the famous finish last year with Hewitt Tim Stimpson when we
0:38:44 > 0:38:48thought Stimpson had it and Hewitt came back. Could that happen here
0:38:48 > 0:38:55again? 800 metres to go, just under three minutes of running left.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Rachel Klamer from the Netherlands, the girlfriend of Richard Murray,
0:38:58 > 0:39:02who we know is a fantastic runner. They have been training together for
0:39:02 > 0:39:08the last two or three years, and Klamer is running in the triathlon,
0:39:08 > 0:39:12she has improved dramatically, and she has opened up a gap of a couple
0:39:12 > 0:39:17of seconds over Jess Learmonth.She is looking good now. She is really
0:39:17 > 0:39:21looking good for this win. She is still looking very comfortable, and
0:39:21 > 0:39:24if you look at Jess, the head has gone back, the speed is still there
0:39:24 > 0:39:27but she is looking like she is suffering quite a bit more than
0:39:27 > 0:39:32Klamer. But she is still there with 600 metres to go.Rachel Klamer has
0:39:32 > 0:39:35recently returned from a three-month training stint in South Africa with
0:39:35 > 0:39:41Richard Murray in and around Cape Town, and here she is potentially
0:39:41 > 0:39:46pushing for her first ever world triathlon series win. Could Jess
0:39:46 > 0:39:50Learmonth kicking one more time and close the gap? We had a sprint
0:39:50 > 0:39:55finish 12 months ago when Andrea Hewitt defeated Jodie Stimpson over
0:39:55 > 0:40:00the final 50 metres of the race. Klamer is holding an four the moment
0:40:00 > 0:40:06out in front.This is Klamer's for the taking now. Jess Learmonth has
0:40:06 > 0:40:10worked hard, she just has to hold of Kirsten Kasper who is coming back at
0:40:10 > 0:40:15her slightly now. The podium positions are safe for these three
0:40:15 > 0:40:18athletes, the Australian athlete who worked so hard has dropped off.
0:40:18 > 0:40:25Sprint distance racing is tough, it is so short, these athletes will be
0:40:25 > 0:40:29tired now.Learmonth has an advantage of a couple of seconds
0:40:29 > 0:40:33over Kirsten Kasper. That is the gap between second and third. But it is
0:40:33 > 0:40:39number eight who leads them through. Last 250 metres as Rachel Klamer
0:40:39 > 0:40:42bids to win her first world triathlon series event. And also
0:40:42 > 0:40:47hopes to become the first ever Dutch winger of a world triathlon series
0:40:47 > 0:40:53competition.An amazing day for the Dutch athlete. She has certainly
0:40:53 > 0:40:59been racing hard and consistently for a long, long time now. 14
0:40:59 > 0:41:03seconds to go.Learmonth looks absolutely spent now, with her head
0:41:03 > 0:41:07moving backwards, and she is starting to rock and roll from side
0:41:07 > 0:41:12to side. I do hope that she can hold on over the last 100 metres or so.
0:41:12 > 0:41:19And hold on for second position.I think Jess has got to, we are
0:41:19 > 0:41:23worried when the head goes back in the eyes roll, because we think of
0:41:23 > 0:41:27Jonny Brownlee, but she has done some good work with the training,
0:41:27 > 0:41:31but she is suffering here. 100 metres to go, I think she will get
0:41:31 > 0:41:33caught by Kirsten Kasper, but I think she will hold off the
0:41:33 > 0:41:37Australian athlete.Learmonth will be looking at another second
0:41:37 > 0:41:44position. She has become a regular podium placed athlete. Surely her
0:41:44 > 0:41:47first world triathlon series win can't be too far away. Into the
0:41:47 > 0:41:54final stretch comes Rachel Klamer of the Netherlands. The 27-year-old
0:41:54 > 0:41:59makes the final turn, comes onto the comfort of the blue carpet, and
0:41:59 > 0:42:03there are lots of friends and supporters there to welcome her. A
0:42:03 > 0:42:09little stumble, but she won't mind. As Rachel Klamer wins in Abu Dhabi,
0:42:09 > 0:42:14it her first ever world triathlon series win, the first world
0:42:14 > 0:42:19triathlon series victory for a Dutch triathlete. Good finish from Natalie
0:42:19 > 0:42:26van Coevorden as Jess Learmonth comes home to take second. A good
0:42:26 > 0:42:32sprint finish between van Coevorden and Kasper, that is a photo, it will
0:42:32 > 0:42:37go to the judge between those two for that final place on the podium
0:42:37 > 0:42:41here is Abu Dhabi. Santos has held an for a personal best fifth
0:42:41 > 0:42:46position. The Portuguese triathlete full of smiles as she comes home for
0:42:46 > 0:42:51fifth. We wait for the decision on third between van Coevorden and
0:42:51 > 0:42:55Kirsten Kasper, but it is Rachel Klamer who wins for the first time
0:42:55 > 0:43:04in Abu Dhabi in a dramatic incident packed race.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08I am so happy. There was no way I expected this. I was scared on the
0:43:08 > 0:43:11bike. I have been training on straight roads, I didn't do any
0:43:11 > 0:43:18corners. I missed one girl crashing, and the next, and the next, and I
0:43:18 > 0:43:22just decided to take it easy, ride hard but go slowly through the
0:43:22 > 0:43:26corners, and I ended up sitting behind a couple of crashes, which
0:43:26 > 0:43:30wasn't smart, so I had to chase one whole lap to get back to the front
0:43:30 > 0:43:34pack, but I am happy I stayed on my bike, and when we started running, I
0:43:34 > 0:43:37tried to focus on my breathing because normally at the start of the
0:43:37 > 0:43:41season I get side stitches, so I trained on my breathing, trying to
0:43:41 > 0:43:46breathe in and out slowly. I stayed at the back of the pack to make sure
0:43:46 > 0:43:50I didn't make the same mistake as last year, and in the last lap, I
0:43:50 > 0:43:56decided to give it a try.Oh, my lord, it was a nightmare. We were
0:43:56 > 0:44:00wondering if it would be dry or not, and it wasn't, obviously. It was
0:44:00 > 0:44:04just survival of the fittest, it was nerve-racking. I hope everyone is
0:44:04 > 0:44:09all right to crashed, but it was carnage. To be in a running race in
0:44:09 > 0:44:14a group of four, it was surreal, because normally I see people go
0:44:14 > 0:44:17straight pass me or I am hanging on, so it was good.And a great start to
0:44:17 > 0:44:21the season for you in terms of points, and the Commonwealth Games I
0:44:21 > 0:44:29just six weeks or way.I thought, if I have a bad race, it is to have a
0:44:29 > 0:44:32month to try and recover, and likewise, I have done it here but we
0:44:32 > 0:44:37still have a month to go with a lot of training and the prep for it, but
0:44:37 > 0:44:40it gives me a bit of confidence, and we will see what it brings.The
0:44:40 > 0:44:47final results:
0:44:59 > 0:45:01lots can happen on this slippery circuit.
0:45:01 > 0:45:05Thankfully Sophie Coldwell has picked herself up after her incident
0:45:05 > 0:45:08with Katie 's theories and courageously finished the race.
0:45:08 > 0:45:14STUDIO: Just some clarification on what we believe happened to Kirsten
0:45:14 > 0:45:19Kasper on the last lap. She was given a penalty for littering and
0:45:19 > 0:45:22while she was serving the time penalty Natalie Van Coevorden
0:45:22 > 0:45:26overtook her just before the final straight and the Australian held on
0:45:26 > 0:45:32for the bronze medal in a sprint finish. Annie, looking at that race,
0:45:32 > 0:45:37the conditions were terrible. How would you describe the?Treacherous,
0:45:37 > 0:45:40awful. Don't think I've ever seen anything like it. I don't know what
0:45:40 > 0:45:44they could have done to prevent it but it was not really acceptable, so
0:45:44 > 0:45:52many good good, experienced athletes going down, like Flora who has great
0:45:52 > 0:45:57bike handling skills, it could couldn't have been avoided -- it
0:45:57 > 0:46:00couldn't have been avoided. It needs to be better than that.
0:46:00 > 0:46:01couldn't have been avoided. It needs to be better than that.We are also
0:46:01 > 0:46:02accustomed in Abu
0:46:02 > 0:46:03to be better than that.We are also accustomed in Abu Dhabi to it being
0:46:03 > 0:46:04warm and dry
0:46:04 > 0:46:05accustomed in Abu Dhabi to it being warm and dry so a different feel to
0:46:05 > 0:46:10the race.There was, normally very hot, Sun blazing, every year, the
0:46:10 > 0:46:15fourth time they have held the race there, so the rain probably wasn't
0:46:15 > 0:46:19expected or predicted which makes it difficult. Sometimes that misty rain
0:46:19 > 0:46:23that was falling as more dangerous than full on rain, where everybody
0:46:23 > 0:46:28knows they have to be cautious.We know it is a motor racing circuit so
0:46:28 > 0:46:32is that the problem, or while on the circuit?Exactly, or we'll all
0:46:32 > 0:46:37Greece, because the way they came down. They were coming down in spots
0:46:37 > 0:46:39as well, that is not a tight bend.
0:46:39 > 0:46:40down. They were coming down in spots as well, that is not a tight bend.
0:46:40 > 0:46:48Really disappointing.Tough race. First win for Rachel Klamer, great
0:46:48 > 0:46:54run for her.She swims well and bikes well but I don't think she has
0:46:54 > 0:46:57produced the run. Difficult to say because we lost the Faroes and Duffy
0:46:57 > 0:47:02but you can't take it away from Klamer, she had a great race.And
0:47:02 > 0:47:05congratulations to just Learmonth, good season last year and a great
0:47:05 > 0:47:08way to start.When an athlete has a great season you wonder if they can
0:47:08 > 0:47:13back it up and she did, kept out of trouble, probably had luck on the
0:47:13 > 0:47:17bike but kept out of trouble, great swim as we would expect and her
0:47:17 > 0:47:21running, every race it seems to improve, and that's what you want to
0:47:21 > 0:47:25see.And a huge boost for her confidence which is important going
0:47:25 > 0:47:32forward.Definitely, Commonwealth Games!What about Vicky and Non
0:47:32 > 0:47:35They have problems with the bikes. Do
0:47:35 > 0:47:37They have problems with the bikes. Do they have to worry about that?
0:47:37 > 0:47:43Absolutely not, other than the fact that it was unpredictable. I imagine
0:47:43 > 0:47:47they were being cautious because at this stage, six weeks from a major
0:47:47 > 0:47:51championship, you don't want to come down and break something, so we know
0:47:51 > 0:47:52Non got into a crash,
0:47:52 > 0:47:53down and break something, so we know Non got into a crash, Vicky had to
0:47:53 > 0:47:58avoid something, so I think today they probably measured it up halfway
0:47:58 > 0:48:02thought, let's get round and have a good training session. We know off
0:48:02 > 0:48:05the back of Cape Town they are both in good form with great winters
0:48:05 > 0:48:13behind them. I expect a different race, the Commonwealth Games.Time
0:48:13 > 0:48:16to turn our attention to the men's race. This time last year Tom Bishop
0:48:16 > 0:48:18was waiting for a breakthrough, and he got it in Abu Dhabi. Remember
0:48:18 > 0:48:19was waiting for a breakthrough, and he got it in Abu Dhabi. Remember
0:48:19 > 0:48:24this? COMMENTATOR: Remarkable running so far from Tom Bishop. Tom
0:48:24 > 0:48:29Bishop, what a race he is having. Bishop home to take the Silva in Abu
0:48:29 > 0:48:34Dhabi. For you it must be a moment in your career you waited for for a
0:48:34 > 0:48:40long time, only one top ten in World Triathlon Series then neck and neck
0:48:40 > 0:48:46with Gomez.I got off the bike knowing this was possible, had a bad
0:48:46 > 0:48:47second transition and fortunately Gomez did as well
0:48:47 > 0:48:49second transition and fortunately Gomez did as well so I latched onto
0:48:49 > 0:48:52him and found myself running through the group, catching back-up to Gomez
0:48:52 > 0:48:58and thinking, this is amazing, and I couldn't believe it when I finished
0:48:58 > 0:49:03the race that I had come second. It took a couple of months to really...
0:49:03 > 0:49:08I kept having to remind myself I did that. I am trying to put myself in
0:49:08 > 0:49:12that situation a bit more. I am still trying to learn, it is new
0:49:12 > 0:49:15experience running at the front of a race or for a medal so it is
0:49:15 > 0:49:19learning how to finish it off, which is... It's still something am trying
0:49:19 > 0:49:23to work on.
0:49:27 > 0:49:31Well, Tom is already in the heat chamber and training alongside
0:49:31 > 0:49:35Jessica Learmonth, the European champion. Four degrees outside, 35
0:49:35 > 0:49:39degrees in there, and I am not sure if I'm looking forward to it but I'm
0:49:39 > 0:49:43going to find out what it's all about. You've been here half an
0:49:43 > 0:49:50hour.Yes.How much longer in here? Another 40 minutes on the bike and
0:49:50 > 0:49:57then 35 minutes on the treadmill afterwards.How do you think the
0:49:57 > 0:50:01Brownlee brothers have impacted the other athletes, yourself, and all
0:50:01 > 0:50:05the other guys that train because they are, or have appeared to be, in
0:50:05 > 0:50:11a class of their own at times.And they still are, we saw Rio, Alistair
0:50:11 > 0:50:16was a bit more hit and miss with his races or not doing as many, but when
0:50:16 > 0:50:24he took the chances he would win the race. He obviously helps Johnny out
0:50:24 > 0:50:27as well, and it would be same in the Commonwealth Games. What I have
0:50:27 > 0:50:32learned from them is they know what they need to do to win, and you can
0:50:32 > 0:50:35pretty much guarantee when it matters they are in the shape to do
0:50:35 > 0:50:40it. They are inspirational in the fact that they trained so hard and
0:50:40 > 0:50:44nothing gets in their way. I have tried to take that attitude on and
0:50:44 > 0:50:50do it for my own training as well, and it seems to be working. It's an
0:50:50 > 0:50:54important lesson for people who want to really make it happen.You seem
0:50:54 > 0:50:59quite calm and relaxed like you have the confidence you haven't had
0:50:59 > 0:51:02before.I think I have done the right thing. I know what work for me
0:51:02 > 0:51:07last year and I have done the same. I have looked at my training and I
0:51:07 > 0:51:10only in better shape than I was this time last year. I have to keep it
0:51:10 > 0:51:15going now. There is no pressure, I am not chasing fitness, just keeping
0:51:15 > 0:51:20up the sessions, and it seems to be all going well. The guys, the team
0:51:20 > 0:51:26around they are quite confident in my ability, and when you are in a
0:51:26 > 0:51:29good spot you don't need to change anything. That's one of the mistakes
0:51:29 > 0:51:33I used to make was to always chase and push and five the extra little
0:51:33 > 0:51:38bit. I don't think I need to now, I think I'm there, it's just get there
0:51:38 > 0:51:44in one shape and not too tired and I think I'll be ready.Really
0:51:44 > 0:51:48interesting to see Tom there with this really positive mental
0:51:48 > 0:51:52attitude.It's great. He's a really smart guy and I think is learned a
0:51:52 > 0:51:59lot over the last few years about as an athlete and what he needs to do
0:51:59 > 0:52:03to be successful. -- about himself. He tried hard to make the Rio team
0:52:03 > 0:52:07to support the Brownlee brothers but didn't make it, Gordon Benson went
0:52:07 > 0:52:10instead. After that second place in Abu Dhabi he has become an athlete
0:52:10 > 0:52:18very much in his own right, out
0:52:28 > 0:52:31there racing for himself, and I am excited to see him race in 2018.I
0:52:31 > 0:52:33love that insight into their training, heat chamber. Is that
0:52:33 > 0:52:35important to the?It is really important, it helps them stay home
0:52:35 > 0:52:38and train when they are comfortable but also adapt to racing in the
0:52:38 > 0:52:40heat. I know Jonathan Brownlee turns up his conservatory heating to do
0:52:40 > 0:52:43the same. Let's look at his season. It was a trickier for him, what you
0:52:43 > 0:52:47make of it going forward? He still won in Stockholm which is one of the
0:52:47 > 0:52:50hardest races on that target, a tough climb it in both the run and
0:52:50 > 0:52:55the bike, second in Leeds, and amazing race from the Brownlee
0:52:55 > 0:52:59brothers, a showpiece, then a couple of top fives. By his standards that
0:52:59 > 0:53:04is not what he wants to achieve, he wants to win, so it was a tough
0:53:04 > 0:53:08year, not his best, but he has a good winter's training, the run not
0:53:08 > 0:53:11brilliant but he has a whole lot of room still to improve before the
0:53:11 > 0:53:15Comoros games.Let's talk about the Commonwealth Games, who from the
0:53:15 > 0:53:21other nations will be main rivals? You cannot overlook Jacob
0:53:21 > 0:53:26Birtwistle, slightly inexperienced but races well in sprint distance,
0:53:26 > 0:53:30former world under 23 champion, look at Schoeman as well and Richard
0:53:30 > 0:53:34Murray, they will be tough. Richard doesn't quite have the swim but is
0:53:34 > 0:53:37only a sprint difference, Schoeman we have to look out for.We have
0:53:37 > 0:53:41seen the highlights of the women's race. Earlier in the day the men had
0:53:41 > 0:53:46to face the same tricky conditions, so let's see how they fared. We can
0:53:46 > 0:53:50hand you back to our commentators.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56COMMENTATOR: Here's the start list for the first race of the new
0:53:56 > 0:54:06season.
0:54:14 > 0:54:18Tom Bristow had a brilliant race here in a year ago finishing second
0:54:18 > 0:54:25behind Gomez.
0:54:25 > 0:54:31Luis and Le Corre the two leading French athletes.
0:54:31 > 0:54:37There is the world champion, Mario Mola. Two years in a row he has
0:54:37 > 0:54:45become the world champion. 2016 after the drama, he got the title.
0:54:45 > 0:54:50Last year he took it having finished in third position at the grand final
0:54:50 > 0:54:57in Rotterdam. Winner of this race in Abu Dhabi in 2015 and again in 2016.
0:54:57 > 0:55:02They were both full distance races. Today is slightly different, because
0:55:02 > 0:55:09they have cut it and half, it is a sprint. There is Vincent Lewies,
0:55:09 > 0:55:17winner of the final race of 2017 in Rotterdam at the grand final, beat
0:55:17 > 0:55:27two tarmacking to second, Mola into third.He won
0:55:27 > 0:55:30third.He won his first-ever World Championship and that win in
0:55:30 > 0:55:34Rotterdam was his first-ever full distance. He is incredibly strong
0:55:34 > 0:55:41and an athlete the others will keep an eye on today's.The 2018 World
0:55:41 > 0:55:47Triathlon Series is about to get going. Here in Abu Dhabi. The
0:55:47 > 0:55:57athletes are lining up in the water ready for stage one. It is a sprint
0:55:57 > 0:56:05distance competition today, a single lap swim in the calm waters of the
0:56:05 > 0:56:09Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi.I always get twitchy when I watched the start
0:56:09 > 0:56:12and you saw the athlete shaking their arms and exhaling, very
0:56:12 > 0:56:16nervous. The sprint distance racing does that to be athletes, there is
0:56:16 > 0:56:20no room for error, you have to be there at the end of the swim
0:56:20 > 0:56:24otherwise it is game over and being 750, it will be fast and athletes
0:56:24 > 0:56:29will want to attempt to break away and as we can see, number 16,
0:56:29 > 0:56:33Wagner, we know he has trained in Leeds previously with the Brownlee
0:56:33 > 0:56:39brothers, he was in the training camp in Tenerife. Johnny Brownlee on
0:56:39 > 0:56:43the left-hand side will want to stick with Varga, a few niggles this
0:56:43 > 0:56:49winter period meaning he hasn't been able to run as much as he would
0:56:49 > 0:56:52like, therefore they have to try something on the swim, try to break
0:56:52 > 0:56:58away. Very difficult over such a short distance.No surprise to see
0:56:58 > 0:57:02Richard Varga moving out in front and Henry Schoeman on the far side
0:57:02 > 0:57:08of this channel just about matching him, the South African, one of the
0:57:08 > 0:57:11top swimmers, and won't be far off the pace of Varga on the near side
0:57:11 > 0:57:17with Johnny Brownlee. Varga leading that arrowhead on the right with
0:57:17 > 0:57:21Johnny Brownlee on his heels and Blummenfelt wasn't far away, but
0:57:21 > 0:57:30they have split into two different lines. A bit of a scrum. One or two
0:57:30 > 0:57:39knocked out of the way.Number 14, Royle of Estrella in that bunch,
0:57:39 > 0:57:50second or third, always an athlete you, not so much great, great swim-
0:57:50 > 0:57:54by competition. He spent some time in Leeds, he is the partner of Non
0:57:54 > 0:57:58Stanford so knows Johnny well and Johnny will be pleased to have them
0:57:58 > 0:58:02there as company. We can see, as it always happens, they looked to
0:58:02 > 0:58:07spread out early in the swim but are now coming together just as they
0:58:07 > 0:58:12have to time going round the buoy and that's where it gets scrappy and
0:58:12 > 0:58:17messy, 55 athletes all approaching this 180 degrees turn together.Did
0:58:17 > 0:58:22Schoeman beat Varga to return, I think he might have done?Schoeman
0:58:22 > 0:58:28is a great, smart swimmer, and it is Schoeman, you called it well.He has
0:58:28 > 0:58:34had a difficult time of late, Schoeman, you can find out about it
0:58:34 > 0:58:39if you want to know. A troublesome period with all sorts of media
0:58:39 > 0:58:45speculation for Schoeman, he has done well to come through unscathed.
0:58:45 > 0:58:49The ITU have cleared him of any wrongdoing and I think his statement
0:58:49 > 0:58:54was there had never been a positive test or adverse analytical finding,
0:58:54 > 0:58:59or a necessity for a therapeutic use exemption form, he said he never
0:58:59 > 0:59:04failed a drug test in his sporting career nor has he ever had to apply
0:59:04 > 0:59:08for an exemption. Most importantly the ITU have completely cleared him
0:59:08 > 0:59:13of wrongdoing, and I think we have to move on from that. That came up
0:59:13 > 0:59:17in Rio when he won the bronze medal, but I would like to reiterate that
0:59:17 > 0:59:22he has been totally cleared. He has back racing, raised in Cape Town a
0:59:22 > 0:59:26couple of weeks ago, came second to Richard Murray in a World Cup sprint
0:59:26 > 0:59:30event, so good for him, he's had a chance to hit out already this
0:59:30 > 0:59:37season which many other athletes haven't, as has Richard Murray.
0:59:38 > 0:59:42The British athletes to look out for, Jonny Brownlee, Tom Bishop,
0:59:42 > 0:59:50Marcos did, Gordon Benson. As Henri Schoeman leads them in towards the
0:59:50 > 0:59:57end of this single lap of swimming. 750 metres almost done, fast time.
0:59:57 > 1:00:02Schoeman will be out in under nine minutes. And he is first to reach
1:00:02 > 1:00:10the ramp that takes him out of the water, and Schoeman is on his way.
1:00:10 > 1:00:15That was Ben Canute in second place. Just three seconds behind. We saw
1:00:15 > 1:00:25Jonny Brownlee near the front, Varga is out.
1:00:25 > 1:00:28is out. Tom Bishop is just ten seconds off the pace, right up
1:00:28 > 1:00:32there, should be with the leading group as they pick up their bikes.
1:00:32 > 1:00:36Schoeman makes the left turn, Gordon Benson is through and he is with
1:00:36 > 1:00:46that front group as well. Joanna
1:00:46 > 1:01:01Mak Marc Austin is out. They are into transition. They have reversed
1:01:01 > 1:01:05this time and time again. Jonny Brownlee is synchronised with
1:01:05 > 1:01:13Vincent Luis as they set off on the first of their five laps, a 20K ride
1:01:13 > 1:01:16around the streets of the motor circuit of the marina. A little
1:01:16 > 1:01:26light rate falling. Henri Schoeman is on the way, Vincent Luis
1:01:26 > 1:01:37following. And we have a man down already. What a dreadful start. Was
1:01:37 > 1:01:42that Connix?One of the French athletes.He is back-up on his bike.
1:01:42 > 1:01:45Dreadful start from one of the French athletes.Looking back down
1:01:45 > 1:01:52the field, Jacob Birtwhistle is one to look out for, he was well down,
1:01:52 > 1:01:59about 25 seconds down. Mola was the last of the top guys out, 30 seconds
1:01:59 > 1:02:04down.There is a gap to Richard Varga who is desperately trying to
1:02:04 > 1:02:09get to the front. He wasn't the first out of the water. Schoeman who
1:02:09 > 1:02:15led the swim. Then a group of six or seven who are strung out along the
1:02:15 > 1:02:22back straight of the motor circuit. It is a truncated lap within the
1:02:22 > 1:02:30confines of the Formula 1 track here. And the front four has just
1:02:30 > 1:02:34become five.As we can see, the roads are pretty treacherous, it is
1:02:34 > 1:02:39very damp and that is when it becomes dangerous and slippery.
1:02:39 > 1:02:43Jonny Brownlee is pushing the pace along. He wants somebody to join
1:02:43 > 1:02:47him, he wants to keep clear of the rest of the field. We all know how
1:02:47 > 1:02:50successful the Brownlee brothers can be when they dominate the bike
1:02:50 > 1:02:54section of these triathlons, and obviously Jonny Brownlee has that in
1:02:54 > 1:02:59mind today. He wants to get the race wrapped up by the time he hangs up
1:02:59 > 1:03:05his bike. And he has gone down! Jonny Brownlee pushing too hard, and
1:03:05 > 1:03:09he has caused a traffic jam behind him. Goodness me.Yes, that wasn't
1:03:09 > 1:03:14going to be the first accident we saw. There is not a lot you can do
1:03:14 > 1:03:18about it. The only thing you can try and do is stay off the white paint,
1:03:18 > 1:03:23that gets really greasy, but I think he just came down on a spot that was
1:03:23 > 1:03:26pretty unavoidable. The guys have great skills, but when you're riding
1:03:26 > 1:03:30on this, it is like being on an ice rink in parts. I don't think Jonny
1:03:30 > 1:03:38did anything wrong.So, the first race of the season, the officials
1:03:38 > 1:03:41will have their heads in hands watching Jonny Brownlee hit the deck
1:03:41 > 1:03:47before completes his first lap for 2018. You can see his yellow bike
1:03:47 > 1:03:50helmet at the top of that group, bobbing up and down as he
1:03:50 > 1:03:55desperately tries to get back on terms with the lead group. Let's see
1:03:55 > 1:03:58this again. He was taking the right-hander, his wheels went from
1:03:58 > 1:04:03under him, and then the others had to take evasive action. But he only
1:04:03 > 1:04:07spent a few seconds on the deck before he was back and riding again.
1:04:07 > 1:04:11Thankfully no one else made contact. The only worry is that is your
1:04:11 > 1:04:15confidence is dented and you become very cautious, but Jonny Brownlee
1:04:15 > 1:04:17has great skills and great experience, so hopefully that'll
1:04:17 > 1:04:30crash hasn't affected him too much. So, one of the Italians now leading,
1:04:30 > 1:04:36Alessandro Fabian. Then Kanute of the USA, Bergere France, Luis,
1:04:36 > 1:04:42Nieschlag, Schoeman. Jonny Brownlee has only lost nine seconds after his
1:04:42 > 1:04:51off. That is the first group of 11. Jonny Brownlee is not out of this
1:04:51 > 1:04:57competition. He could still bounce back and win this race. Another one
1:04:57 > 1:05:02down, it is Fabian. We keep losing the leaders. Brownlee was leading,
1:05:02 > 1:05:05then we lost Fabian who was leading. It is greasy underfoot, caution is
1:05:05 > 1:05:12required.
1:05:12 > 1:05:18required. Pierre le Corre now takes it up for France.Tom I don't think
1:05:18 > 1:05:21is that happy, I know last year in Yokohama he didn't enjoy the wet
1:05:21 > 1:05:25conditions, and he had a bit of a crash and had to work hard to get
1:05:25 > 1:05:30back on. When I was having a chat with him, he said he lost his nerve
1:05:30 > 1:05:32in the wet, as you do, and these athletes have come down thick and
1:05:32 > 1:05:38fast now.
1:05:38 > 1:05:41fast now.Jonathan Brownlee with the yellow helmet coming here he comes
1:05:41 > 1:05:46now, his bike seems to be undamaged and he is fighting for his place,
1:05:46 > 1:05:49making his way back up through the field, hoping to join in with the
1:05:49 > 1:05:54leaders at the front of this competition here in Abu Dhabi. The
1:05:54 > 1:05:57first stage of the 2018 World Cup series has got off to dramatic
1:05:57 > 1:06:04start.We can see now that Schoeman is to siding he is going to have a
1:06:04 > 1:06:08bit of a go and write off the front. This is the only hill on the
1:06:08 > 1:06:11circuit, I'm surprised they have let him go. I think he is looking around
1:06:11 > 1:06:15and thinking, there is a big group behind with some good runners, I
1:06:15 > 1:06:19have a chance to be on the podium. He didn't have the best of years
1:06:19 > 1:06:29last year following his phenomenal bronze medal in Rio, and he won in
1:06:29 > 1:06:33Cozumel, and we remember that for one special reason, Alistair
1:06:33 > 1:06:37carrying Jonny across the line, but the rest of the results were nothing
1:06:37 > 1:06:41to write home about. I think that Schoeman is going to be looking to
1:06:41 > 1:06:47make up for a very difficult 2017. You mentioned Cozumel and the famous
1:06:47 > 1:06:52brothers in arms, that wouldn't be allowed now, the rules have changed.
1:06:52 > 1:06:55Alistair would no longer be allowed to pick up his brother and throw him
1:06:55 > 1:06:59across the finish line like you did in Cozumel.They have updated the
1:06:59 > 1:07:03rules because of that, I think, but what a great story it was for
1:07:03 > 1:07:09triathlon. So we are into the second half of
1:07:09 > 1:07:15this 20K bike, and Henri Schoeman is out on his own. It has been the
1:07:15 > 1:07:19perfect tactical race so far for the South African. Let's get a check on
1:07:19 > 1:07:23the time difference here. Last time was eight seconds, but now we have
1:07:23 > 1:07:29somebody who made an effort to try and bridge the gap from the chasers
1:07:29 > 1:07:34to the leader. Schoeman looks to be happy out on his own. No one has
1:07:34 > 1:07:39gone with him, no one has troubled him for a while, and his lead is
1:07:39 > 1:07:45extended to around 11 seconds. Vincent Luis is trying to stem the
1:07:45 > 1:07:53tide of Schoeman's efforts on the bike, and he is now joined by Aaron
1:07:53 > 1:07:58Royle of Australia who wants to go with Vincent Luis. Jonny Brownlee is
1:07:58 > 1:08:02next and then Fabian. And marry a Mola is up in that chase group as
1:08:02 > 1:08:09well. So Mola remember was 30 seconds down coming out of the
1:08:09 > 1:08:14water, and he is back in contention now. Schoeman's lead has extended to
1:08:14 > 1:08:19an impressive 14 seconds, but Mola is right back in this race.I think
1:08:19 > 1:08:23Schoeman has just got to keep his head down now. I don't think it is
1:08:23 > 1:08:28the fact that he is working, putting in a massive effort. Think he just
1:08:28 > 1:08:31wrote the corner is a little bit more bravely than some of the
1:08:31 > 1:08:37athletes. And there are so many corners, the race keeps slowing down
1:08:37 > 1:08:40and then opening up. It would be much harder on long stretches of
1:08:40 > 1:08:45road is to stay away like this, but at the moment I think he is having a
1:08:45 > 1:08:50very intelligent, strong race. Even if he only gets a gap of around 20
1:08:50 > 1:08:53seconds, he stays out of trouble that you might see some times when
1:08:53 > 1:09:01the athletes are riding in a big pack of these tight, wet bends.
1:09:02 > 1:09:03pack of these tight, wet bends.This is the only dry part of the truck as
1:09:03 > 1:09:09they go through the tunnel and out onto the main body. And another
1:09:09 > 1:09:13major collision! Goodness me, who is it this time? It is Russell White of
1:09:13 > 1:09:18Ireland who is down, and that is the dry part of the track.I can only
1:09:18 > 1:09:22really think that there is a lot of grease on this road, because coming
1:09:22 > 1:09:26down where he has just come down, it wasn't even a tight bend, and it
1:09:26 > 1:09:30isn't even wet under there.It is a motor racing circuit, there will be
1:09:30 > 1:09:37oil, grease, bits of rubber around. It is not going to be the Gropius
1:09:37 > 1:09:41circuit, but take nothing away from Henri Schoeman, the South African
1:09:41 > 1:09:47has nailed this race so far. What a start for the 26-year-old from
1:09:47 > 1:09:52Durban, started competing in 2011 in the elite field, came in with his
1:09:52 > 1:10:00strength, his background in swimming, and use that to good
1:10:00 > 1:10:03effect to be the third man home in the Rio Olympic Games to earn his
1:10:03 > 1:10:11bronze medal. Schoeman well-balanced through the tightest part of the
1:10:11 > 1:10:15circuit.You can see how narrow and tight it is there, and you can see
1:10:15 > 1:10:18how it will really favour a lone rider, because when you come to
1:10:18 > 1:10:24those corners in a big group, it gets a lot of to move around
1:10:24 > 1:10:30quickly.So far, tactically, very sensible, sensible riding from Henri
1:10:30 > 1:10:36Schoeman, and there is marry
1:10:42 > 1:10:46Mario Miola, winner last season on the Gold Coast and Yokohama, he won
1:10:46 > 1:10:52again in Hamburg and again in Edmonton. He was third at the grand
1:10:52 > 1:11:00final in Rotterdam in September. That is how he wrapped up his second
1:11:00 > 1:11:05successive world title. Henri Schoeman leading, and further down
1:11:05 > 1:11:12the road, his main rivals are beginning to
1:11:12 > 1:11:15beginning to gather Mario Miola is taking on plenty of liquid, keeping
1:11:15 > 1:11:24himself hydrated. Jonny Brownlee is keeping himself out of trouble as
1:11:24 > 1:11:28well, maybe there is some damage to the right knee, that would be my
1:11:28 > 1:11:33assessment looking at the scarring and potential bleeding. That might
1:11:33 > 1:11:42be the only damage done to Jonathan Brownlee after that crashed earlier.
1:11:42 > 1:11:51It is Adrien Briffod at the top of this group. Henri Schoeman took the
1:11:51 > 1:11:59bell some 20 seconds ago. Birtwhistle is in contention, so is
1:11:59 > 1:12:02Silva.
1:12:09 > 1:12:11Nieschlag is the leading German. Approaching transition for the last
1:12:11 > 1:12:18time on the bike circuit, and Schoeman starts to prepare. He will
1:12:18 > 1:12:21rest his feet on top of his bike shoes, which will remain attached to
1:12:21 > 1:12:33the pedals as he hangs up the bike. And Burford just glancing behind.
1:12:33 > 1:12:37The gap was up to at its best for Henri Schoeman around 18 seconds, so
1:12:37 > 1:12:41we will see what it is the conclusion of the bike leg. Jonny
1:12:41 > 1:12:46Brownlee just keeping himself removed from that group. Schoeman is
1:12:46 > 1:12:51into transition, he wants this to be clean and fast. So far, so good. Has
1:12:51 > 1:12:54a little glance to see what his rivals are doing, he has picked up
1:12:54 > 1:13:01his glasses and he is away. Brifford burst out of transition behind him.
1:13:01 > 1:13:09Mario Mola behind him, coming up to his position in transition. World
1:13:09 > 1:13:14number one, and he is 22 seconds off the pace of Henri Schoeman. Remember
1:13:14 > 1:13:19he has closed down gaps of around 30 seconds in the past. The familiar
1:13:19 > 1:13:26white visor for Mario Miola. Henri Schoeman, Olympic gold medallist,
1:13:26 > 1:13:29leads them, bursting out of transition and he is on his first
1:13:29 > 1:13:35lap. Brifford of Switzerland, the Canadian in second, and then the
1:13:35 > 1:13:41battle begins. Further down the road, Mola straight into his stride,
1:13:41 > 1:13:46with Luis for company, and Bergere. Jonny Brownlee with a damaged right
1:13:46 > 1:13:51knee, we think, looks for the running. Royle coming through,
1:13:51 > 1:13:56Kanute, and Fabian who was also a fuller on the bike leg, the last of
1:13:56 > 1:14:01that group to leave transition. Only once in world triathlon series
1:14:01 > 1:14:04history has an athlete led out of the water and off the bike and gone
1:14:04 > 1:14:10on to win the race. And that was Alistair Brownlee in Kitzbuhel in
1:14:10 > 1:14:142011. If Henri Schoeman does it today, because he was first out of
1:14:14 > 1:14:18the water, he was leading after the bike, if he holds on to win this
1:14:18 > 1:14:20race, he will become only the second triathlete to achieve that.
1:14:25 > 1:14:30Schoeman looks like he is full of running at the moment, very relaxed,
1:14:30 > 1:14:38legs turning over nice and had files.Johnny Brownlee is in 11th
1:14:38 > 1:14:42position.Holding his own on the shoulder of Jacob Birtwhistle, good
1:14:42 > 1:14:47place to go. He made no bones of the fact that he wasn't going in with
1:14:47 > 1:14:51massive confidence particularly on the run, not the swim and the bike,
1:14:51 > 1:14:55he is fit there, but it will be a good hit out for Brownlee and a good
1:14:55 > 1:14:58step towards building on where he needs to be fuller Commonwealth
1:14:58 > 1:15:02Games in six weeks, where his brother will be, and that always
1:15:02 > 1:15:10adds a bit more to the race, when Alistair is there with Johnny.Take
1:15:10 > 1:15:13out the Spaniard Mola and the two French boys and Schoeman is one of
1:15:13 > 1:15:16the favourites heading into the Commonwealth Games because Mola and
1:15:16 > 1:15:21Badger and Luis will not be involved, but Schoeman will, -- Mola
1:15:21 > 1:15:25and Bergere. A sprint distance on the Gold Coast for the Commonwealth
1:15:25 > 1:15:30Games triathlon and Schoeman could go here. Mola clear of Luis and
1:15:30 > 1:15:34Bergere and Mola has staked a claim for outright second.He certainly
1:15:34 > 1:15:39has, stamping down his authority on the Frenchman. They have gone out
1:15:39 > 1:15:46fast, Luis races well over five five kilometres but has raced well
1:15:46 > 1:15:50already. Schoeman is definitely a favourite for a Commonwealth medal
1:15:50 > 1:15:55as they come overthe. They have rung the bell to say they are on the
1:15:55 > 1:16:01final lap.Schoeman leads the way with two and a half kilometres to
1:16:01 > 1:16:05run, danger lurking, though, because Mario Mola is now 11 seconds off the
1:16:05 > 1:16:09pace, and has moved to adapt another gear, four seconds further back
1:16:09 > 1:16:13Vincent Luis and Leo Bergere who look like they may be fighting for
1:16:13 > 1:16:18third here with the last lap to come. The two Frenchman shoulder to
1:16:18 > 1:16:23shoulder then Adrian brief vogue, but he won't be featuring in the top
1:16:23 > 1:16:31ten I don't think by the end of today -- Briffod. Silva and Iden,
1:16:31 > 1:16:42the Norwegian, Mishra Pflucke -- Mislawchuk in tenth. Mola sets his
1:16:42 > 1:16:47sights on the green ahead of him, the Green worn by the South African
1:16:47 > 1:16:57Schoeman. He is in focus now for Mario Mola.49 seconds down there,
1:16:57 > 1:17:00the team partner of Schoeman, we would have expected him to feature
1:17:00 > 1:17:04more off the back of the victory in Cape Town a few weeks ago, but
1:17:04 > 1:17:10hasn't made it on the swim. Mola a bit behind. This is a part of the
1:17:10 > 1:17:12course to relax a little, let the legs turnover fast, you want to
1:17:12 > 1:17:16relax when you go downhill but you have to give up the pace especially
1:17:16 > 1:17:20when you have world number one Mario Mola chasing you down. A little
1:17:20 > 1:17:28mention of the French athlete alongside Luis, Leo Bergere, one of
1:17:28 > 1:17:34the youngest, 21. The French team looking strong now, he won a bronze
1:17:34 > 1:17:39never at the Junior World Championships in 2015 but hasn't
1:17:39 > 1:17:43featured Matt on the World Triathlon Series, ape in Hamburg last year --
1:17:43 > 1:17:46hasn't featured much.Schoeman leading the way up the hill land
1:17:46 > 1:17:51onto the motor circuit for the final time, Mario Mola starting to breathe
1:17:51 > 1:17:57down the South African's next, he is closing the gap, but is there enough
1:17:57 > 1:18:04tarmac for Mola to get the job done? Luis of France, Bergere also of
1:18:04 > 1:18:12France running in close proximity in third and fourth. They could be in a
1:18:12 > 1:18:15head-to-head battle to claim the last place on the podium. And a bit
1:18:15 > 1:18:19further behind we have the Australian Jacob Birtwhistle and
1:18:19 > 1:18:23Jonathan Brownlee of Great Britain, and others, looking for top ten
1:18:23 > 1:18:30finishes in the first race of the season. Schoeman versus Mola for the
1:18:30 > 1:18:36win here in Abu Dhabi in the first race of the 2018 World Triathlon
1:18:36 > 1:18:42Series.It will be a close contest, it really will be, with a mile to go
1:18:42 > 1:18:46on this course, we would expect the athletes to run around five minutes
1:18:46 > 1:18:49for the last mile. Mola on his own now which makes it hard work because
1:18:49 > 1:18:54when you are running in a group you can work of the other athletes. But
1:18:54 > 1:19:01we can see Mola, not having it easy, putting in a big effort
1:19:04 > 1:19:06putting in a big effort here but has he got enough road left to catch
1:19:06 > 1:19:09Schoeman?Twice the world champion, the last two years, the man from
1:19:09 > 1:19:13Majorca, but Schoeman of Durm and insert -- Durban in South Africa has
1:19:13 > 1:19:16put in an excellent pace in the first lap and a half of this five K
1:19:16 > 1:19:22run and at the moment Schoeman looks relatively secure in first but you
1:19:22 > 1:19:27can never know what Mola is capable of.We have to do a bit accounting
1:19:27 > 1:19:31here, the time is ticking away, I don't think Mola will get him now,
1:19:31 > 1:19:35he almost looks slightly slower and instrument can smell the finish
1:19:35 > 1:19:40line, it is a decent gap now.Nine seconds, possibly ten, counting with
1:19:40 > 1:19:47the naked eye and by fingers, and Schoeman is within 1200 metres of
1:19:47 > 1:19:52what would be his second World Triathlon Series win, his first at
1:19:52 > 1:20:00the grand final on September 2016. Today could be his second. Ten
1:20:00 > 1:20:06seconds the official gap between Schoeman and Mola, and I don't think
1:20:06 > 1:20:13it's going to happen for Mario Mola here. Schoeman is in great shape and
1:20:13 > 1:20:19will become only the second man to lead out of the water, off the bike,
1:20:19 > 1:20:26and go on to win a top level race. The first to do it was Alistair
1:20:26 > 1:20:31Brownlee in Kitzbuhel 2011, Schoeman can follow in his footsteps here. He
1:20:31 > 1:20:35is inside the kilometre with the lead of ten seconds over Mario Mola.
1:20:35 > 1:20:40Mola looks like he has picked up the pace slightly. Difficult to tell
1:20:40 > 1:20:44from so high up, these are the helicopter views, but I think
1:20:44 > 1:20:48Schoeman now was almost smelling victory, he will glance over his
1:20:48 > 1:20:51shoulder, 800 metres of running, Luis now pulled away from the young
1:20:51 > 1:20:57French man. These will be our podium place finishes it is just who will
1:20:57 > 1:21:00be there first, Schoeman Mola, what does he have left in the tank?Luis
1:21:00 > 1:21:08the winner of the last race of 2017, may finish on the podium in the
1:21:08 > 1:21:12first of 2018. Bush has glanced around, I think he has resigned
1:21:12 > 1:21:15himself to force the -- Bergere has glanced around, I think he has
1:21:15 > 1:21:22resigned himself to fourth position. He senses the threat from Mola,
1:21:22 > 1:21:25Schoeman, but with the last few metres to run Schoeman will not give
1:21:25 > 1:21:30up on this victory in Abu Dhabi. Well, camera angle deceptive,
1:21:30 > 1:21:36difficult to tell I think that that gap probably still stands around
1:21:36 > 1:21:418-10 seconds. Mola still pumping those arms.Gritting his teeth,
1:21:41 > 1:21:46rocking and rolling, it's an effort now, Schoeman glances back, down to
1:21:46 > 1:21:52eight seconds from ten down to eight with the last 450 metres to run.
1:21:52 > 1:21:57Mario Mola putting heart and soul into this final 500 metres.I
1:21:57 > 1:22:00mentioned there I think that is Johnny Brownlee in the back
1:22:00 > 1:22:05alongside Silva of Portugal but it looks like Brownlee has pulled away
1:22:05 > 1:22:09slightly, seven seconds now, 350 metres to run, Mola gritting his
1:22:09 > 1:22:17teeth, he hasn't given up yet.Into the last 300 metres, and Schoeman
1:22:17 > 1:22:24has got another gear to go to. He has raised the pace of this
1:22:24 > 1:22:26competition, another glance, worryingly, over his shoulder,
1:22:26 > 1:22:31because Mola has put in a sterling effort to close the gap, but I don't
1:22:31 > 1:22:38think it will happen now. Last 200 metres. The distance is significant
1:22:38 > 1:22:44enough for Schoeman surely to go on and win the first race of the 2018
1:22:44 > 1:22:48World Triathlon Series. It's gone down from ten down to nine down to
1:22:48 > 1:22:53eight and down to six seconds now as Schoeman makes return, still
1:22:53 > 1:22:57glancing over his shoulder but starting to celebrate as he pumped
1:22:57 > 1:23:01his right fist. It's been a difficult few weeks and months for
1:23:01 > 1:23:05Schoeman but he has returned to top-level racing with a win in Abu
1:23:05 > 1:23:09Dhabi. What a start to the season. He will head into the Commonwealth
1:23:09 > 1:23:14Games of the favourite for gold on the Gold Coast but it is gold here
1:23:14 > 1:23:19in Abu Dhabi for the South African Schoeman. He wins round one of the
1:23:19 > 1:23:25World Triathlon Series, Mario Mola comes home for second and Vincent
1:23:25 > 1:23:32Luis kept clear of his compatriots Leo Bergere to be sure of taking
1:23:32 > 1:23:37third position and the bronze medal here, Vincent Luis jogs home, good
1:23:37 > 1:23:45effort from him, 18 seconds off the pace of Henry Schoeman, and Bergere,
1:23:45 > 1:23:50who had a personal best at the world tour final in Rotterdam, has another
1:23:50 > 1:23:54one, another personal best, with Jacob Birtwhistle, the first
1:23:54 > 1:23:59Australian to make it home in fifth position ahead of Silva of Portugal
1:23:59 > 1:24:05in sixth, and we think it might be Jonathan Brownlee who is in seventh
1:24:05 > 1:24:10position. Yes, Brownlee holds on for seventh, coming home with a top ten
1:24:10 > 1:24:16position ahead of Adrian Briffod, Gustave Iden and Richard Murray, and
1:24:16 > 1:24:26that is the top ten in Abu Dhabi.
1:24:26 > 1:24:32Tom Bishop in 14 with Mark Austin 27th. Why to felt from his bike
1:24:32 > 1:24:38ended up 43rd with Gordon Benson and 45th position.
1:24:38 > 1:24:43I am just so happy, there is no words toexplain, I had a tough time
1:24:43 > 1:24:47after the Olympics and it is good to come back. I think they were being
1:24:47 > 1:24:50really careful around the corners and I felt I had gripped with my
1:24:50 > 1:24:55tyres so I was flowing through the corners easily. I found I kept
1:24:55 > 1:25:00getting them after technical corner so I thought I would go for it.
1:25:00 > 1:25:03That's a good race, I spent a lot of energy on the bike because so many
1:25:03 > 1:25:09people crashed just in front of me. You see Johnny Brownlee crashing,
1:25:09 > 1:25:14that's nonsense to see him crashing! I had a good run, not as good as I
1:25:14 > 1:25:19expect but that's the first race, a sprint race, and two days ago we
1:25:19 > 1:25:23were only in February so we have plenty of time until the end of the
1:25:23 > 1:25:29season. I prefer to be third two -- today than crashing.I am happy with
1:25:29 > 1:25:34how the race went although it was slippery. To be able to make it in
1:25:34 > 1:25:39transition two without a crash or skin going, I think it was a big
1:25:39 > 1:25:44accomplishment. Mario is a fantastic runner. I was running scared but
1:25:44 > 1:25:48fitness is there, it is good to have a race like this, tells me I am in
1:25:48 > 1:25:51great form leading into the Commonwealth games as my next race.
1:25:51 > 1:25:56STUDIO: What a great race for Schoeman and unusual as you pointed
1:25:56 > 1:25:58out to do this, lead all the way through.
1:25:58 > 1:26:03I liked the fact that he took the bull by the horns and went for it. I
1:26:03 > 1:26:08think he didn't expect to stay away, and that's what they thought in
1:26:08 > 1:26:14commentary, and he kept driving and riding. The nature of the course,
1:26:14 > 1:26:16the style, the conditions played into his hands but take nothing away
1:26:16 > 1:26:21from Henri Schoeman he held off Mario Mola, got close at the end but
1:26:21 > 1:26:27deserved the win.Conditions, again, really bad for a lot of people. We
1:26:27 > 1:26:30understand every bridge vastly came off their bikes.Worrying, isn't it?
1:26:30 > 1:26:38For everyone involved, you just want to stay in one piece. It's
1:26:38 > 1:26:41difficult, it was treacherous out there and I think you were lucky to
1:26:41 > 1:26:44stay on your bike and when you see the likes of Johnny Brownlee coming
1:26:44 > 1:26:47down, who we know has decent bike handling skills, anyone can come
1:26:47 > 1:26:52down, so tough day.How does that affect you, when you come off your
1:26:52 > 1:26:58bike and need to be checked out?All sorts of things go through your
1:26:58 > 1:27:02head, it would take a brave athlete to remount his bike and say he would
1:27:02 > 1:27:06crack on because you are then suddenly very aware that you can
1:27:06 > 1:27:10come off and there are lots of spots on that course that are dangerous. I
1:27:10 > 1:27:15think it will make you edgy.Thanks, Annie. You are with me throughout
1:27:15 > 1:27:18the series so we have lots to look forward to.Very exciting, I've
1:27:18 > 1:27:23enjoyed my copy with you as well. Absolute pleasure, that is it for
1:27:23 > 1:27:26triathlon today but plenty more sport on the BBC the rest of the
1:27:26 > 1:27:28afternoon.
1:27:28 > 1:27:30sport on the BBC the rest of the afternoon. Up next, Jill Douglas
1:27:30 > 1:27:33presents highlights of the first three days of action from the
1:27:33 > 1:27:37cycling world track Championships in the Netherlands including the return
1:27:37 > 1:27:45to action of new mum Laura Kenny. Tune into 5Live for commentary on
1:27:45 > 1:27:48Tottenham Hotspur against Huddersfield Town and later in the
1:27:48 > 1:27:52afternoon we had to Birmingham for the athletics world indoor
1:27:52 > 1:27:52Championships on BBC Two
1:27:52 > 1:27:56the athletics world indoor Championships on BBC Two at 5:30pm.
1:27:56 > 1:27:59That's it for the first round of the World Triathlon Series, a rather
1:27:59 > 1:28:06slippery one, but gold medals for Henri Schoeman
1:28:08 > 1:28:14Henri Schoeman and Rachel. The next triathlon on the BBC will be the
1:28:14 > 1:28:24first of the Commonwealth Games. Goodbye for now.