2024 World Triathlon Cup Chengdu: MEN’S HIGHLIGHTS

Extended highlights of the 2024 Chengdu World Cup.
The athletes headed to China at the end of April for some rare Monday morning World Cup racing, and emptied themselves – literally, in the case of New Zealand’s Tayler Reid – in pursuit of the medals and ranking points as the final month of Olympic Qualification kicked in!

You can watch the full race on demand, plus the entire World Triathlon Championship Series and World Cup season, T100 and supertri action, live and direct on TriathlonLive.tv

hello and a warm welcome to changdu China for the latest stop on the world Triathlon World Cup circuit this is the fourth world cup of the year the first contested over the Olympic distance just having a look at the athletes now getting ready not too long to go and there’s our start list yeah lasso nigar priest still wearing number one he got a few podiums last year in World Cups and with Jonah shamberg there in number two those two have a really interesting battle going on today but plenty of strong athletes down the list [Music] and we’re away first Olympic distance World Cup of the Year extra points or more points for an Olympic distance so especially looking at our number one and two in the field today prester shamberg this is really important who does well Jona shamberg is slightly ahead of priesta in the rankings but if nass lass nice guard priesta beats him today he could jump ahead so for these two at the front of the field the one and two today it’s really crucial where they finish and hello the athletes here considering there are 56 on the start line the athletes really spread out as they head for this first boy yeah and I was said this this venue is purpose built for triathon it’s quite a big pontoon so I think actually in a way it gives the athletes a lot of space a little bit more room it’s a long distance to this first turn boy for the athletes that’s so much better they get there a bit less congestion around the boys they’re able to get round kind of get into this quite quickly it’s Mark de there yeah no surprise as we’ve men mentioned already looks like he’s going out pretty hard breathing every stroke at the moment as he’s the first athlete to round the first boy and nice and smooth for those first athletes isn’t it they’re not in too much trouble going around there that’s a black suit on his feet so that might be Taylor read there we’d expect to normally see them a little bit more bunched out but I think that’s what you get in World Cup races as you said there’s quite a few athletes that are racing World Cup for the first time there we go Mark de out first yeah that was Taylor Reed right there touting on the feet good look as well behind just to see what’s happening jber M Stapley the Italian athlete out the water as well got Mitch culman there as well strong swimmer from the Netherlands oh there’s a bit of a gap isn’t there there’s a few gaps opening up so I think as we saw Taylor Reed have a good look when he came around it’s a good thing to do that’s why when you come out of the most swims now that are two lap swims so you have a good look see where people are and it’s that kind of sign like yeah this is working fast let’s push on when you’re tightly packed in next to each other you’re actually ending up slowing each other down moving each other’s water so it does make life more difficult interesting there n nard Priester came out in 29th position 35 seconds down so although Jonah Shamburg won’t know that now that would be um good news for him when uh he comes out here we go Marve exiting the water first tlor just behind him as he has been for pretty much the whole swim Jonah shur perfect positioning there from him Max dley there as well get was Dean from Australia there’s culman from Netherlands there are big gaps now there really are aren’t there we see that’s the American athlete coming out Mark D on his bike Taylor reads there as well Jonah schimberg so they’ve all had good transitions Max Stapley as well he’s got to work really hard he’s probably the slightly less experienced athlete here and the importance now Helen of staying on the wheel of the athletes in front because this where the brakes come isn’t it early on in the bike early on yeah it’s really important over this first few kilometers just for head down and really go for it if they want this break to be established so here we got milch culman and that’s Degan there from Australia they haven’t managed to get to that leading group of six so so that’s a really tricky place to go cuz you have to go deep don’t you so then when you don’t make that group you kind of your legs are a bit blown up you haven’t really got too much else to give so it’s kind of waiting then for maybe the athletes to come behind or keep kind of riding the the best you can but yeah we’ve got six up in front this is our main Chase group here they to me Helen don’t look like they’re working particularly well together no we’ve got some athletes on the front that are rolling through there’s Reed there from the US and they’re going to be taking turns obviously trying to keep themselves in it and so who we’ve got the front group coming through Taylor Reid Mark D Max Stapley Jonah shamberg Valentine morle and yosha CWA from Japan I’d love watching yonas race I really have I love his bravery how he goes out hard in the swim in the bike and you often see him for the first few kilometers pushing on the runway he can be right up the front but he doesn’t seem to be able to quite hold it together for for 10K but you know I still believe even though he he’s an older more experienced athlete now that you know his time will will come and he set himself up really nicely to here today holding our breath there we go 50 seconds it’s actually gone up now by 8 Seconds so this Chase group losing perhaps just a little bit moment of momentum again it’s not significant but uh interesting to see that they’ve lost time and not gained time on that third lap as the athletes now head out on the fourth lap yeah a lot of experience I mean there’s not so much experience with with Max Stapley I mean obviously he he’s absolutely On The Rise and I’m I’m really enjoying watching his career progress but when you look at shanberg in there and Mark de in there and Taylor Reed there’s some real experience and talent in this front group Jonah schimberg gets off his bike first just ahead of the other five athletes the transition really important it may be just seconds but it’s really important to to get out onto that run quick isn’t it yeah just don’t want any mistakes obviously like penalty wise as well Taylor re is going to make sure that helmet is well and truly in the box and not out of the box but you don’t any mishaps putting on the shoes which can also happen if you’ve been um riding really hard then you sometimes get that cramp when you putting on your trainers but Jonah sha doing what he does oh he he does this brilliantly doesn’t he I mean he doesn’t put a foot wrong wrong at this stage in the race but I would love to see him hang on for the whole 10K and and that’s not to say he can’t run 10K he can but he’s more like a 5k Runner to me and you know 10K is just a bit of a stretch but you know he is an athlete like as you said Helen you know last year had perhaps one of the best years of ever had and he’s really going now because it’s so important for him to show the selectors what he’s made of and that he’s strong enough to take that third spots on the German team yeah I think you’re right isn’t it it’s it’s how you race the races too and going out hard is is what he does so our second uh pack the chase pack now enters transition onto the blue carpet big big group here and this is where it gets tricky where the athletes desperately are searching for their stations time is ticking away that was a fast transition Hungarian athlete heading out as well ralis from Mexico heads out siani there from Morocco that was a quick transition wasn’t it that was IDE came in Russell white up there as well but yeah over a minute 30 which is what we thought it might be 138 so that’s a lot of uh time to make up the four just as tightly together as they were coming up to that end of that first lap really close no one’s made any moves so far tlor e just tucked in the back isn’t it we haven’t seen him come to the front yet I mean I wonder if he’s just sort of biing his time or is he feeling the effects of the last couple of weeks of racing I don’t know but uh again I mean all four of these athletes have worked incredibly hard to get themselves in this position today they all worked equally hard on the bike had pets off in the middle as well like he’s just he got on the podium here last year he he loves this race he’s been on the podium was it five times five times got Silla in the middle as well he’s a fantastic runner in there you got Reed as well I always say I think it’s like starts to be as much a mental game as a physical game because these athletes are equally tired they’re equally hot they equally want this run to to be over it was Mark D that really pushed that swim and got the breaks I mean he’s he’s lost a second or two and it’s not more than that but it’s a it’s the confidence that starts to go doesn’t it as the athletes in front just look a little bit stronger they start to Edge away now and that camera for shortened the the Gap and the Gap has grown now and it is a significant Gap the Bell will be a welcome sound to these athletes as they round the dead turn for their last lap I don’t know if it’s a camera angle Mark if he’s he’s fighting his way back on isn’t he he’s not giving in is he what a brilliant sight but Mark still in there rounds the corner just a second or two down on our leaders he’s desperately hanging on he really is and he’s doing a pretty good job of it but he’s got to be hurting now I think it you know when you’re watching and they’re looking over their shoulder you’re thinking look only look forward is Max starting to make a bit of a move here there’s definitely a break there there’s a break Taylor Reed responding Taylor Reed is chasing him back it’s the first time we’ve seen re chasing down the Gap but sappy just continued to apply that pressure hasn’t he such confident racing I think when you go though you’ve got to go you got to throw everything at it you really have they’re around about 800 M to go there’s daylight there isn’t it and Jonah Shamburg is the one that’s kind of slightly coming off the back I want to say Max Don’t Look Back only look forward Reed isn’t giving in yet though is he he’s definitely not Reed is such a gritty racer is he he’s so tough but he’s he can’t respond look to slow down something oh no he’s pulled a car oh no no he’s been sick no something’s wrong he’s not right is he he’s just oh no oh no oh that’s horrible to see he’s pulled right back oh you just see how hard he’s pushing to stay in that position has worked so hard he really has but St he’s just now he’s pulled away from Sha big sha Big’s chasing him back well neither of these two have had a World Cup victory yet he shown as yonish shenberg settling for second and can Reed hang on we know he’s uh had a bit of a a Ply moment out there on the core but it’s Max statley isn’t it he can sense Victory he really can he’s opened have a gap it must be about 5 or 10 met by now Reed is hanging on is he hanging on he has Mark de right on his heels as Max Stapley heads towards the blue carpet picks up the pace a little bit glances over his shoulder oh this is a fist knows he’s got it oh this means so much to him isn’t it first win in the British vest such a show man so good to see Max Stapley first ever Victory on the World Cup circuit and a great day for the young British athlete Max St sh schenberg sprinting home for second place and it looks like Helen Reed is hanging on for third [Music] there we go Jonah sh yet coming across in second pace and yeah Taylor re managed wow what a gty finish from Taylor Reed I mean I thought he had cramped them but obviously some stomach issues and problems but unbelievable for him to keep finishing there but Matt sty look at that so happy with that victory that finish said it all this is the time to be laying down in performance like that yeah I mean my training’s gone perfectly into this I texted my girlfriend this morning I said I’m going to have a good one so there you go Kate Told You So I looked at the St lless before coming and there’s a few guys you know we see each other every race in the break and we’re like gagging for it you know so once it was gone I was just like motivating the troops like let’s get it going and you know if I would have finished 30th at least I would have committed to it and that’s how I want to race Swim Bike Run and if I die on the course I die on the course but I live you know live by the sword bloody die by it mate I had a pretty bad stomach ache at the start so I was just trying to calm myself uh just trying to calm myself you know relax breathe and I think everyone did their fair share and you know that wind started to pick up so it was kind of tactical into the headwind and once I had a gap I was just like look mate like there’s no turn time like the present so just went for it man and just I’m absolutely over the moon I just can’t actually believe it it’s my first win I’m just absolutely on a high right now and and I just want to thank all the people that support me my parents my girlfriend Kate my coach Paulo and all my sponsors and everyone that stands by me you know it’s not easy I know a lot of guys are struggling out there and um yeah this is one’s for the for the Breakaway boys I guess Jonas back on the podium silver this time as well feeling good yeah second Podium uh second race of the year last weekend in Australia wasn’t that great with the jet leg but I felt this better this week so really H uh happy with this and uh sto for the guys on the podium they really helped me on the bike yeah the schedule is already ramping up and like yeah Australia to here and yeah a little conversation about whether the the Australia race you know doing two so back toback was going to was going to work the legs it turned out to be a perfect warm-up it was yeah I was not actually planning to go to Australia but then I went there for the jet leg coming here it’s only two hours different so it really made a huge difference perfect example today really of the gamble on the bike making it stick giving you that little Gap you know the the the chase pack were kind of homing in it was a little bit you know as if it could get a bit squeaky out there at one stage no way we we were working so hard and shout out to to Mark also pushing the swim really hard I was struggling on the first 200s to stay on his feet but yeah it really work worked and really happy with the result it was actually really crucial to get some more points on my Olympic ranking so now I’m looking forward to the next races three more to go and yes uh ready for it oh yeah man that was that was hard oh I’m happier I’m happier this week to be on the podium after missing out by by this much last week but man I I could taste the win I could taste it and then I’m started vomiting I started tasting that and um yeah I held on for third but it was tough those last that last 500 M I was in the HT box it was really strange I went from being oh yeah I’m comfy I’m coming for this Sprint I’m coming hard to Maxi just turning the pace up a little bit richer and I was in I was in a world of pain oh yeah I loved how he race today Mark Mark miss the poem today but he was he was such a such a weapon on that course day he really strung out that I couldn’t believe it was only I thought we were going to have you know 10 15 guys in our pack and to string it down to what was it eight or something which made it tough but it was really epic and um yeah everyone pulled hard and uh yeah it worked to be on the podium with um with maxi and shanberg done a fair time of working the trenches with them so it was good to just lap it out on the bike hard and um yeah we um reaped the rewards of our hard work so really happy I was hiding in behind um big shanberg he was good good at blocking the wind the big the big man but um yeah um I was hoping hoping to wait for that Sprint I reckon I got a pretty strong Sprint I know Max got a good Sprint too so I thought that’d be a that’d be a fun way to finish it but yeah couldn’t quite get to the Sprint so maybe next time all three entertaining interviews as you predicted Annie but amazing to see uh those athletes and we just see the results there Max Stapley winning six seconds ahead of Jonah shamberg in the end with Taylor Reed rounding out the podium just hanging on ahead of Mark D morle hanging on for fifth as well staying ahead of that big chase back home Bak Gales Silla and Reed that rounding out that top 10 next St play amazing performance there from Max sty he was so happy with that but he really executed it well swam incredibly well worked really hard with that front group and then really pushed on at the run at just the right time to come across the line in first place [Music]