Javier Gómez Noya: «Brownlee is today above the rest, but I will go out and give everything»

In the city where Javier Gómez Noya (Basel, 1983) lives, trains and studies, the European Triathlon Championship is played on Saturday.

The man from Ferrol aspires to his third title in Pontevedra. These days he takes advantage of his free time to disconnect with the biography of Keith Richards, the guitarist of the Rolling Stones - "he is quite a character, and his life is very interesting" -.

His environment speaks of excellent sensations before the reissue of his duel with Alistair Brownlee, although he appeals to prudence. The current world champion, as planned, rested last weekend and did not compete in Kitzbühel. «You can rule out a test of the world series, and that was the ideal, due to its proximity to the European. I won in Sydney and in Madrid I was third; They are two good results and the sensible thing was not to go to be better in Pontevedra ».

-He has the experience of the European Cups in Pontevedra. Is it very different to compete at home?

-They were lower level races, and this is going to be really tough. The best in Europe today are the best in the world too. I know the circuit and the environment. The race will be different.

-But do you have to compete at home?

-Being at home is positive, and not in a hotel, traveling, exploring the circuit... Here you know everything and it's more comfortable. You also have the support of the public, which is great. Greater expectation is generated and you assume more commitments. Everything has positive and negative things. I am happy because it is good for the city and the triathlon in Galicia. And within what fits I'm going to enjoy it. As for the atmosphere in the race, I start psyched up to always give 100%. But if you suffer and have so many fans cheering you on, that helps you here.

-Is the circuit going well?

-The cycling sector is not very complicated on a technical level. In the race on foot, it changes little, and there is a section that is done in the opposite direction, with a climb towards A Peregrina that involves a certain slope and can take its toll. I think it will be a fast race. The circuit itself is not demanding, but it will depend on the pace at which we go. It offers places where there may be movements.

-The title belongs to Gómez Noya and Alistair Brownlee. Or do I write some more name?

-There are more people. I think Alistair is the best triathlete in the world and the top favourite. This is how he is proving it. And his brother Jonathan is going to be fine. Then there are other people who can join depending on how the race goes, the French, the Russians, the Portuguese João Silva...

"Are you saying the Brownlee thing out of elegance or conviction?"

-Of course he is the favourite. You have to see it in the last few races. He was at a level that no one else in this sport was. His in Austria was tremendous: he got out of the water first, when he got bored in the group he escaped by bike and then completed the best part on foot. In Madrid he had an incredible career running at a very high level. It is logical to think that he is the favorite. There's others. Brownlee is one point ahead of the rest today, but I'm going to give it my all.

-In Madrid he clearly surpassed it. Do you arrive better than then?

-I feel better from training and sensations. It is an objective fact for the times of the series. I have worked everything to the best of my ability. I'm fast, in good shape, better than in Madrid, but I have to prove it in the race.

- They prepared the test as a data bank for London 2012, as a general test.

-Yeah. The planning was established to reach Pontevedra very well. We store data on everything, times, breaks, sensations. Depending on how it goes, we can vary details to preparation for London, where the title will also be discussed in a single day. Although in 2012 everything will revolve around that.

-Pontevedra and Galicia in general gain experience in triathlon events. The international federation chooses large cities as venues for the World Championship. Do you think it is unreasonable for someone to come here in the future?

-The international federation look for big cities, and that's fine. But when you have places like Pontevedra, where the triathlon moves this amount of people, and it stands out at an organizational level, you can change. If there is economic availability and the federation can, this city has plenty of capacity to host the world series. Pontevedra is special, and gathers more public than most World Cup events. Only Hamburg surpasses it. I don't say it, I live here. All the triathletes say it, who are amazed by the atmosphere despite being a small city.

"I'm in good shape, better than in Madrid, but I have to show it in the race"

"Pontevedra is special, and gathers more public than most of the World Cup events"

Source: www.lavozdegalicia.es