Mikel Elgezabal and Virginia Berasategi repeat as winners in Bilbao Triathlon

The test was, in general, the opposite of last year when the sun shone, the waters of the Bilbao estuary were at 19 degrees and 40.000 people created an extraordinary atmosphere.

 

On this occasion, the sky was completely overcast, with the thermometer fluctuating between 12 and 13 degrees, a cycling circuit in permanent risk of falling through the wet and twisted floor and a few thousand people with umbrellas in hand.

 

With the significant drop at the last minute of the Portuguese Sergio Marques and the presence of the professional handball player Imanol Agirre, they swam 1.900 meters with waters at 13-14 degrees.

The Scotsman from Inverness Fraser Cartmell (23:53) -in June he will be 30 years old and this year ninth in the highly paid Ironman in Abu Dhabi-, was the first to come out of the water with a long half-minute advantage over Adrián Ruano and the favorites Mikel Elgezabal and Marcel Zamora classified eighth and ninth with the same time of 26:01.

The 90 kilometers on the bicycle were devastating and a demanding sacrifice every meter in the steps through El Vivero. Cartmell gave up the lead in the event to the Basque Elgezabal. The Catalans Albert Moreno and Richard Calle were also very active in the following positions and even Aitor Regillaga.

Elgezabal forced the pace to take a very clear lead over Fernando Gómez, a dangerous 'shadow' if he reached the last segment -a half marathon on foot- with less than three minutes difference.

The cycling test decided the victory in this triathlon. Elgezabal took a 4-minute advantage over Fernando Gómez, a resident of Alcarria, and double Cartmell. Gómez finished as partial leader of the 21 kilometer walk with 1.16:19.

Elgezabal repeated the success of last year after being eighth in the race on foot and arriving broken and walking to the finish line to the well-deserved applause of the public to total 4 hours 11 minutes 53 seconds.

Gomez and Cartmell accompanied him on the podium with superior creonos in 1:16 and 1:43.

Zamora passed fourth under the completely melted arrival arch and the Italian Swiss triathlete Jean-Marc Cattori ninth without showing signs of quality.

Virginia Berasategi won her victory in difficult physical conditions due to problems with her right knee that, it seems, even came close to preventing her line-up in the event. She invested 4 hours 37 minutes 13 seconds, being her second Maider Gaztañaga who, despite taking 8:44 more, had a meritorious role.

Berasategi from Bilbao commanded the competition with authority and achieved the recognition of the fans but did not feel the pressure from her rivals because Martina Dogana (ITA), Alison Rowatt (GBR) and Vanessa Pereira (POR) exhibited a poor competitive level or they ' shrunk' with the rain.

Classifications:

Male:

1. Mikel Elgezabal 4.11: 53

2. Fernando Gómez 4.13: 09

3. Fraser Cartmell (GBR) 4.13: 36

4. Marcel Zamora 4.17: 52

5. Richard Calle 4.20: 18

6. Borja Jubera 4.22: 45

Female:

1. Virginia Berasategi 4.37: 13

Source: deia.com

2. Maider Gaztañaga 4.45: 57

3. Martina Dogana (ITA) 4.51: 15