In the final two kilometers she went all-in — and it paid off. Austria’s Carina Reicht has just claimed the biggest win of her young career, taking victory at the World Triathlon Cup Rome.
Earlier this season, Reicht had already won two Europe Triathlon Cups — in Kielce and Wels — but until today, a World Triathlon Cup triumph had eluded her. Few had her down as a pre-race favorite, but Reicht proved the doubters wrong in emphatic fashion.
From the opening swim, the field was quickly stretched apart, splitting into three main packs. Germany’s Selina Klamt was first out of the water, and the gaps became even clearer once the athletes hit the bike. The course produced a fragmented field, with small chase groups scattered across the road – and even a few athletes riding solo between the packs.
Two athletes, however, decided to take matters into their own hands: Robin Dreyling of the Netherlands and Katie Rodda from Great Britain broke away together and managed to build a lead of just over thirty seconds on the large chase group. Working well in tandem, they held that advantage until just before T2, eventually entering the run with a 24-second gap.
Dreyling set off strongly on the 5-kilometer run, quickly dropping Rodda. But the charging chase pack behind smelled blood — and within two kilometers, Dreyling was caught and gradually slipped back down the order.
That was when Reicht made her move. With around two kilometers to go, the Austrian unleashed a decisive surge that none of her rivals could match. She crossed the line first in 1:00:14, securing a breakthrough career win. Sandra Dodet of France finished second, four seconds back, and Franka Rust took third, just two seconds further adrift.