The first World Triathlon Cup of the season – and the first ever held on Lanzarote – delivered an instant spectacle. In a thrilling race that remained undecided until the final meters, Germany’s Nina Eim ultimately emerged victorious.
From the very start it was clear this would be no ordinary race. Strong winds whipped across the course and created heavy waves in the Atlantic Ocean during the swim. In such conditions the field often spreads out early, and although a few athletes did manage to break away at the front, the majority of the field remained relatively close together. After the 750-meter swim the time gaps were still modest.
Hungary’s Fanni Szalai was first out of the water – an impressive performance for an athlete making her debut on the World Triathlon Cup circuit. Seven others followed closely behind, forming an early lead group on the bike, though the advantage didn’t last long.
Within the first two kilometers of the bike leg most of the field had rejoined, creating a large peloton of around thirty athletes. Just like the swim, the bike course proved extremely demanding due to the relentless wind. On the volcanic and exposed island there was virtually no shelter, and the course – three laps of roughly seven kilometers with short but steep climbs – quickly took its toll.
The peloton fragmented almost as quickly as it had formed. By the end of the first bike lap only eighteen athletes remained at the front, including major favorites such as Georgia Taylor-Brown, Laura Lindemann, Nina Eim, and Jeanne Lehair. Other notable contenders including Verena Steinhauser, Franka Rust, and Cathia Schär rode in a second group roughly thirty seconds behind.
During the second lap the lead group thinned further to ten athletes. One of the biggest surprises was the loss of Luxembourg’s Jeanne Lehair, who had been considered one of the top pre-race favorites but could not stay with the strongest bikers. At the front, the remaining athletes sensed opportunity, with Taylor-Brown in particular pushing the pace in the closing kilometers of the bike to extend the lead. For Selina Klamt and Szalai, however, there was no option to keep following the lead group. In the closing stages of the bike leg both athletes struck a traffic pylon and crashed hard.
Just a minute later the eight remaining leaders entered T2, setting up a decisive five-kilometer run. The chase group began the run forty seconds behind, leaving the possibility that the race could still change.
Eim appeared to understand the threat. The German immediately took control of the pace in the opening kilometers of the run, pushing the tempo impressively. For a while the entire lead group stayed together, with no one dropping off early.
But the pressure gradually began to show. As Eim continued tightening the screws, athletes started to fade one by one until, midway through the run, only Taylor-Brown, Lindemann, and Spain’s Marta Pintanel Raymundo were still able to follow. Grimaces were everywhere, a clear sign of the race’s brutal conditions.
The final phase became a true thriller. The four leaders ran shoulder to shoulder in the closing two kilometers, none willing to yield as a tense tactical battle unfolded.
Then Taylor-Brown made her move. On a short but steep climb she launched a sharp surge that dropped Pintanel Raymundo and Lindemann, leaving only Eim able to respond as the race seemed destined for a dramatic sprint finish.
But Eim had other plans.
The German increased the pace once more, accelerating relentlessly. Meter by meter she began to pull away as Taylor-Brown fought to stay with her. But there was no stopping Eim’s surge. Gradually she opened a decisive gap and crossed the line in 1:02:14 to claim victory. Taylor-Brown finished five seconds later in second place, while Lindemann secured third place just three seconds further back.
