Agnieszka Jerzyk (POL) and Aurelien Raphael (FRA) got the 2014 European Triathlon season off to the best possible start with victory in the opening race at Quarteira, Portugal.
Jerzyk has already won this year in Cape Town at the ATU African Cup and she continued her great early season form with a fantastic performance. She ended the cycle in 11th place and was pushed all the way by Emmie Charayron (FRA) before finally showing her pace and power to pull away on the final run for victory.
After a nip and tuck battle, Charayron had to settle for second place, matching her efforts in 2010 at this venue.
Katrien Verstuyft (BEL) completed the podium in third place and will be delighted to make such a confident start to 2014, with her first European Cup podium since 2010.
In the Elite Men’s race, Aurelien Raphael and Aurelien Lebrun set the tone for the year with a typically pulsating triathlon sprint finish. Leaving nothing on the course, and crossing the line neck and neck with the same time recorded, the victory went to Raphael by the narrowest of margins.
It is Raphael’s second victory on this course and his third podium here in three years at this venue.
Lebrun had to console himself with second place and a silver medal with Great Britain’s Gordon Benson completing the podium in third.
2014 ETU Quarteira European Cup Results:
