ITU MEDIA
RELEASE: Sunday, 9 November 2003
Polikarpenko Wins Back to Back World Cups
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 9 November 2003: For immediate Release: Volodomyr Polikarpenko of the Ukraine built up a 20 second lead through the 1500m swim, then went solo for the first lap of the 40km bike course. American teammates Andy Potts and Mark Fretta led the huge chase pack through transition and immediately began the hunt for Polikarpenko.
Polikarpenko was hauled in by a group of 8 led by Doug Friman of the USA and Csaba Kuttor of Hungary. At this point a second chase pack led by Brent McMahon of Canada and the 1999 World Champion Dimitry Gaag of Kazahkstan was just 30 seconds back, and was threatening to catch the lead group.
The solid, hard-working group at the front slowly pulled away from the chase group with the powerful Polkarpenko along with Andy Potts at the front Polikarpenko kept his position at the front through the second transition, followed by his teammate {exp:tag_this}Andreas Gluschenko{/exp:tag_this}. Mark Fretta and Daniel Fontana of Argentina were close behind.
The Ukrainian held onto his lead through the first 2 laps of the 10km run gradually pulling away from Fretta and Gluschenko, as Russia