Pamplona, in Northern Spain’s Navarra region, is best known globally for its historic old town and famous San Fermín bull run, and Taylor-Brown seemed to take inspiration as she charged around the 18km 3-lap run course to go from third in T2 to the top of the podium.
With PTO World #1 Julie Derron (SUI) in second and a galloping Taylor Spivey (USA) in third, which was her best T100 result in nine attempts.
GTB had talked in the week about how she had enjoyed the challenge of her first T100 season and ‘felt ready to win again’ – and from the moment she danced the Macarena to the swim start line, it looked like she was in the mood.
The win puts Taylor-Brown second in the T100 Race To Qatar behind Imogen Simmonds (SUI) with two races down and three to go. With athletes able to choose their best three finishes plus the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final.
Next up for the women is the Vancouver T100 on 15-16 August. The men return to action at the Sokin San Francisco T100 on 6-7 June.
Key Quotes
Winner: Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR)
“I’m good, I think, but I’m so hot. It’s really, really hot out there. And yeah, I was trying to just be quite smart with my racing on the bike because it was hot. And then the run, I felt really good for the first and the second lap. But I’m glad I went for it and got a gap because I really wanted to walk the end of it.”
“I’ve been feeling good in training and just strong and happy and in a really good place. I’m really enjoying my new coach and my new group. So thanks for them. I just feel strong and just confident. I didn’t expect to win or anything, but I just feel strong and confident.”
“I did have fun. I mean, the bike course was incredible, and the run course was also quite nice, but just hot.”
She also found time to wish Cassandre Beaugrand and her dad’s girlfriend happy birthday:
“I just want to say happy birthday to Cassandre [Beaugrand] and my dad’s girlfriend, Catherine. I can’t be with Cath today. I know she’s missing me, so happy birthday, Cath.”
Second: Julie Derron (SUI)
About the race:
“It was definitely hard. When I started the run, I was like: “Oh, I’m going to walk 18km” I felt so rough coming off the bike, and I don’t know how I managed to hold on to second place. So I’m super proud, super happy to finish on the podium again for my first race of the T100 series.”
Asked if she was thinking about the series at all, or just trying to get to the finish line:
“My coach told me that he wanted me to go until I blow, and I think I blew up about ten times in the run and in the whole race. I just kept digging in, kept hoping that I would come around, and I actually did maybe halfway through the run, and then everyone told me that the girls behind are coming fast. So I just dug as deep as I could for the final lap. So I’m proud to finish second and hold on to that.”
Third: Taylor Spivey (USA)
“I’m very happy about that [third place]. As you know, I get fourth a lot, so I’m very happy with the podium. I finished last season on a low, so I’m really happy to come back with some redemption.”
On whether this could be the start of good T100 season:
I guess so. [chuckles] I mean, I really wasn’t expecting that, so yeah. I mean, it’s a great way to kick off the season, and I hope there’s more podiums in my future.”
HOW THE RACE UNFOLDED
The stunning Alloz Reservoir looked a picture as the athletes lined up for the Spain T100 Triathlon in Northern Spain, 150km east of Bilbao. With an air temperature of 24 degrees celsius and water temperature of 20.8 degrees, Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) brought the Spanish vibe by dancing out to the Macarena, before taking her place on the start line. Dutch athlete Lotte Wilms was unfortunate to stumble across the start line just before the hooter, earning her a 30 second stop/go penalty, but it was Spanish athlete Sara Pérez Sala who led the field out, as expected, and was in front for the whole swim.
Behind her was a congested pack consisting of Sophie Evans (GBR), Taylor Spivey (USA) Natalie Van Coevorden (AUS) and Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR), followed by Holly Lawrence (GBR), Bianca Bogen (GER), Nicole Van Der Kaay (NZL) Imogen Simmonds (SUI), Hanne De Vet (BEL) Lotte Wilms (HOL) and race favourite Julie Derron (SUI). With a just under a minute’s gap to a group led by Petra Kurikova (CZE), returning to racing only seven months postpartum, and one of five mums in the 20-women field [Kurikova, Evans, Lawrence, Bogen & Merle].
At the front, it was Sala who completed the 2km deboer swim course first out in 26:12, second was Taylor Spivey in 26:14 and third was Sophie Evans in 26:18. On the first race of her season Britain’s India Lee got into trouble on the swim and DNF-ed.
While Sala was first out on the bike first, Derron charged to the front in the first couple of kilometers and looked to take a hold of the race. But she certainly didn’t have it all her own way. The pack followed, and then all the leaders were all looking over their shoulders to see the flying Alanis Siffert who gained an amazing 15 places on the bike and swept past Taylor-Brown and then Derron, taking the lead with 30km to go and trading positions at the front of the race with compatriot Derron into T2.
All week the athletes have talked about how stunning and picturesque the bike course in Navarra was and it certainly didn’t disappoint. It took in lots of local landmarks including the ancient bridge in Puente la Reina, a medieval town built in the 11th century and located on the Camino de Santiago.
Siffert was first out on the run, but Derron quickly passed her. Taking a longer and more deliberate transition than usual, Taylor-Brown lost around a minute to Siffert and 45 seconds to Derron. But within 5km she had charged to the front of the race and didn’t look back. For all the race times and details, go to t100triathlon.com/live/
The Spain T100 Triathlon also featured the Spanish Middle Distance National Championships, which are being hosted in Pamplona-Navarra for the fourth time [2017, 2022, 2024] – as well as 2,000 amateurs – all racing on a similar course to the professionals, including the glorious 2km swim in the Alloz Reservoir, a rolling 80km point-to-point bike course on beautiful roads across Navarra and leading to Pamplona, before an 18km run around the historic town culminating in the iconic Plaza del Castillo. For more information, visit: https://t100triathlon.com/spain/event-info/