Alex Yee prepares to take on world champion Vasco Vilaca in Rome
It is a match-up of the kind to make the gladiators of the Colosseum green with envy. In an encore of their contest at the WTCS Final in Pontevedra, the newly crowned world champion Vasco Vilaca (POR) will go up against Olympic champion Alex Yee (GBR) at this weekend’s Rome World Cup. Since Yee became world champion himself in 2024, the pair have shared five international start lines, with Vilaca coming out on top on every single occasion.
This latest bout will take place over the sprint distance. A one-lap 750m lake swim opens proceedings before the athletes tackle a 250m run to T1. This short run also has a deceptively tough 6% climb which could shake up the pecking order out of the water. Five laps of 4km on the bike with a 400m 5% climb on each will keep the athletes honest thereafter before two final laps of 2.5km on the run will settle matters. Tune in to TriathlonLive on Saturday 3rd October to find out whether the world champ or Olympic champ comes out on top, with the men starting at 11:00 (CEST).
The champs
In addition to arriving as the world champion, Vilaca is returning to a site of prior success. He won the first ever edition of the Rome World Cup back in 2023. One thing to note, however, is that the top seed comes into this race on the back of four straight silver medals; his last international victory came at WTCS Alghero in May. Vilaca will therefore be looking to sign off his memorable 2026 just as he started it: with a gold.
For his part, Yee made his first WTCS podiums since becoming world champion as he placed 2nd in Karlovy Vary and 3rd in Pontevedra this month. At both, he logged some of the fastest 10km run times ever seen in the Series, with his Karlovy Vary split bordering on indecent. Technically, Yee has not medalled internationally over the sprint distance since March 2023, but with his speed it is only a matter of time.
The U23 crowd
Rome will also welcome several other medallists from Pontevedra across both races. Up against Vilaca and Yee will be the silver and bronze medallists from the World U23 Championships, Michael Gar (GBR) and Zalán Hóbor (HUN). Gar has also medalled at the Europe Championships this year and has made a World Cup podium before. Hóbor, meanwhile, is the kind of strong swimmer that could distance Yee in the water before competing for a medal himself.
Gar and Hóbor will also have to contend with Euan De Nigro (ITA) who stands as one the home team’s leading hopes. De Nigro was the bronze medallist at the 2025 World U23 Championships and will hunt some major scalps before an Italian audience. Separately, on the note of rising prospects Tristan Douche (FRA), the 2025 World Junior champion, will be making his World Cup debut at the event.
No shortage of stars
Nothing summarises the obscene depth to the men’s start list in Rome than the fact there are multiple WTCS medallists that do not even get a mention here. There are simply too many contenders to consider, else we’ll be here all day.
The late withdrawal of Miguel Hidalgo (BRA) is weathered by the presence of multiple WTCS medallist Manoel Messias (BRA). Last autumn, Messias won back-to-back World Cups and he could be limbering up to repeat the trick. Moreover, last year’s winner and bronze medallist, Arnaud Mengal (BEL) and Nathan Grayel (FRA), are back in search for further glory, while World Cup winners John Reed (USA), Reese Vannerson (USA), Connor Bentley (GBR), Solomon Okrafo-Smart (GBR) and Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger (FRA) pose a variety of threats.
Takumi Hojo (JPN) is coming off a massive win at the Asian Games and then we must also consider one of 2026’s breakout stars, João Nuno Batista (POR). The former World Junior champion has enjoyed such a sterling season, including a 4th place finish at WTCS Weihai, that he finds himself as the third seed in Rome and chasing a second World Cup medal. All told, then, the eyes will be on Vilaca and Yee, but in a field this deep there are no guarantees they will have things all their own way.
