World Triathlon Development’s road to LA 2028 continued at the weekend with the Rome World Triathlon Cup. Rome represented the third event of the season at which Team World Triathlon has supported athletes, after Samarkand and Huatulco earlier in the year. A cohort of six athletes took to the start line. Among them was Alejandro Rodriguez Diez (CUB), who claimed a stunning silver medal in Huatulco, as well as a World Cup debutant. In large fields overflowing with talent and World Cup medallists, the squad knew they would have to fight for every place, and there were plenty of learning opportunities both within and around the races.
The top finisher of the group was Julian Birkel (RSA). A new addition, Birkel had raced in Rome in 2024, finishing 45th. This time round, he managed to achieve 23rd place, a best international result outside of this year’s Africa Championships at which he took silver in the senior ranks and gold in the U23 classification.
Gabriel Terán Carvajal (ECU) ended the day not far behind in 30th place. Terán produced a very strong swim and spent the day camped in the front pack. However, he was caught up in the massive running race that unfolded out of T2. Notably, he was only 5 seconds and four places behind last year’s Rome winner Yanis Seguin (FRA) and 4 seconds and three places behind World Cup winner Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger (FRA), in a testament to the depth of the field. Meanwhile, Rodriguez finished 57th but had plenty to take away as part of the learning process.
Among the three members of the women’s group, Daniela Moya Chamorro (CHI) was the top finisher in 35th place. Her 5km run split showed that she had top-20 potential, however she lost a bit too much time on the bike. She nonetheless had plenty of positives to carry forward and can look to hunt higher finishes at her next appearances. Grete Maria Savitsch (EST), on her World Cup debut, was next home in 46th place.
Finally, a bout of illness in the build-up to the race meant that Tjasa Vrtacic (SLO) did not finish. After driving the merging of the second and third packs on the bike behind the two breakaway leaders, she had to listen to her body on the run and drop out. Given how her race unfolded, and factoring in her illness, Vrtacic is certainly making progress towards becoming a top-10 threat at the World Cup level.
Looking to the closing stages of the 2025 season, World Triathlon will support development athletes at two further World Cups: in Vina del Mar and Tongyeong. Find out more about Team World Triathlon and their journey to LA 2028 here.
