The women’s race at the Weihai World Cup could unfold in any number of ways.
The obvious danger in the swim is Bianca Seregni. At the Paris Olympic Test Event, the Italian athlete demonstrated her speed in the water as she clocked the fastest split and put over a minute into half of the field. In addition, at the Tiszaujvaros World Cup, Seregni decimated the field in the water. It would therefore be wise to expect a big swim from her in Weihai.
In Tiszaujvaros, Seregni spent much of the bike alone; over the challenging Weihai course, she will need some company to get through the 40km. Someone like Márta Kropkó could stick close to Seregni and the size of the group that emerges at the front will determine whether a breakaway sticks.
Seregni’s compatriots, Ilaria Zane and Luisa Iogna-Prat, should fare well on the bike in Weihai. If the field does not break up too much in the swim, they could take charge of the race. Iogna-Prat rode particularly well to claim the Italian title earlier in the season so the course should not daunt her at all.
Similarly, Romana Gajdošová should be in contention after winning a maiden World Cup medal in Yeongdo. Gajdošová will have taken plenty of confidence from her Yeongdo performance and is one of the best runners in the field. If she can maintain her momentum, she could repeat her achievement.
So long as Seregni does not escape, the likes of Zane, Iogna-Prat and Gajdošová will probably be in the fight for the medals.
From the home team, Anqi Huang and Xinyu Lin will need to be watched closely. Lin is a brilliant cyclist and will likely enjoy the course. With her power, Lin could ride away from the field and turn the race on its head.
Meanwhile, Huang has earned a couple of wins at Asia Cup races this season. Considering that she has already won in Dexing and Taizhou, Huang could make it a third win on Chinese soil this year.
Her win in Taizhou came over the Olympic distance and showcased both her strength on the bike and speed on the run. If everything clicks on the day, Huang will be a tough opponent. Chinese success at the world level in triathlon has been few and far between in recent years so it would be a major statement for Huang to claim the gold.
Niina Kishimoto has also enjoyed success at Asia Cup races this year and has a similar profile to Huang. Kishimoto is a well-rounded athlete that leans a little more to the run. Should the race not break up too much, she could run to victory. Her teammate, Minori Ikeno will also be in the mix.
With proven racers such as Ivana Kuriackova and Anna Godoy Contreras starting, the winner could come from anywhere. Home support, though, might just be enough to carry Huang over the line.
TriStats Predictions
- Anqi Huang
- Ilaria Zane
- Romana Gajdošová
- Niina Kishimoto
- Luisa Iogna-Prat
