Alex Yee delivered a running masterclass to win the Rome World Cup, but the British Olympic champion believes his emphatic victory offered only “a small glimpse of what could be”.

Yee overturned a 40-second deficit after the swim, chased his way back into contention on the bike and then took the lead less than a minute into the run.

His race-best 13:52 for the closing 5km carried him to victory in 53:47, 25 seconds ahead of French duo Martin Hubner and Tristan Douche, with time to high-five spectators down the blue carpet.

It was his first victory of the year after focussing on the marathon in 2025 when he set the second-fastest time ever by a Briton with a 2:06:38 in Valencia.

Yet his reaction afterwards revealed how much uncertainty he had faced during a season in which he had sometimes questioned whether he could return to his previous level.

‘A person that may be better’

Speaking on the official broadcast, Yee gave a candid assessment of his season and the progress he is beginning to see.

“It’s been ups and downs,” he said. “To be honest, there’s been lots of times where I’ve come back and I’ve questioned whether I’m going to be good enough, questioned if I’m ever going to be the person I used to be.

“And I’m seeing glimpses back of a person that may be better.”

For the Paris 2024 gold medallist, the ambition stretches beyond rediscovering the athlete who conquered the Olympics two years ago.

“I know it’s not going to take the same person that did in 2024 to win an Olympic gold medal,” he explained.

“So hopefully I can grow and progress and make that start line first of all, and then be competitive as well come 2028.”

Choosing a race that could expose him

The manner of Yee’s victory might have suggested a straightforward day, but he was quick to dismiss that idea.

“No, definitely not. It’s never easy racing these guys.”

Indeed, the possibility of finding himself under pressure after the swim was part of the reason he had chosen to race in Rome.

“I decided to race this race because this kind of racing can sometimes expose me a little bit,” he said. “I can be a little bit back in the swim and that could be it for my race. So I really wanted to put myself in here and do my best.”

That challenge materialised when Yee emerged from the water joint 43rd, 40 seconds behind the leaders.

The fastest first transition of the entire field helped his pursuit, but there was still plenty of work to do on the bike before the groups merged on lap three.

Connor Bentley’s subsequent attack, joined by Israel’s Itamar Eshed, meant Yee finished the bike eight seconds behind. On the run, however, he erased that advantage almost immediately and was already 25 seconds clear at halfway.

“It was hard racing, very honest,” Yee said. “Was able to get a good run out as well.”

‘This is not me back’

Asked about looking ahead to 2027, Yee instead took a moment to thank those who had supported him through the difficult periods of this year.

“I think the end of this 2026, I have a lot of people to thank. A lot of people back home, you know who you are. You believed in me throughout this year, and there’s been lots of times where maybe it looked like I was going to never get back to where I could be.”

He added: “Thanks to you guys, thanks to my sponsors, family, friends, girlfriend, that they believed in me.

“And yeah, I know this is not me back, but it’s a small glimpse of what could be.”