Europe Triathlon Championships Olsztyn 2022 results: Valentin Wernz surges to victory

Chief Correspondent

It was Germany’s day at the European Triathlon Championships in Poland, despite the best efforts of two young Brits.

German gold(s), British silver(s)

Anthony Pujades (FRA), Simon Westermann (SUI) and Valentin Wernz (GER) led the way early in the run, with the British duo of Barclay Izzard and Dan Dixon tucked in right behind them. The British duo had been very active on the bike, keeping the pace high and significantly reducing the size of the leading pack, in what were wet conditions. Did they still have the legs left for what would be a flat-out 2km effort?

With little between them all, Valentin Wernz put in a huge surge with around 400m to go. He gained a few seconds quickly, but could he hold it? Barclay Izzard was able to respond, but the German would hold strong to the finish, taking the victory with Izzard just two seconds behind.

The U23 Championship – run in conjunction with the Elite race – followed a similar theme, with Simon Henseleit (fifth overall), just five seconds in front of TRI247 columnist, Dixon, in sixth. Thus, it was gold for Germany, silver for Great Britain again in the U23 Championship. Another European silver for Dixon, who also took second last year in the Junior ranks.

Fernandez leaves it late for Junior Gold

With 1km to go in the Men’s Junior Championship, Great Britain’s Ben Cumberland looked odds-on to add the European Junior Triathlon title to his World Junior Duathlon gold from 2021. Pulling clear of a small group in the late stages, his move looked like it would be a race winning one.

A minute or so later however, Italy’s Euan De Nigro had fought back to move into pole position, only for a late surge from Léo Fernandez (FRA) to snatch the top spot away from him on the blue carpet.