Alex Yee rounded off the perfect year in perfect style with another epic win over arch rival Hayden Wilde in the supertri Grand Final in Neom.
The three men who have dominated short course racing in 2024 – Yee, Wilde and Léo Bergere – had it between them on the final run as the lead constantly changed hands.
But it was Olympic and world champion Yee who had the kick that really mattered as he sprinted for the line just ahead of Paris silver medallist Wilde, with Bergere again rounding out the podium in third.
There was a significant consolation for Wilde though as he clinched the overall supertri crown from Bergere.
The race also saw short course great Vincent Luis bow out in fine fashion in seventh, here’s how it all unfolded…
Stage 1 – Drama-packed start
The women’s race – when Georgia Taylor-Brown just held on for the overall title – had showed that even a healthy lead was far from safe in this format.
Wilde found himself in exactly the same position – finish on the podium and he couldn’t be caught – but he was 16 seconds down in 11th after the first swim.
Leading the way and winning the Short Chute for Stars & Stripes was Chase McQueen, just ahead of Luis in his final short course race.
Onto the bike and Bergere put in a brilliant surge to gap the rest at the end and take the second Short Chute.
And in T2 there were again echoes of the women’s race as Wilde ran out of transition with his helmet on – a stage on even from Jeanne Lehair!
It was now Yee, Bergere and Vasco Vilaca as the front three and the bizarre sight of Wilde, who finished the last race in Toulouse with one shoe, closing on them in his helmet!
It ended with a shoulder-to-shoulder sprint finish for the final Short Chute, with Vilaca taking it for Stars & Stripes just ahead of Yee.
Stage 2 – Disaster for Vilaca
One repeat from the women’s race we didn’t want was a crash for the clear leader – and it came after a classic commentator’s curse from Will McCloy who had been praising Vilaca.
Vilaca had opened up a gap before that point but he would go from first to being eliminated via the 90-seconds rule later in the race.
That left supertri debutant Yanis Seguin in front but a penalty would soon derail his chances and suddenly we had the Paris – and WTCS – first three of Yee, Wilde and Bergere take over.
Not too far behind was Olympic Mixed Team Relay winner Tim Hellwig who was now handed the Short Chute for Stars & Stripes, with Bergere getting the one for Podium Racing.
Dorian Coninx was also going well along with Luis and Olympic legend Jonny Brownlee.
Stage 3 – What. A. Finish.
It was entirely apt that it should all boil down to Yee, Wilde and Bergere in the final big race of a momentous year.
They had it between them starting the run and Wilde put the power down early to gap the other two.
But Bergere had the advantage of that Short Chute and jumped into the lead as a result, with Wilde right on his shoulder.
But Paris – and Torremolinos – had shown never, ever write Yee off and he gradually cut down the gap which meant that all three were virtually in line starting the last 400 metres.
Bergere went for home first but was overtaken first by Yee and then Wilde, with just two seconds separating the three of them on the line.
Wilde’s second-place finish was enough to confirm his Crown Racing as the team champions for 2024, as well as the New Zealander being the series champion ahead of Bergere and Hellwig.
supertri Neom 2024 results
Sunday 3 November 2024 – Enduro – Elite Men
- 1. Alex Yee – 48:25
- 2. Hayden Wilde +1s
- 3. Léo Bergere +2s
- 4. Dorian Coninx +21s
- 5. Tim Hellwig +27s
Final standings after Neom (round five of five)
- 1. Hayden Wilde – 62pts
- 2. Léo Bergere – 55pts
- 3. Tim Hellwig – 49pts
- 4. Alex Yee – 47pts
- 5. Dorian Coninx – 43pts
Final team standings
- 1. Crown Racing – 420pts
- 2. Podium Racing – 391pts
- 3. Stars & Stripes – 338pts
- 4. Brownlee Racing – 312pts
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