On the site of his finest hour Alistair Brownlee once again showed why he is the man to beat as he produced a sensational performance to take World Triathlon Series victory in London’s Hyde Park.
It has been a slow start to the season for the Olympic champion who was absent for the season’s early races before coming back with a boom in Cape Town.
But a difficult race in Yokohama showed that the elder Brownlee brother hadn’t quite recaptured his top form.
However, he stayed in contention for the first two stages in London before bursting away from the field to take victory at a canter in 50:39.12.
And he says that the win was just a bonus and that knowing he is back to his best is the greatest feeling of all.
“I didn’t expect that at all, I wasn’t too bothered about the result but it felt so good after struggling through two races this year just to feel good was amazing,” said Alistair.
“Some of the guys went really quick out of the first transition so I just stuck in there and got it with the running.
“It eased up at the first turn and I just went for it and got the gap early and got into my stride and I’m just delighted to race to the best of my ability.
“It was good to race but I wasn’t racing against the other fastest guys in the sport, there was no [Javier] Gomez.”
While the race was supposed to be the battle of the brother it never quite materialised for Jonathan.
The younger Brownlee enjoyed a terrific start and produced a brilliant swim before climbing on the bike to find he had a puncture.
“I thought I was in dream world and I had an amazing swim, the easiest swim I’ve ever done and swam straight to the front,” said Jonathan.
“I got on the bike and people were shouting I had a puncture and I had to run to the wheel stop and it took a while to change it and the race was gone then.
“The wheel was catching on the brake all the way around and it was just an awful day.
“You keep lying to yourself that you can do something but there was no chance, I’m fit but I didn’t get to show it today.”
In the women’s event there was a strong showing from Vicky Holland who came in fifth behind Ireland’s Aileen Reid.
© Sportsbeat 2015