It was a day of what could have been for Alistair Brownlee at the London T100, as the two-time Olympic Champion saw his chances hampered by a puncture on the bike.
After coming out of the water in the front group, Brownlee was with the leaders through the first three laps, before a front wheel flat cost him close to two minutes.
Running home to an eighth place finish, there were some silver linings for the Yorkshireman, with fitness trending in the right direction ahead of the crux of the season.
A tough day out
Having such fond memories of racing in London made his puncture even tougher to take for Brownlee, who said that he had been feeling good up in the front group until that point.
“It was a bit frustrating really. It was a shame, I was in the front group and it was feeling pretty easy, and then I just got a massive front puncture and I had to ride on it until I could change my wheel.
“I then just had to race the rest of the day at my own pace. You don’t know where you could’ve finished [after a puncture] but I was going pretty easy in the front group and a lot harder behind and I wasn’t catching.”
Full of praise for London
Despite the disappointment, Brownlee said it was great to be back racing in the British capital, and that the atmosphere out on course made him proud to be British.
“It’s always great to be in London. There were great crowds, definitely the best crowds so far in a T100 race and it makes you proud to be British that we keep on delivering that kind of atmosphere and crowds.
“London should be one of the venues, it’s a real sporting capital and it’s always good for me to race in London and the crowds really make it here and it was nice to see some friendly faces out on the course.”
Ready to go again
With his swim and bike performances so far this season indicating he is in shape to compete at the front of races, the main question marks around Brownlee surrounded his run.
In London, albeit after a potentially easier ride, the 36-year-old ran the eighth fastest run leg and spent several laps trading blows with Belgian Pieter Heemeryck, one of the best runners in the sport.
With races in Ibiza, Las Vegas, Dubai and the Grand Final still to come, it remains to be seen whether or not Brownlee will crack that elusive podium in 2024, but with a little bit of luck, it could well happen over the second half of the season.