PETER
ROBERTSON TAKES VICTORY IN HIS RACE FOR WORLD # 1
World
champion Australia's Peter Robertson claimed a stunning
victory today in the opening Accenture race of the
ITU World Cup in Geelong, south of Melbourne today.
Robertson
was with the lead pack of 15 for the opening swim
and frantically fast bike leg, but the 26 year old
wasted no time when he hit the bitumen for the run,
breaking from the field early to build a solid lead.
The
Sydneysider crossed the Olympic distance race first
in 1h 51m 33.8s; 24.6 seconds in front of surprise
placegetter Courtney Atkinson who has been recovering
from a virus; and Kiwi Hamish Carter third.
It
was a race of high drama with Olympic champion Simon
Whitfield being taken to hospital after a multi bike
pile up on the first lap of the bike which also ousted
Australia's Luke McKenzie and NZ's Bevan Docherty
and left Greg Bennett bruised, but still in the race.
Whitfield
has broken both wrists and collarbone and will be
out for six weeks.
Miles
Stewart and Kiwi Shane Reed punctured to put an end
to their day; while world number one Australia's Chris
Hill retired early after suffering from a virus that
has swept the Gold Coast training squad.
Robertson
was thrilled to maintain his perfect World Cup record
for Australia - the last World Cup in Sydney in 2000
was taken by Robertson and today he showed what a
big race performer he is, by sewing up the local victory
again.
"The
pace was on early in the bike and a few guys were
itting back. I wanted to make sure I was up the front,
and keep the pace going ," said Robbo. "So
lucky I avoided the crash. I certainly didn't cause
it! But shame about Simon, that he crashed, I was
really looking forward to racing him today,"
said Robertson who lost to Whitfield two weeks ago
in Geelong in the final run.
"My
transition was a shocker from bike to run. I was a
little overconfident at the end of the bike and I
dropped my sticks in the rush. There was no Hilly,
no Simon, Miles flatted and he was looking good today,
and I did not expect Courtney to have such a good
race because he'd been sick.
"But
then early in the run, Courtney came up next to me
and I thought oh, oh I haven't got it all my own way
but fortunately I was able to get away," said
Robertson.
The
victory was an early warning signal to his competitors,
with Robertson planning a year of tactical races to
ensure a successful defence of his world championship
and a goal of world number one by year end.
"I'm
not planning on racing too much year this year. I
want every race to count," said Robertson.
"I'm
just singling out races this year. I still have another
nine races to go. I want to do well in every race
I do this year. I want to become a more consistent
athlete and dominate the world.
"I
feel that I can. I have shown I can win big races
and I want to step up now and win every race. I've
got Com Games, and another four World Cups, world
champs and a couple of independent races.
"I
want to be world champion and world number one, but
it is going to take me a little while, because the
guys ahead of me have all done tons more World Cups
than I have, it is only my sixth or seventh World
Cup.
"They
have points from years of years of racing, but I've
only got two years of World Cups under my belt. I
have a bit of chasing to do there, but it is still
within reach to become number one by the end of year,"
said Robertson.
The
next round is in St Petersburg, Florida on April 28.
