Gomez wins 1st round of World Triathlon Series

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Top-ranked Javier Gomez of Spain ran away from world No. 2 and perennial rival Jonathan Brownlee Sunday to win the Auckland Triathlon, the first round of the ITU Triathlon World Series.

Gomez completed the 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-kilometer cycle and 10-kilometer run in 1 hour, 54 minutes, 13 seconds, and 20 seconds ahead of Britain's Brownlee after a thrilling duel between the world's top-two competitors.

Aaron Royle finished third, 1 minute, 16 seconds behind Brownlee, edging compatriots Dan Wilson and Ryan Bailie for the bronze medal.

Earlier, Jodie Stimpson of Britain won the women's race in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 34 seconds, beating Anne Haug of Germany by 25 seconds. Two-time world champion Helen Jenkins of Britain was third.

The next round of the series is at Cape Town on April 27.

Gomez won in Auckland for the third-straight year, showing strength on the hilly downtown course for the cycle and run.

"It was another great race here in New Zealand," Gomez said. "I felt really good all the time.

"The water I felt good, the bike was really hard. Some of us worked pretty hard to keep the gap between the second group and during the run I tried many times to drop Jonathan.

"He was pretty strong, but on the last lap I had something left and I just gave everything and didn't look back."

Brownlee agreed that Gomez had been too strong near the end of the run.

"It was a tough race today," he said. "It was another pure triathlon.

"As I keep saying the thing about (Gomez) is that I'm always going to see him in the race because he's going to be out at the front of the swim and he's a great cyclist and then the run.

"To be honest he destroyed me today."