Triathlete Philip Pertl

Crown straightened and best Austrian

Philip Pertl was the best Austrian in Rome.(Bild: zVg)

Philip Pertl was in good form at the Triathlon World Cup in Rome and became the best Austrian. He could have achieved a much better result if he hadn't crashed on the bike. Brother Lukas did not have a good day.

"The battle in Rome is over," said triathlete Lukas Pertl after the World Cup in the Italian capital. In the rainy battle (there was a downpour two hours before the start), however, the sun was shining for brother Philip from an Austrian perspective - he was the best Austrian in 26th place, even though he crashed on the bike. "We were within ten seconds of the leading group, in a promising position," said Philip, regretting the crash. "I fixed my crown, got back up and closed the gap again."

Things didn't go so well for Lukas. He had a flat tire before the start. "Fortunately, a team colleague helped me out," said the Gastein native. He did not fare well in the race itself. "During the swim, I got completely wiped out and got on the bike almost a minute behind." He didn't really feel any better there either, finishing 37th in the end. "It's a bit jinxed at the moment, a race to tick off."