Spain’s Alberto Gonzalez Garcia bagged a breakthrough win with a surprise victory in the men’s race at Supertri Chicago.
The 27-year-old from Malaga, representing Podium Racing, was to the fore from the start, disputing the lead in the first of three back-to-back mini triathlons but soon pulled clear of his rivals which included Olympic legend Jonny Brownlee.
Heading into the closing stages he was in complete control for an incredible win, with Tyler Mislawchuk taking second and John Reed rounding out the podium in third.
Here’s how the race played out…
Stage 1
Water conditions were good – a tiny bit of chop – and having won the draw, Brownlee Racing via super-impressive manager Tim Don were on the left of the pontoon.
“We did some research yesterday with floating devices to test out the currents and selected the position after that – this is a great start,” said Don on the live broadcast as Marcus Dey led it out in spectacular style, with none other than teammate Jonny Brownlee in second.
Dey bagged the first short chute with ease, with Gonzalez Garcia (Podium Racing), Márton Kropkó (Stars & Stripes) and Brownlee battling for second, third and fourth.
Onto the bike and the pace was ferocious from the start in what were windy conditions.
Dey and Gonzalez Garcia were riding off the front on a relatively technical course and they put eight seconds into Brownlee and Kropkó.
They maintained that advantage through lap two and three (of three) but the group behind had now swelled to seven men. They were led by Brownlee still but he wasn’t getting a huge amount of help.
Coming into T2 and it was Gonzalez Garcia in first to bag the second short chute.
The run was two laps and Gonzalez Garcia put time into Dey, with what was now a big group chasing in behind and that included uber-runners Mislawchuk and Morgan Pearson.
They would overwhelm Dey, who had done his main work by earning that first short chute, and heading into the second stage it was game on, albeit Gonzalez Garcia was a few seconds ahead and denied any of the other teams the final short chute. Impressive work from the Spaniard.
Stage 2
Gonzalez Garcia was first into the water and he continued in a similar vein to splinter the field in behind.
Remember that anyone falling 90 seconds behind would be eliminated – and they would soon start to rack up.
Kropkó was second out of the water, 10 seconds behind, but the gaps after that were starting to balloon. Mislawchuk was at +15s in third, followed by Mathis Beaulieuat +17s, Tayler Reid at +18s, Brownlee at +19s and then 20 seconds and more to the rest.
The bike was a one-man show from Gonzalez Garcia – he was 24 seconds clear starting the third of three loops.
There were now nine in the ‘chase’ group behind and the short chutes now had to be determined. No surprise that Don went with Brownlee. And the other one saw Podium Racing nominate John Reed, given Gonzalez Garcia was so far ahead.
T2 was crazily chaotic – Pearson hit the tarmac and then seemed to lose more time by not getting his helmet into the box, all of which left him out the back and his team manager Michael Gilliam fuming!
Onto the run and the gap came down slightly but Gonzalez Garcia dived in for the final swim 16 seconds to the good over Mislawchuk and Reed.
Stage 3
Gonzalez Garcia maintained complete control in the swim.
By the time he started the bike he had stretched his lead back out to 24 seconds.
In behind there were various stories going on – one of them was Brownlee Racing effectively reduced to Jonny after the eliminations.
Starting the run and Gonzalez Garcia – who finished in the top 10 at last year’s Olympics – had it won but who would join him on the podium?
Mislawchuk was flying early on and continued to do so. He put time into Gonzalez Garcia too – 24 seconds became 13 seconds but the Spaniard was cruising and took the win in just his second Superti race.
Mislawchuk took second, with Reed in third, followed by Ricardo Batista, Reid and Brownlee.
Gonzalez Garcia also moves to the top of the men’s leaderboard, ahead of his Podium Racing teammate Reed, with two races of the 2025 series to go in Jersey, and Toulouse
“I believed in myself from the beginning,” said Gonzalez Garcia at the finish. “I knew Marcus Dey was going to try and get the short chute on the first swim so I followed his feet. I always give everything I have and every year I believe I’ll have a top level performance and I’m getting closer every time.”
And Podium Racing later made it a double when Jeanne Lehair took victory in the women’s race.
Supertri Chicago results
Saturday 23 August 2025 – Enduro – Elite Men
- 1. Alberto Gonzalez Garcia – 52:47
- 2. Tyler Mislawchuk +6s
- 3. John Reed +14s
- 4. Ricardo Batista +20s
- 5. Tayler Reid +30s
