During the 40km cycle leg of the race, a British contingent of Johns, Stuart Hayes and Alistair Brownlee took the initiative and instigated a thirteen man breakaway and they arrived in second transition with a minute advantage ahead of the 10km run.

 

Johns had to relinquish his lead to first Javier Gomez from Spain and then Brad Kahlefeldt from Australia, but managed to hold off a late surge from home favourite Kris Gemmell to take the bronze, his first world cup podium since October 2003.

 

The 34-year-old Johns said: “I tried to go with Javier when he caught me but that guy has got some serious pace, and having worked so hard on the bike I was quite fatigued; but I thought ‘well it’s been a long while since I’ve been on the podium’ so I dug deep and stuck in there for third.

 

"This result means that I can really just concentrate on the Olympic qualifying race in Madrid now; and that’s a good tough course which really suits me, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

 

Hayes went on to finish a respectable ninth and Olly Freeman ran through from the chasing pack to take 13th following a promising sixth position in last week’s World Cup in Mooloolaba, Australia, where Britain's Tim Don had finished third.

 

In the women’s race it was an impressive return to form for Liz Blatchford as she enjoyed a fifth place finish in her second race back having been clipped by a car whilst out training on Australia’s Gold Coast in December.

 

The race was especially pleasing for Blatchford who also missed most of 2007 through injury, including suffering a broken pelvis having been hit by a car near Loughborough in the East Midlands last summer.

 

Blatchford said: “I’m really happy with my race; it feels like I’m getting back to creating my very best so I’m very pleased to be fifth and close to the podium.

 

"Last week’s race in Mooloolaba [Blatchford was 17th] was disappointing for me, but it helped to blow the cobwebs away and got me back up to speed with competitive World Cup racing and that showed out on the course today.”

 

Andrea Whitcombe came through strongly during the second half of the run to finish just behind Blatchford in sixth.

 

Her performance marks her second finish in the top ten in consecutive weeks having finished fifth in last week’s World Cup in Mooloolaba.