For about 150 triathletes from 25 countries, the hunt for glory at next year’s Olympic Games begins this weekend in Copacabana. Sunday’s Rio 2016 triathlon test event doubles up as a qualification competition for the Olympic Games, with three places up for grabs in both the men’s and women’s races.

But reaching the podium will be far from easy. While the Rio 2016 course comprises the same elements as each Olympic triathlon event – a 1.5km swim, a 40km bike ride and 10km run – the geographical and climatic characteristics of the host city promise to present their own challenges.

Athletes will have to run on sand – rather than a platform – to enter and leave the water. The sea around Fort Copacabana could provide rougher water than, for example, the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park that was used at the London 2012 Games.

The cycling section – which must be completed eight times – features a steep climb along Rua Professor Gastão Bahiana followed by a fast descent down Avenida Epitácio Pessoa, where the bikes are expected to reach speeds of 80km/h.

The last part is a flat run along Avenida Atlântica – the grand beachside avenue in Copacabana – along a course that must be completed four times.

“This course has all the ingredients for the peloton to be broken,” said Great Britain’s Alistair Brownlee, the London 2012 gold medallist. “It has a slightly rough swim, a run up a beach then, within a few minutes of starting the bike, a short distance into quite a tough hill. That’s pretty much all you could ask for in terms of breaking up the group in the race.”

Brownlee’s overall appraisal was positive. “It’s a good course and it encourages exciting racing,” he said. “I’m very confident that the race at the Olympics will be exciting.”

The Olympic triathlon test event course Copacabana: swimming section in red, cycling in orange and running in yellow

Brazil’s Pamela Oliveira said: “I consider this the most complete and difficult course in the history of the Games. Swimming in the sea is much harder and favours strong swimmers. The cycling course, with its technical climbs and descents will divide the group and turn it into a much tougher race. We are going to see some tired athletes by the time of the run.”

Brownlee’s main challenger is likely to be Spain’s Javier Gomez, the London 2012 silver medallist and current world no.1, while the women’s event will feature London 2012 silver and bronze medallists Lisa Norden of Sweden and Australian Erin Densham. They will face a major challenge from a trio from the USA: Gwen Jorgensem, Katia Zaferes and Sarah True, who occupy the top three places in the world rankings.

Brazil's Pamela Oliveira is hoping home advantage will count in Copacabana (Photo: Rio 2016)

The first three finishers in the men’s and women’s races will win Rio 2016 places for their National Olympic Committees (NOCs), who will later decide whether to take up the quota places and which athletes to send. If one of the top three has already earned an Olympic place, or if their NOC has already reached the limit of three qualification places, the place will be passed down to the next best placed athlete.  

So far, Switzerland, Chile and Brazil are confirmed in the women’s event at Rio 2016, while Great Britain, Mexico and Brazil have places secured in the men’s race.

Saturday’s paratriathlon test event does not offer direct qualification for Rio 2016, when the sport will make its Paralympic Games debut. However a strong field totalling more than 60 competitors and featuring some of the world’s best para-triathletes will be able to score rankings points that count towards qualification.

For more information you can visit http://www.aquecerio.com/en/triathlon/ and http://www.triathlon.org/.

Rio2016.com is not an absolute authority on qualification for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which is an ongoing process. Final places will only be confirmed in July 2016 (for the Olympic Games) and August 2016 (for the Paralympic Games). The qualification systems are defined by each sport’s respective International Federation and the International Olympic Committee or International Paralympic Committee, and are subject to change. When an athlete or team wins a quota place for their nation, the final decision on whether this ‘slot’ is used and which athletes are sent is taken by the respective National Olympic Committee or National Paralympic Committee (NOC or NPC). Even when athletes win a ‘nominal’ place for themselves, NOCs/NPCs may have to decide who to send if the number of qualified athletes from one country exceeds the quota