The International Triathlon Union will introduce an innovative new format of racing to its calendar this year.

A time-trial qualification will be used for the first time at the Kitzbühel World Cup in Austria in June, involving athletes competing twice in one day.

“Kitzbühel is known to our triathletes for its innovating formats,” Marisol Casado, the ITU president, said.

“In 2013, athletes endured one of the toughest races we’ve ever presented as they climbed and ran up Kitzbühel Horn Mountain as a part of the World Triathlon Series.

“As we continue exploring ways in which we can evolve the sport of triathlon with exciting formats, it’s my pleasure to see this new format tested out in Kitzbühel.”

Held in the morning, the time-trial will be contested over two-thirds of the distance of a sprint triathlon, with athletes going off at 30-second intervals.

The athletes with the top 30 times will advance to the finals later in the day.

The final podium will be decided over a super-sprint triathlon course, which will be one-third of the distance of a regular sprint race.

The time-trial qualification format allows more athletes to compete on the playing field, as they are sent off one by one. The dynamic, quick-tempo race style also provides a strong platform for Junior and under-23 athletes to prepare for the leap to elite racing.

“I’d like to extend a warm thank you to the ITU team to permit us to work on a new format like this,” Walter Zettinigm, the Triathlon Austria president, said.

“We are looking forward to organising a great World Cup race in Kitzbühel again.”

Although the Kitzbühel World Cup will be contested after the close of the Rio Olympic Games qualification period, this fast format will be an ideal race for athletes to hone their speed ahead of the competition.

Flora Duffy is twelfth in the ITU’s Olympic qualification list for Rio after a series of superb performances over the past two years.

Her season will mostly involve World Triathlon Series races, starting in Abu Dhabi on March 5. Her schedule then takes her to Australia, Japan, Sweden and Canada, before the Olympics in August.

Duffy’s year ends with her defending her Xterra World Championship title in October, and her ITU Cross World Championships a month later.