Gómez, a five-time world champion, has barely competed so far this season due to injury.

But, after a low key return in France earlier this month, he laid down an ominous marker to the rest of the world.

After exiting the swim on the back of the lead group he stayed in a hefty lead pack on the run before using his trademark running speed to power clear.

His 10 kilometres time of 31min 25sec proved too much for his rivals as he clocked 1:49.30 for a 39 second victory.

Russia's Dmitry Polyanskiy clocked 1:50.09 for silver, the same finish he managed in 2014.

Andrea Salvisberg of Switzerland crossed the line a further 23 second back for bronze.

Gómez will now be seeking to continue this form and gain a first Olympic title at Rio 2016 after his silver medal behind Britain's Alistair Brownlee at London 2012.

Both Alistair and his Olympic bronze medal winning rival Jonathan Brownlee and Gómez's team-mate Mario Mola were among leading names absent in the Portugese capital.

 Britain's India Lee won the corresponding women's race in a time of 2:04.03.

She finished 16 seconds clear of Yuliya Yelistratova of Ukraine in 2:04.19.

Zsófia Kovács finished third, a further five seconds back.