New Zealand triathlete Hayden Wilde has lodged a protest after a 10-second time penalty cost him the chance of gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Hayden combined a strong swim and cycle, and led Olympic silver medallist Alex Yee of England by 16 seconds going into the final five kilometre run.

But he was penalised after unclipping his helmet before racking his bike at the final changeover, and had to stand down for 10 precious seconds in the penalty box as the pair entered the finishing straight level.

Alex won in 50 minutes 34 seconds, Hayden was second in 50min 47sec and Australian Matthew Hauser took third, just three seconds behind Hayden. Still only 24, Hayden has now won Olympic bronze and Commonwealth Games silver and is fast building an impressive career CV.

Hayden's teammates, Dylan McCullough and Tayler Reid, finished seventh and eighth respectively.

A disappointed Hayden said afterwards that he'd done everything he could, and didn't believe he should have been penalised.

"I don't think it was a penalty... I felt it was a little unfair.

"I came in like I always do holding my bike, I was holding my clip and I unclipped and as soon as my wheel was inside the belt, then I unclipped to use it as balance," says Hayden.

"But that's racing at the end of the day."

Hayden had built up a useful lead over Alex, and says he would have liked to have been able to challenge him in the home strait.

"I heard my coach on the side saying you've got 16 - 20 seconds and just pace yourself then hit it on the second lap. I actually felt extremely good on the second lap and knew Alex was coming.

"That was the game plan to catch and attack him. It would have been really interesting at the end."

Despite Hayden's appeal to the penalty, the ruling was upheld.