Racing WTS and the French Grand Prix are 2 completely different levels of racing (in terms of athlete funding). 1 is a more privately paid for organization (where teams pay for these athletes to race). WTS is mostly an national funded trip for those guys (some have to pay their own way). If an team in France wants to pay LV to be on their team and race as much as possible, that's a kick ass way to do it. One of my lower level ITU athletes did that 2 years ago in Germany. But racing on WTS level, when the federation is footing the bill, you better be able to justify it. Just gaining "experience" when finishing in last 10 and only riding in a group of 4 on the bike, to me doesn't justify the expense. That isn't to say they need to pull the funding for said athlete, they just need to refocus on how they are going to spend it. I see zero gains when an athlete races WTS level, comes out so far back of the swim that his bike and run are then compromised (you don't even get points for that low a finish). Using that type of "experience" as a reason to sending an athlete into that type of race is BS at the highest levels of competiton (and this is what we want right, this is a cut throat business, at some point it really is about the results).

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@brooksdoughtie
USAT-L2,Y&J; USAC-L2
http://www.aomultisport.com