Of course it's speculation... off of a lot of years watching Brownlee race, and knowing that it's really hard to get to world champion speed if you start endurance sports later in life.

When Alistair is in shape he's nearly impossible to beat. It may be speculation, but there is a lot of history to prove it. It's not like we're taking about some random ITU guy. He's a 2x gold medalist and has an absurd number of ITU wins and championships. It's not far fetched to say he's going to beat LS almost every time.

If Gwen moves to 70.3 I'll say the same thing, she deserves all the credit she's earned from taking it to a new level in ITU.

AB is younger than most, faster swimmer than most, faster rider than most and faster runner than most. Also can transition faster than most. Being of a slighter build than most, I would venture a guess that he is more aero than most as well. Really the only person that I can see beating AB is AB.

Care to school me some more about the concept?

You do realise that was a different race mate?

I believe this was made in regards to the reference to AB running just fast enough to win that so many Brits made we we really didn't know. Perhaps he was toasted at the end and ran pretty much as fast as he could.

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Well ultimately we don't know. However it seems totally mad that someone who's got 3 minutes in the bank is going to purposefully kill themselves just to maintain that lead. He could have been toast but like I said ultimately we don't know.

and yet at Grande Canaria that's exactly what Alistair did. Why there and not St. George where he ran much slower?

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Ahah what? Why do you think he killed himself at Gran Canaria?

At Grande Canaria he ran pretty much dead even spits on each of the laps for his 1:11 despite no competition. Perhaps not his hardest but at least even effort. For a guy who's supposed to thrive on suffering he certainly didn't show it today. Perhaps helping Jonny at Leeds is too much in the back of his mind at the moment. After all the talk about how well his run training was coming, his aerodynamic fit efforts etc. I'd expected a lot more. He got by far and away the most benefit from the photomotos of the whole field so should have come into T2 pretty fresh.

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

So the only reason you think that he killed himself at GC is because he ran even splits. Okay mate.

As to your comment "Why there and not St. George where he ran much slower? ", the course was short in GC. https://www.strava.com/activities/953355810

So basically AB is super awesome and he always saves that awesomeness for another race. Got it...

What're you struggling with?

What happened is somewhere in the range between the extremities of:

- Brownlee was going flat out for the run

- he had 3 minutes in the bag and consequently didn't go full gas at all

No one other than Alistair knows where exactly the point lies in that range.

love you guys resurrecting a month-old thread to bag on ali brownlee. really not sure what the argument is that's being made here. . .

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https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

I said earlier in this thread at the time, I didn't think AB was anywhere near 100% run fit.

Today has maybe shown that you can't start training in Jan and expect to win everything in May/June.

That being said I think come Worlds it will be difficult for LS and SK to compete with him. I actually think SK will be more dangerous as LS hasn't really had a break for a while and doesn't have the best championship record. They had great performances today though

I'm surprised to see this thread pop back up to put down on Ali. First, these are two VERY different races. Who knows what happened in between. At this high level little things matter. People shouldn't expect AB to win every race he enters. Not at the top level with all the other talented pros. I mean, it can be anyone's day when they feel good and put together a good race. I think AB showed his ability in the St.G race, and it can't be denied he is at the top of the pile (there are others up there with him). But to lose today isn't a big deal...losing happens. He just didn't have it, and at the top you HAVE to have it when competing against the likes of Sanders and Kienle (and many others). I don't think him not winning today says anything negative.

I'm a Sanders fan. He is funny, rocks the 'stache, and busts his ass. I also like Kienle (hilarious). As far as the WC comes I think Kienle is the one I'm watching for betterment. He has always been one that builds for the WCs. He looks to be in good shape and progressing nicely. I'd never call him a "darkhorse" in any of these races. He is a stud, and if he puts together a good race, he easily could be the one holding the center spot on the podium.

The talent at the tip of the Pros is awesome, and all of these races will be fun to watch play out.

FYI, my comparison for AB is to Tiger Woods. Lots of hype, with lots to support it. I think he wins LOTS of races. But he won't win them all. (And then he'll get all wrapped up in strippers and.... just kidding).