I can't get the video to play. Blog posts say they are having rain which is causing problems with the timing mats. I wonder if that is also affecting the video feed?

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

I had to download a flash update to get mine to play.

Streaming now no issues.

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Formerly TriBrad02

Working for me now, also.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Studly ride by Brent Mcmahon who is off the bike 10:12 ahead of Tim Don.

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Madison photographer Timothy Hughes | Instagram

Though two coaches have now tweeted about the draft he's getting off the moto.

That's a bit odd. Anyway. 0:47/4:11/2:44/7:46? That's crazy.

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Sylvan Smyth | http://www.sportstats.asia | sylvan@sportstats.asia | Starvas

They must have some kind of software/upstream connection problem. Even if you're not getting times from the systems you could just manually type in a T2 and finish time for the winner, etc.

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Sylvan Smyth | http://www.sportstats.asia | sylvan@sportstats.asia | Starvas

You don't go 7:46:10 without a little help one way or another.

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Madison photographer Timothy Hughes | Instagram

Is there a normal turnaround for the replay able show? I was on the road until a few minutes ago and, after enjoying the replay of IM TX, am really looking forward to this one.

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"If everything seems in control, you aren't going fast enough" -- Mario Andretti

I think I've seem them up 24-48 hours after the event ended.

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Madison photographer Timothy Hughes | Instagram

Since most pros ride with power meters these days, it would be rather easy to figure out whether some really benefit from a draft from the motorbikes. This has been an issue for years at several races. Look at the old Roth videos for instance.

Why doesn't Jimmy do something about this? It seems to be a persistent issue. The referees need to establish a minimum distance for all vehicles from the bike leader. Not exactly rocket science.

If I recall one year Ivan Rana got the moto at IM Austria and clocked a 4:15. Next year Marino got the lead and moto and Ivan had none and rode 10 min slower.....could all be conjecture though, but as Monty used to say, "not my problem if the lead car/moto can't outgun my ride". You can't blame the lead rider for taking advantage....it's all on the race officials.

There's something in the Canadian water...

This was an issue at the 70.3 South American Champs in Brazil as well. Presumably the same organizers and race crew. It looked like the front pack had a motorcade right in front of them every time we passed at a turnaround.

It's a really frustrating problem. I've also been on the receiving end of the draft advantage at other races. I have no doubt that a motorcycle, let alone a larger vehicle, any less than ~50 meters down the road provides a significant advantage that can impact the outcome of a race.

I don't want to detract from Brent's performance in any way though. His sub-8 IM credentials are well established and he looked to be in a league of his own that day.

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CodyBeals.com | Instagram | TikTok
ASICS | Ventum | Martin's | HED | VARLO | Shimano | 4iiii | Keystone Communications

It's really not the fault of the lead rider. Tim Don got out of the water the same time as McMahon. If Tim wants the draft of the van, ride harder early and become lead man. If not someone else might get that benefit if the organizers are stupid enough to let that happen, which clearly organizers are going back 35 years. Legend has it that John Howard drafted the lead van in Hawaii to the race win (he set the original course record around 4:29 with no aero gear). In any case, don't blame the leader, blame the organizers which I believe you are.

That's right. In case I wasn't clear before: it's 100% the responsibility of the officials, not the athletes, to ensure that the lead vehicles contribute to a fair race. No athlete wants their performance to carry an asterisk due to something like this.

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CodyBeals.com | Instagram | TikTok
ASICS | Ventum | Martin's | HED | VARLO | Shimano | 4iiii | Keystone Communications

Check this video. Damn shame. https://www.facebook.com/...s/10154198774213486/

I have spoken numerous time to both Jimmy Riccitello and folks high up at WTC about this scenario. Don't blame the athlete. Seriously, it is not the fault of athletes in the sense that you can't run a race on 1 lane of coned off road with the other lane having traffic. The riders are drafting the cars on the one hand and have no where to pass on the other side. You need 2 full lanes one way or one lane and a wide shoulder. This is the only way you will get a fair race.

At Zell Am See, they had 2 full lanes and then we had some officials telling athletes to only use one lane cramming people in (fortunately we were climbing a 13K climb at that point, so no big deal), but once you get two full lanes no problem.

At IM France, when you are on the Promenade des Anglais with 2 full lanes, there is lot of spacing and limited drafting and then you get channeled into a narrow road and it is a draft fest for 5K before the climbs start. At IM Tremblant on the 'out' it is 2 lanes wide and reasonably clean and then on the back you get only 1 lane and all the groups materialize. You really need 2 lanes to make these races work.

Nice Peloton!! What a sense of accomplishment they must have when they hit T2. Man, really killed that bike section... If you are willing to race like that, then I guess anything is on the table.

You can 100% blame the athlete for being in a draft zone that long which is part of what that video was intended to show. Can't pass...back off. None of them did but yet they could all pass the slower riders they did with no issues.

Agree 100% course density and 1-lane (less in some spots on this course) is a piss poor product from WTC.

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Formerly TriBrad02

I am as anti drafting as it gets, but I bet you if you put the very same pros on a wide road like the QueenK they will all race clean. Course design is the primary culprit, As Timo Bracht said on facebook, courses like this should not have championship status and double KPR points and Age Group KQ slots as the course design itself tilts outcomes. These type of course scenarios should not even exist (or if they do, they need much wider spacing between swimmers....maybe a TT format for pros based on last years rankings to immediately break them up). Timo said you need more "fair courses" for championship status like Lanzarote but he also did call out his fellow pros for piss poor sportsmanship (the poor sportsmanship we can agree to, but if you look at any pro sport, if the refereeing is bad, then pros will take EVERYTHING that they can get away with and not be penalized)

Make all the excuses you want for them Dev....all they had to do was back off each other.

I have already agreed WTC put on a piss poor product down there.

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Formerly TriBrad02

I think it is easy for us to get morally upright and piss on pros. Most of us have decent incomes elsewhere in life. If someone was literally stealing our pay cheques from us under our nose, I am not sure our sense of fair play would be that great. When someone is taking your grocery money, mortgage money, and stealing your living, suddenly it is amazing how morals degrade really really fast. I can let a peloton of 20 guys ride past me and up the road. Worst case I lose a Kona slot, but I go back to work on Monday and my family is being fed. Pros are in another boat. I say, the first order problem is on WTC's course design. Give the pros a fair playing field and they will behave themselves. Given them a scenario where they have to cheat to stay in the game and there is no other option and they will degrade to cheating.