"'long levers' explains why jordan is fast despite being skinny."

i'm not sure what you're referring to, but, so that i'm clear, the leverage i'm talking about refers to torque produced at TDC, which is determined in part by his theoretical muscular power, in part by crank length, and in part by the ability of jordy to recruit his power through the mechanical advantage (or lack thereof) available to him because of his hip angle at TDC. if we shorten his crank, he loses torque through that "lever" shortening (so, when i'm talking about levers i'm talking about the crank arm as lever, not his limbs as levers).

but, the shortening of that lever (the crankarm) is countered by an increase in his hip angle (which is what we get by shortening his crankarm, assuming we leave his armrest drop constant).

that calculus of hip angle, leverage, cadence, frontal profile all goes into the soup. this might further be impacted by other factors, such as chainring profile (maybe rotor rings figure into this, we're experimenting now).

What makes Jordan 'as gifted a fit subject as one could hope for'?

"what crank length is jordan riding?"

170mm. he rides an 82.5mm saddle height (i'm 6'2" and i ride a 78.5mm saddle height). so, short cranks for a rider that tall. but you'd pry those cranks off his cold dead pedals. if he changes his crank length at all, it'll be shorter yet, not longer. but this is tri only, not road. my guess, he's on 175mm on his road bike.

WOW! Was that about an 80 person pak that just did the turnaround?? Unbelievable..I guess I have to revise my earlier assesment that this was looking to be a pretty clean race..