The PTO is sorta a 2 way street. Athletes have to be good enough to be in position to receive the PTO "contracted athlete" status (I don't believe he's in the position to get initial auto contract with his current ranking), and imo it has to work for both parties. LS is MOP ability at that distance *currently*. So what is the justification from PTO to bring LS into a full time status when he's likely going to be MOP at best? Can you market his personality if you aren't at the front of the events?

At the end of the day- LS is a professional athlete. This is his job/career- so he's got to make decisions that feed himself and his family. If the PTO contract is only essentially travel funds + some spending money, what is the value to LS when he's racing for what $5k prize money for 10th place? So think of PTO more as a ITU 2.0 style of professional racing (there is a reason he never went ITU ever) and the 70.3/IM the other side of the spectrum. Yes 70.3/PTO are more similiar in distancces but I'm talking about depth/ability that allows you more chances at 70.3/IM than PTO.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

He also bailed on 2021 St George 70.3 worlds the year Iden won and Sam Long took 2nd. He flat out said he didn't feel he had the speed to compete with those guys. And Sam ran his way into 2nd on a course that Sanders has done very well on before. I imagine he was kicking himself after that. Point being is he's obviously been strategic at times with the races he picks and chooses. Usually when he gets strategic, it seems to boomarang on him -- ie, not racing 70.3 worlds 2021 then betting the season on 70.3 worlds 2023 only to get that crazy call. Whatever the pundits say, at least from Sanders he felt like he would have been able to do something special had it not happened. Anyway, he would have made it an exciting race with the front pack running for their lives from him.

I just hope to see him put together a consistent solid schedule of Ironman racing with the necessary 70.3s in there and see where a consistent and focused season of work puts him. Maybe fit a US PTO race in if it's not at all disruptive to the schedule. If his bike does come back to what it once was, hes going to feature in any Ironman race. If it doesn't.... then he wont feature in any of the PTO races thats for sure.

On Talking Triathlon today Tim Ford said Lionel turned down his PTO spot. He didn't know whether it was for the full tour or just a couple of wild cards for the US races, but he said no either way.

Awesome! And I'm back on the Sanders fanwagon like that!

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This is where I lie in the assessment of Lionel's 2024. We don't really know for sure who is confirmed in which series but IF the PTO series goes ahead and IF the top 20 ranked are contracted to that series then the Ironman series will be a watered down affair,especially in the USA,allowing Lionel to get some relatively soft wins.Can't see him winning any World Championship races but he will make some decent money which is a sensible goal for any Pro triathlete.

Well, if LS truly believes he has "no limits", then why is he not swimming 15:0X for 1500 LCM and leading the swim from the start??? Why is he not a star at all distances???

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"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

How so? Moritz Events doesn't have their things together and athletes will choose. Why you do think Moritz Events will get all of the best? It's January 12th and they haven't announced any of their races that weren't previously announced. (Ibiza and Singapore?) They also haven't announced a single contracted athlete. We have heard a few people who've said they've been offered a contract and Sam Long saying he's going "all in" on the Moritz promotion. Yet...there is not schedule for the Moritz events.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

New video

LOLOL I love this guy. Looking forward to jumping on the trainer and firing this one up in a bit.

Nothing to see here............just Lionel being Lionel! LOL!

Expected!

Do we know about his schedule yet?
I assume oceanside and texas?

Finally following the Joe Skipper schedule to match his strengths.

I love Lionel, but god damn that guy sticks to a plan like water on teflon!

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Long Chile was a silly place.

I couldn't help but smile when he said the v02 max session was easy so he started skipping the 90s rest. And then said afterwards he had a hard swim tomorrow so he didn't want to over do it. Unless I missed something there....uh, didn't you just run the risk of doing that? Please please please Lionel don't be a training super star that leaves it all on the trainer and shows up to the race feeling fit, but exhausted halfway in from months of digging. Save the "dig deep" days for the race, and don't put yourself into the race of digging deep to crush training days. I hope he can just trust the process of letting the fitness build up and the race will unfold however it does and that's where he can start digging deep.

Anyway, I'm glad to see he's made the correct decision :)

Great shots across the years Talbot!

Guess he didn't get the contract he wanted from PTO.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

I will say - he's a homebody and doesn't really love to travel so I wonder how much that also has a lot to do with it, especially with a little one at home.

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DFRU - Detta Family Racing Unit...the kids like it and we all get out and after it...gotta keep the fam involved!

Isn't there a small matter of qualifying first?

Not sure how he got a contract when he is ranked 30+? Unless it rolled down to him which will be a shocker!!!! So many saying NO

he cannot

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https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

WTF has happened to his hair??? Calling 1980 - come in 1980...........

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He who understands the WHY, will understand the HOW.

seriously though, i suspect the PTO would want to offer him something - maybe even just appearance money for their north american races. regardless of how you feel about the guy he's a big media draw and he brings eyeballs!

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____________________________________
https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

I would have just given him a wild card. It’s only two races, pointless having a contract

Mark explained it in the other thread : "4 more who could be of any rank that would add value to the series"

So top 16 + 4 more of any rank that would add value gets a contract? So no wild cards?

you clearly weren't a swimmer in high school. Chlorine-burned hair is all the rage.