I would guess that he isn't getting paid to wear it, so he took it off.

I have noticed other pro's do the same thing....I don't blame them. Similar to blacking out tire manufacturers or logos on shoes, bikes, components, etc.

To be in the winning chute in the biggest event of the sport & to have enough calm to remember to do that--amongst all the excitement...wow, that is impressive. The winners are usually so pressed and exhausted by that point they are tunnel-vision to the finish line. He stopped and jumped around like he wasn't even tired after the line--but to remember to take a watch off on top of that. Jeezus!

So companies actually get pissed a pro they aren't sponsoring wears their gear and wins??? Or is it that his sponsors would get pissed he wasn't wearing theirs?

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No, the athlete says I’m not getting jack squat from you so during the next hour of interviews they’re not gonna see your company on my wrist.

And who knows, maybe the athlete asked for sponsorship, the watch company says 'nope', so ... screw you watch company. Of course, if the history is anything like this, it costs him nothing to leave it on and he goes to watch company and says - hey, lots of free advertising, how about some cash next season? If not, then off to watch company #2...

Yes, part of why he won was because he was able to channel this anger that well.

I bet it was his race plan all along.

I don't think he will accept sponsorship from said company (and it is not hard to figure out who it is) down the road either.

True story. A Garmin rep tackled me at the end of my IM and removed my watch because they didn't want it associated with my finishing time. True story.

I really hope this is correct. If so I applaud him. It's about time athletes made an effort to be a bit more 'professional' by which I mean make a stance to get paid what they deserve. Seeing Ryf shamelessly drinking Red Bull and being supplied a Mercedes shows me they do have worth.

My guess is he didn't cover the full distance and he was worried about Derek at Marathon Investigation buying the hi-res finisher photos and outing him.

Yeah I have no problem with this. Ryf drinking red bull at the finish. Carfrae hawking chocolate milk. This is how these guys pay the bills. I do find those Red Bull hats ugly as all hell though...

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"The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue."
- Napoleon Bonaparte

+1

If you look at the 2016 pictures, lots pictures of him at the finish line and podium shots, all with him wearing the same watch... this year he decides to take it off - it doesn't take Columbo to figure it out!

Frodeno did the same thing last year, watch at 12:08


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zw1LWWYAkk

Really? Where?

Are you a Pro? Even if you are...this is hard to believe. What year?

Maybe his wrist was sore.

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

Haha, I think it's safe to assume this is a joke...

Part of being a Pro is zipping up and being Sponsor correct at the finish.

Bro, Did you not read the part where I said, "True story"? And I said it twice. Plus, it's on the internet. Of course it's true.

Oh, alright. You got me. It's not true.

But did Sanders remove his allegedly malfunctioning watch before the finish too?

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

Maybe he's sponsored by Team Timex. At every race I've been to in the last 2 years I can't recall any of those guys/girls wearing anything but garmins during the run.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

An interesting decision, because the company could not use pictures of him for advertising without his explicit permission anyway. And - knowing that he would have photos - he has an awesome entre to get a sponsorship deal.

Though maybe he's in discussion with a competitor. If he'd been using a Garmin, but was in talks with Polar (for example), then I can see not wanting to have a watch in what might be a big announcement for 2018...

It's an interesting decision because I think his removal of the watch at the finish likely draws more attention to it than if he'd just left it on and removed it subtly at some point over the line.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

With the trash race i had a IMMT Polar should have definitely done that to me. LOL.

Pretty obvious. If you look at his website under sponsors there isn't any watch company

https://www.patrick-lange.org/sponsoren/


To me what happened is this. He wore a Garmin and took it at the finish line because he may already have a deal lined up with somebody else, and he didn't want his pictures at the finish (which will be everywhere for the next year) with the Garmin watch.


Would not be one bit surprised if we see him in Polar next year.

Yep agree about the hats but they somehow look better on Lucy Charles

Not just watch Sponsors, but Garmin is competing in power meters and all sorts of other things so it totally is a Pro move to remove it prior to the finish line pictures as those will likely be marketing gold.

Since this is my topic and I am the only wearable tech rep on this board, attend the ST Kona gathering, I will contribute. This is complicated and comes down to budgets and various levels of being a pro. In years past, just look at the awesome photos Slowtwitch has of what they wear coming out of T2 in Kona, most elect to use a certain brand but are not likely sponsored or even in contact with them. Research will show as stated on this board, look at an athletes sponsors or partners and look for an opportunity to approach an athlete. Partners are usually product only and at some level of being a pro, some will add this or not to their website. For Polar, it is just not possible to pay all athletes. Some athletes are secure with major sponsorship dollars from title sponsors and might take free product. When I am in discussions with an athlete, I clearly state that with product only, comes limitations and we fully understand if a watch is not used in a race or not tagged in social media. Some athletes can not get past no financial support and we do not proceed with building a relationship and some athletes are happy to be recognized, have a name and email to contact for support and we begin a product partnership. Why should should an athlete use product for free and give a brand free exposure?? It is different when the athlete has a relationship with a brand who has been supporting them all year, wishes them well prior to a race and post race emails and stays connected with them them. I support many athletes and they appreciate being supported, especially many female professionals. Good product, customer service and support goes a long way and now word of mouth has a few more professionals speaking to each other and this leads to more athletes getting product support from us. Once in the Polar circle, we support athletes with product for in store appearances and raffles, online contests etc. Polar has a blog and we might ask a product only athlete for a contribution. Within the blog content, the athlete can mention other sponsors and even wear a shirt that might get them media incentive money. It the top 15 images are posted, we will be well represented and all Polar wearing athletes are actually have a relationship with us and we want to retain them. Hope this helps with wearable insight within the elite circle.

Just in case anyone missed it on the coverage.... Still, I do wonder what is the reason for this action?? Sponsorship issues??

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Team Zoot-Texas, and Pickle Juice

Money talks. BS walks. If people were going to make training decisions and buy stuff based on what I use/wear, you better believe I'm getting paid. The instant triathlon crosses from hobby to job, it gets real.

I had my kitchen remodeled and while they were working the company put a sign on my lawn advertising they were doing the work. I took it down. The next day, the owner asked me if the sign blew away. I told him it was in the garage and if he wanted it back up, I wanted the price I was paying to reflect him using me for advertising. He laughed. I didn't. The sign went in the trash.

Did the same thing the last time I bought a car. The dealer likes to put that "Bob's Auto Sales" sticker on the brand new car. I told them I wanted it off unless they were going to adjust the price of the car to pay me to advertise for them. Again, they laughed. I didn't. No sticker.

Business is business.

Brilliant response!

I thought I was the only one who was like this. Same for branded t-shirts, caps etc.
Don't even get me started on "brand ambassadors" 😂

I make exemptions to that rule if I get a chance to make said merchandise the butt of a joke or use it as satire (or to make fun of myself).

I was sporting a "TaylorMade" golf trucker hat during my last WTC triathlon.

Was chuckling the whole run....

He wasn't getting paid by the watch company, so he removed it.

Haha, that's an interesting comparison but I don't think it's entirely equivalent.

At the end of the day, Lange is trying to protect the value of his current and future sponsorship deals by sending out the message "you can't advertise here for free". If his current sponsors are paying thousands of dollars per year to have their name on his tri-suit, they'll probably be a bit pissed off to see other companies getting exposure for free. Same goes for future deals; if a watch company thinks that he'll do it for free then they'll be less likely to give him a deal next time round.

In your case, sure the kitchen-remodeller's sign is a bit rude and presumptuous on his part if he didn't mention it up front, but the reality of that situation is that unless you're going to be having your house remodelled multiple times per year and/or already have other companies paying you to advertise on your lawn, then taking the sign down is a lose-lose situation. You're potentially going to annoy a contractor and he's going to revise down the value of the work that he gives you based on his perceived loss-of-advertising and lack of motivation to keep you happy.

However, the bumper sticker I can understand because they look like shit...

I am the EXACT same way with serve providers and car dealerships. Unless I am getting some cheddar for their adverting it's not happening. When I bought my last car I told the dealership I wanted their name sticker off my car or else the deal was off.

B