It is often stated by officials that simply going along the course with your athlete/friend/family member violates the outside assistance rule. That's not my interpretation, that is just how it is often interpreted and enforced by WTC officials. But if you read the thread, you will see that there was specific support given as well.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

I read it. Hard for a ref to call assistance with a group biking near a group running. Re one pro shouting out advice, that could be unwanted assistance. The spirit of the rule has always been about one on one assistance. Ref should merely have directed riders to fall back 50 yards.

There seemed to be a lot of traffic / bikers on the run course. I was there yesterday (sort of...my racing wasn't). There was a guy not in the race on the same road (Monarch Rd), pacing an athlete (the pacer had no markings or race number/age on calf--dressed in non athletic clothes)...but I didn't say anything because no matter how slow I was going, he was going much slower by the run, was too tired to care much anymore. I can say about the bikers in this picture,there were possibly some training partners following these guys--as well as curious watchers, but no, there should only be a) medical bike b) lead cyclist on the course near these guys. Officials should be pulling these guys off their bikes if they are seen.

I did see a guy in my AG who I went back & forth with over the race, who did have a coach along the bike and run, various points even on the bike--who was coaching, giving splits, etc. Some dude named Paulo (who later cramped up screaming holding his left quad at the end of the last lap on the run). That was a bit unkind to be doing that (nobody tracked my competition & told me data along the way).

Lastly, I did have a guy I passed on the bike, dropped back 2 bike lengths behind me all the way up the hill and onto the flat. Finally turned around & told him to drop off. He said, "You pass me and slow down, what do you want me to do?" Told him, "To follow the rules!" I passed him because HE was slowing down. But rules state drop 6 bike lengths out of the draft zone, not drop back 2 lengths and draft. He got pissed & floored it and went up the road. Later to have a meltdown WAY worse than mine on the run. Can't police everyone...

I did also see someone's friend/family member hand off some food to an athlete NOT at an aid station, although at that point in my "wogging" (it wasn't really jogging even)...I was too beat to care. But I did finish my first triathlon since 2016! I'm a triathlete again!

Probably has to do with the "Rolling Troupe of Freds" clause that is afforded to pro racers but not the bourgeois.

As was discussed here a couple weeks ago, the leader of Hardrock 100 was DQ'd in the middle of the race for taking water and ice from his crew outside of an aid station.

Harsh, but rules are rules.

First, I do feel like something should have been done about those riders in the photos. I can actually see family members of those athletes riding behind them.

I partially agree with TGs comment about this being allowed in Kona. I say partially because I've seen it both ways. I can remember one year I was out on the Queen K on my bike (I wasn't racing) trying to blow past all the runners to the cut-off (for spectators) spot. It was either the last year or the second to last year Crowie was racing there and as I passed him I gave a shout out (worlds of encouragement) from one of his family members that I saw a minute or two before. Anyhow, I was riding probably 18mph, so by no means was I riding along side him. He gave me a quick nod and I continued on. About a minute up the road a ref pulled aside me and told me I can not pace him and if seen doing this again, he will be DQ'd.

As I sat out on the Queen K that year I started to watch all the coaches, family and friends ride next to pros for miles on the way back into town. Not to call someone out but that year Linsey Corbin's mother literally rode next to her from the gas station all the way back to Palani. If that's not outside support (pacing) I don't know what is, especially considering I was threatened by a ref for riding past someone at a far faster pace than the athlete was running.

So I don't think it's allowed but I think a lot get away with it. They need to tighten the rules. Imagine they let riders sit behind runners in the NY, Boston or London Marathons.

This is what's cool with triathlon or should I say "some triathlons", people can follow the lead PRO's on their bike, it's awesome, it creates a really cool atmosphere around the race for the win. If you look at some races in the eighties with Mark Allen, you had 30 people following him during the run. It's just cool. Here in Boulder, it was 6-8 people. Some PRO's, some AG'ers from Boulder just following a nice battle happening in the home race. It was nice to watch. No athlete was aided or paced whatsoever because we were riding behind the athletes, and behind the lead bike (or on the side at times). No other athletes were bothered or anything. I hope to be one of the top runners next year in the actual race, and have dozens of cyclists following the leaders. So cool. Make triathlon awesome #ericlagerstrom

You're wrong, there was no pacing involved whatsoever.

Rules are no different for PRO's, this is like saying that thousands of people cheering for an NBA team is an unfair advantage compared to amateur games where nobody is there. Makes 0 sense. It's just that 3 PRO's running side by side for the last 5 miles of a 70.3 and battling it out for the win is pretty cool to watch. Especially in triathlon where you can get so close to them.


Cell phone use is to document the epic ness of the moment and get cool content. Riding in a straight line w one hand on the handlebar is very easy.

Hahaha you are a dumbass. This guy is reining 70.3 European Champion. He knows the rules for pros better then all of you. Considering he is a pro obviously he stayed out of the way of the age groupers.

Please let me know why I would be a douche by saying that there was no pacing involved in that race since I was physically there? You have no idea what happened, so maybe you shouldn’t be commenting here.

Nice edit *douche

So now respectfully following Pro’s during a hometown race on the open dirt roads around the Boulder resevoir is having no respect for the game? You don’t know what you’re talking about. I love this sport and have more respect for it than you can imagine. What happened in Boulder was good for the sport. Keep it alive, fun and awesome. It was great for the top pro’s in that race to have people follow them rather than being alone out there. There was an audience. I thought it was really cool. And there was 0 pacing, and no age grouper had a problem with us. Actually, only the very few top age groupers were out there.

WS - You might want to read up on Rudy's 2018 race results:

http://www.triathlete.com/...rudy-von-berg_322638

https://www.slowtwitch.com/...p_his_game_6907.html

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

Rudy Vonberg coming in off the top rope with a chair

I was in a different race recently and was wondering about rules about coaches providing information on placing and times during the run. Several times I saw coaches/friends run alongside somebody for about 100m and update them on their position and time differences to others and the paces of those others. I thought that wasn't allowed but I don't see any rule in the rule book prohibiting this.

Wether this is pacing or not I would be more concerned about athlete safety. How can any race director allow that many bikes to co-mingle with the athletes. If every runner participating had followers like that there would be much bigger concerns than are the athletes getting pacing support.

Take a hike, Fucknozzle.

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"Good genes are not a requirement, just the obsession to beat ones brains out daily"...the Griz

Sounds like a win-win for you and the sponsors.

How fast do I have to be before I'm allowed to have my friends follow me on their bikes? Do I have to be a Pro? An FOPer? MOPer? Just let me know where the line is. Thanks.

i hear what you're saying, but if every athlete in the race had 20 or 30 fans trying to follow him or her on the course, that sort of engagement would be great. yes, it would have to be managed. but let's manage it when we have that problem, rather than strangling enthusiasm when we don't have that problem.

my takeaway from this thread: you can't pace someone from behind; and if those in the race, at the race, don't see a problem with it i don't see why those of us hundreds or thousands of miles away should have a problem. triathlon began as a sport with almost no rules. the more rules it got, the less fun it became. and rudy is right. in 1989 i was one of those guys on the bike, maybe 40 or 50 of us, maybe more, riding behind mark and dave on the queen q, witnessing history.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

How is this respectful? All of them are up in these guys grills. If that's not intentional and wrong to you...not sure what is. We talk about cars hitting people on course that are supposed to be closed...well now we have an open run course and a bunch of assholes with their phones out trying to snag a pic for the gram.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

So wife can follow me on the bike and it not be considered pacing? I had no idea this was allowed, and I'm sure lots of other people didn't either. This could get very interesting.

How fast do I have to be before I'm allowed to have my friends follow me on their bikes? Do I have to be a Pro? An FOPer? MOPer? Just let me know where the line is. Thanks. //

No problem, I will give you the line. You have to be leading the pro race either in the mens or womens, and I mean in the lead. So there you go, you have your line, good luck...