I like your picks, and I like that they don't show your bias at all :-)
Too bad there was only one GB man to choose from!

With that said, you could still end up being right.

My picks:

Yee
Wilde
Vilaca (but I think Pearson is a big podium contender too, and this assumes the French attempt at getting away on the swim-bike doesn't work)

Potter
GTB
Beaugrand

Germany
France
GB

I'll go with:

1. Duffy
2. Lindemann
3. Potter

1. Bergere
2. Yee
3. Coninx

1. Germany
2. France
3. GB

Coverage of the Lombardi/Waugh/Coldwell race:
https://www.triathlonlive.tv/...riathlon-cup-melilla
Interviews at 1:01:56
Almost zero spectators!
The GTB v Waugh v Coldwell pick for slots #2 and #3 will be down to Cagliari, with Coldwell likely to miss out, on current and latter half of 2023 form. Waugh consistently takes 30 seconds out of her (over 10km; 22 seconds in Melilla over 5km).
https://triathlon.org/...riathlon_cup_melilla

You are aware that her best is the silver medal over 1500/40k/10k? this gimmicky indoor mini tri hardly shows that she is at the same level of fitness as in 2021. it shows she has made good progress recovering from her injuries but let's not get carried away here.

You are aware I said give her another couple of MONTHS to get back to full fitness?

yes, which makes what your wrote even more nonsensical. you think her indoor result shows she is almost back to silver medal form and then in a couple of more months she will only be back to being a medal contender. again, lieven doesn't indicate much of anything. quartereira is what you should be pointing to as indicating that she has recovered well. she outran everyone there except CB and tertsch in an early season full 10k.

I am. and I'm sure @SheridanTris is 'aware' too. Yet I think their opinion of GTB is reasonable: "another couple of months running and she is a medal contender". I can see BriTri relying on GTB for Leg 2 (whoever is the other pick, besides Potter) and GBR are a locked on 'contender' for an MTR medal and a good bet to retain their Olympic relay title.

Would be watching Wollongong World Cup now if it worked. Is anybody else being shot out of the live feed after a few seconds?

I can watch about 10 seconds and then it kicks me out…

I’m now watching with a lag (15 minutes behind) and it works.

Yep… me too… though just a 45 second lag. Saw the finish so I won’t spoil it for you!

I think you are just trying to troll now.

GTB fell out of love with Tri due to events away from racing. Then just as she got her hunger back she had a serious calf injury. She has only just started running again. There is +100 days to the womens race. She is back healthy and hungry.

What exactly do you mean that her “best” is just an Olympic silver? Since when is Olympic silver a “just” medal? BTW she also has an Olympic Gold but hey oh! That and former World Champ, she is a big race performer.

Wollongong: Rainsley in front pack (of 8) managed to turn to finish/T2 rather than carry on on Lap 1 and dropped two packs.
(Not seen by commentators, who talked about her 'fading' after T1.)
With Klamer et al worked back to the main/lead pack of ?30 for the ride
Edit: Great sprint finish.
https://www.triathlonlive.tv/...ollongong-women-2024
Men: https://www.triathlonlive.tv/.../wollongong-men-2024

GTB also "just" got that silver medal finishing the bike on a flat tyre

Now I think you are trolling. I never used the word "just" -- I said that her "best" is 2nd in the Olympics, which is about as good as you can get (other than the gold) I questioned your post that was doing cart wheels over a gimmicky indoor tri, which doesn't mean much of anything, and your nonsensical observation that she almost back to her "best" (your word), which is a silver in the Olympics. No, she is not back to her Olympic silver days simply because she did well in a silly indoor tri. Might she get back to that level of fitness? That's what will make the next 3 months so interesting. I will be rooting for her but I will not say in April after a LONG layoff she is back to 2nd in the world fitness just because she looked good in a gimmicky indoor tri.

Did you read this on her social media?
Or did you see it,?
Was she the only one that went the wrong way,?
Social l media implies she also crashed on her bike when trying to correct
That all makes a 10th place finish pretty good 😊

I actually saw this live (on screen) and scrolled back to check what I'd seen. She was pushing the lead pack with the Czech immediately before the divide (jus after a roundabout, right for laps, left for T2 which is where I saw one cyclist go left (and the rest keep right)). Suddenly she'd disappeared from FP and a minute or two later we saw her with Klamer in 2nd chase pack.
https://www.triathlonlive.tv/...ollongong-women-2024 at 12.06 on the race clock.

Jenkins repeated the 'must have faded' reason a couple of times: it was clear they didn't know. In fact just after she erred, they wished her a 'belated' happy birthday (from Friday!!)
I don't know whether/how she turned round to get back on course (ie with or without a (minor) crash). It would have taken at least 20 seconds (erring at high speed and on blue carpet) so the loss of time was about right.
A likely result of this was that the FP without her drive lost impetus and were caught.
She ran 17:32, maybe a bit dischuffed with herself for the error. I could see her running to a win from a front 9 that stayed away if she'd kept on track. 17:34 in Hong Kong (with Holland on 17:01).
https://www.triathlon.org/...up_wollongong/629211
I thought the bike course promises to be great for next year's WTCS Final.

Oh yeah, could see that when I looked for it.
She did well to come 10th considering

good stuff .

I was listening to the Fitter Radio podcast today (NZ based coaches) and they talked about Yee being injured.

I also noticed that preliminary start lists for Cagliari are posted.

Women - https://wtcs.triathlon.org/...ries_cagliari/627960
Men - https://wtcs.triathlon.org/...ries_cagliari/627959

Interesting about Yee, if true. Those Cagliari lists don't seem like they are complete!?

Looks like GB Tri aren’t even trying to qualify a 3rd male.

In practice, both Brownlee and Izzard would have to gain at least 500 OQ points. Minimal chance even if they tried. And the last thing BruTri wants is to break Brownlee. Not vital for the MTR (several others could manage and still keep GBR in the medal hunt) but for sure the banker option.

Any idea how tough is the current Cagliari bike course is? I believe the old sprint course was considered rigorous but don't get a feel from the overhead view of this year's course.

Thanks

Hugh

---

Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Historically, this race had gone up into the hills and was a challenging bike course but I believe this year’s course is a repeat of last year with beach laps.

This race will be a key selection event for GB Triathlon so that’s why you’re seeing all the GB Olympic contenders women on that start line, in contrast to athletes like Taylor-Brown and Coldwell skipping Yokohama.

I asked USAT why they selected Yokohama vs Cagliari as a selection race and its related to the beach start in Cagliari which doesn’t mimic the pontoon start in Paris.