I'm thinking racing an iron distance race two weeks ago probably didn't help much. It's not the bike.

Agreed. She's has some pretty sub par performances recently, but I don't necessarily think it's the bike. She did crush an IM recently, and that has to take something out of you. I also believe we are seeing a passing of the torch to LCB. I think she was absolutely unstoppable today.

Doubtful Sutto would approve that plan

Something is way, way off. Whether small injury, general fatigue, sickness….or maybe simply just mentally not into the grind at this point in time.

She recently bought a house and made some positive changes in her life…maybe she enjoys that more?

I don’t think it has anything to do with bike fit or schedule etc.

Maurice

paradoxical...

that IM was 2 weeks ago. of course it will slow someone down in shorter course. possible reason why sanders didnt go

Yeah, Ryf is racing on her own terms now be it good and bad.

Did 70.3 champs not mean much, or did she honestly think she could recover fully in two weeks to race the best? I dunno.

She must have thought she could recover, if not there were countless 70.3's to go do in Europe this weekend. Why bother going all the way to St. George other than thinking you can win?

After 14 years of racing Pro, I think it's unfair to say her race was sub par. She's in the twilight of her career and should be allowed to slowly disappear into the sunset without people deriding her performances. This is 34 year old Daniela Ryf, not 28 year old Daniela Ryf, Ironman World Champion.

Nobody is deriding anything. It’s a genuine question.

It was commented on too during the live feed that she didn’t look comfortable on the bike. The question is why.

Ah sorry, missed that

Indeed she look uncomfortable on the bike, fatigue wise not fit wise

Jeroen

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Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands

She has been fighting health issues. Now taking a break to tackle them.

I haven’t read the whole thread so I don’t know if this has been said but Taylor Knibb raced to a podium on a road bike, no aero helmet, round bottles on the frame, nutrition taped on her tube and a fly kit behind the seat.

It’s not the bike.

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USAT Level II- Ironman U Certified Coach

[/url]I personally think a few things have happened that are nothing to do with the bike.

1. She ditched her coach. Not that I think Brett Sutton should be coaching anyone, but she needs a coach. Self-coaching is not going to bring her best results. Just check out Lionel Sanders performances and associated social media to see why!

2. At 28 she could have probably raced IM Switzerland and still won the 70.3 worlds 2 weeks later. But at 34, with the time differences between Europe and Utah, and the latest crop of 70.3 specialists hot on her heels its going to take its toll.

3. She always pushes to the finish. Its great when an athlete does this and does not pull out, but she has raced with issues a few times this year and finished races when she has not been fit. Racing with a stomach upset has to take its toll on you after a race.

I bet she needs some R&R and reflection time and hopefully she will decide to put a few changes in place. I am a big fan, and I would love to see her go on to become the GOAT which I think she is capable of.

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He who understands the WHY, will understand the HOW.

If we are going to pull this Taylor Knibb road bike nonesense into this thread, Taylor would be faster properly set up on a TT bike. She may not know how to ride one yet, but its really not that hard if she can ride a road bike with clip ons. Taylor was slower BECAUSE of her bike (she may have also been tired from recent racing as she has less lifetime miles/base in the body).

I agree there is something else going on with Daniela. Doing an Ironman 2 weeks before clashing with a elite field is suboptimal by any account. This is not the local half IM that she can waltz in and clean up on. She needed her full A game on to beat Lucy. Lucy brought her A++ game. Daniela thought she could wing a full IM and come to St. George and be her old self (if not I am not sure why she did St. George to not compete, when there was something like 5 other half IM's in Europe she could easily win this weekend).

She no longer has a coaching relationship with the criminal.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

Mostly this, I don’t get why losing 7k$ in prize money should be seen like a badge of honour.

With RYF as someone else mentioned there has to be some sort of greater health or other issues going on, IE I’m putting her poor performances recently in the realm of “something private”

Maurice

maybe paid by sponsors for appearance fee? or she is showing how tough she is , not backing down from racing with the top dogs like jan did

on an instagram post today she said shes experiencing weird things with her body. shes apparently got something going on. she said she "made a couple of attacks but no one noticed". that made me sad for her.

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80/20 Endurance Ambassador

Nope, no bike sponsor. She made a choice in the days and weeks leading up to the event to give 7k$ to Jeannie metzler.

Lol with the Jan trolling you and I both know that Iden races in Nikes and Jan races in Hokas….so very obviously all Jan has to do is come in two minutes behind and he’s “beaten” Iden. Of course jan has already beaten Iden this year anyways.

Maurice

These days 34 is just entering her prime….

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Let food be thy medicine...

With the amount of drama it was last time for Jan to get to the US in these crazy covid times why would he go through the the effort involved, separated from family, the health risks involved and put in a sub par performance that he as he wasn't motivated to do and then have the likes you on Slowtwitch bag him out. He's had a pretty full calendar as of late, showed the class he is and with no Kona afterwards probably wasn't overly motivated purely to train for a 70.3 WC title. He's already the GOAT and nothing more to prove.

Both Daniela and Rudy have been sick since IM 70.3 Switzerland at the beginning of August - maybe something in the water (literally?) but whatever is going on with Rudy has leveled him as well. Daniela is a champion, tough to see her struggle.

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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!

no nonsense- the OP asked if Ryf's new bike is affecting her racing. My point was no, it's not the bike and used Knibb's less-than-ideal setup as an example. Obviously we don't know much about the new Felt bike but I highly doubt it is less superior than Knibb's setup.

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USAT Level II- Ironman U Certified Coach