Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [lovegoat] [ In reply to ]

Feb 15, 18 9:04

Post #51 of 158 (4390 views)

lovegoat wrote:

ericmulk wrote:

SkippyKitten wrote:

I found myself working out how to do the transitions... barefoot with rubber platform pedals.

I’m sure someone on here would be fretting about nutrition and hydration... ;)

That's right, NO distance is short enough to do w/o nutrition and hydration. (pink) :)

No kidding! ;) My highlight is still having seen a bike rigged for a sprint in the AG-ranks. Regular 20km flat bike. Person in question had 7 or 8 - i kid you not - gels taped to his stem. And 2 full water bottles of course. No pink! :)

7 or 8 gels for a sprint, Holy Sh*t Batman!!! I don't take in any calories unless i'm riding 50 miles or more, and even at 50 it would just be defizzed Coke or Mtn Dew. I'm a big defizzed soda drinker, more bang for the buck calorie-wise than Gatorade, Powerade, etc.

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

Last edited by: ericmulk: Feb 15, 18 18:25

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [FeketeBlob] [ In reply to ]

Feb 15, 18 14:42

Post #52 of 158 (4340 views)

FeketeBlob wrote:

Adman wrote:

I noticed it at Glasgow 2014 when they'd been outrun a few times leading up to it. Since then they've pretty much made sure Mola or Murray are nowhere to be seen going into T2.

I don't think 2014 was different to any previous year. Thinking of Alistair's races since Beijing 2008, I'm hard pressed to think of more than about five where he either didn't engineer a successful bike breakaway (sometimes breaking away from a breakaway) or at least led an unsuccessful one for several laps. From 36 races that I remember starting in 2009, AB entered T2 at part of some sort of successful breakaway on 25 occasions, i.e 70% of times. I don't think Murray or Mola have yet to even breakaway from the 2nd back, let alone get into a breakaway themselves...

I think though that as time has passed the successful break % has went up if you break it down year by year. I could be wrong but it seems that every race that AB races nowadays the break is successful. Yokohama & London 2014 are the last races I can think of where ABs break was not successful (yes I know he hasn't been as active of late). And in those races he was off the podium - although he was coming back from injury so wasn't in peak run shape at that stage of the season.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [Jackets] [ In reply to ]

Feb 15, 18 17:56

Post #53 of 158 (4309 views)

Jackets wrote:

mag900 wrote:

Diabolo wrote:

mag900 wrote:

when she was on the top of her game (i'd say 2012-15), she always was one of the best bikers but she didn't bike off the front and drop the rest of the field like duffy can and often does now. duffy is in a class of her own right now.

Ever heard of the Spirig train? Very famous among ITU women :-)

Nicola (and Daniela when she still raced ITU) were by far the best bike riders in women's ITU. Bike monsters yes!!! The only reason Spirig never biked off the front (or at least not often) is because she's not as strong a swimmer as Duffy is. Duffy is awesome, that we can agree on.

now you are talking nonsense. do spirig didn't bike off the front of races to get a minute lead going into t2 because she had to spend the first 10k of the bike playing catch-up and then forgot she could drop the rest of the field during the rest of the bike? that's a good one. there were plenty of races over the past 2 years where duffy didn't come out of the water in the lead, biked up to the front of the race and then just biked through everyone until she was in the lead that continued to grow. when was spirig doing that on a routine basis?

don't get me wrong, spirig is a great biker, but she's not as strong of a biker as duffy, who probably is the best itu biker ever. she has the record for the largest win ever (larger than any of gwen's) and it was done on the bike!

Can you give me a race when a fit Spirig and a fit Duffy have came out of the swim simmilar times down when Duffy has biked through everyone and Spirig has not?

What happened to Duffy's superior bike in Rio when Spirig was looking for someone to break with?

No but that's simply because there is no race other than Rio that had a fit Spirig and a fit Duffy racing against each other. We have years of Spirig never racing off the front of the race and an entire season (last year) where Duffy did it so frequently it was a story when she DIDN'T ride off the front of the race.

What makes you think Spirig was looking for someone to break with? I was there and Spirig looked more like someone who had no idea what she was doing by repeatedly surging on the flats, where she had no chance of gapping the field and of course never did, and then sitting in on each climb and descent of the hill. Please show me where in the race Spirig indicated that she was looking for help to make a break. Compare that to what the Bs did -- executing an all-out redline at the start of the bike that actually did gap the field, which the field never recovered from.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [mag900] [ In reply to ]

Feb 16, 18 1:44

Post #54 of 158 (4271 views)

mag900 wrote:

Jackets wrote:

mag900 wrote:

Diabolo wrote:

mag900 wrote:

when she was on the top of her game (i'd say 2012-15), she always was one of the best bikers but she didn't bike off the front and drop the rest of the field like duffy can and often does now. duffy is in a class of her own right now.

Ever heard of the Spirig train? Very famous among ITU women :-)

Nicola (and Daniela when she still raced ITU) were by far the best bike riders in women's ITU. Bike monsters yes!!! The only reason Spirig never biked off the front (or at least not often) is because she's not as strong a swimmer as Duffy is. Duffy is awesome, that we can agree on.

now you are talking nonsense. do spirig didn't bike off the front of races to get a minute lead going into t2 because she had to spend the first 10k of the bike playing catch-up and then forgot she could drop the rest of the field during the rest of the bike? that's a good one. there were plenty of races over the past 2 years where duffy didn't come out of the water in the lead, biked up to the front of the race and then just biked through everyone until she was in the lead that continued to grow. when was spirig doing that on a routine basis?

don't get me wrong, spirig is a great biker, but she's not as strong of a biker as duffy, who probably is the best itu biker ever. she has the record for the largest win ever (larger than any of gwen's) and it was done on the bike!

Can you give me a race when a fit Spirig and a fit Duffy have came out of the swim simmilar times down when Duffy has biked through everyone and Spirig has not?

What happened to Duffy's superior bike in Rio when Spirig was looking for someone to break with?

No but that's simply because there is no race other than Rio that had a fit Spirig and a fit Duffy racing against each other. We have years of Spirig never racing off the front of the race and an entire season (last year) where Duffy did it so frequently it was a story when she DIDN'T ride off the front of the race.

What makes you think Spirig was looking for someone to break with? I was there and Spirig looked more like someone who had no idea what she was doing by repeatedly surging on the flats, where she had no chance of gapping the field and of course never did, and then sitting in on each climb and descent of the hill. Please show me where in the race Spirig indicated that she was looking for help to make a break. Compare that to what the Bs did -- executing an all-out redline at the start of the bike that actually did gap the field, which the field never recovered from.

Duffy is a front pack swimmer, Spirig is always playing catch up on the bike with a weak swim.

Spirig unfortunately doesnt race that often, Duffy wasn't at her peak when Spirig was racing regularly the race we have to go off is Rio as a fair comparison. A race were Spirig was forcing the pace on the bike and from memory it was Gwen who covered most of Spirig breaks.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [Jackets] [ In reply to ]

Feb 16, 18 2:27

Post #55 of 158 (4258 views)

Jackets wrote:

Who other than Blummenfelt is a better biker in the chase pack than Murray?

When I described Murray as a monster biker I think he is compared to the rest of the ITU field, obviously not Brownlee standard but certainly with in the Top 5.

All this who's a better biker than who is prety hard to prove draft legal racing.

Yeah i guess it depends on who you’re comparing too. Monster bikers i was thinking more Sanders, Wurf, Kienle and Brownlee.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [TriguyBlue] [ In reply to ]

Feb 26, 18 7:20

Post #56 of 158 (4119 views)

Brownlees skipping Abu Dhabi it seems to head to Australia in order to prep from the Commonwealth games.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [messien] [ In reply to ]

Feb 26, 18 8:29

Post #57 of 158 (4080 views)

Yeah, I saw JB mention that he was off to Oz on Twitter so I guess they're out, if they were ever legitimately in? It's a bit disappointing to see the WTS take a back seat amongst the top-athletes yet again...

Just looked it up and the Commonwealth Games are 5th April for the Elite Men's and Women's races and 7th April for the Mixed Team Relay and Para-Athletes, so I guess it would be right in the middle of their build-up for it.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [awenborn] [ In reply to ]

Feb 26, 18 16:02

Post #58 of 158 (4017 views)

awenborn wrote:

Yeah, I saw JB mention that he was off to Oz on Twitter so I guess they're out, if they were ever legitimately in? It's a bit disappointing to see the WTS take a back seat amongst the top-athletes yet again...

Just looked it up and the Commonwealth Games are 5th April for the Elite Men's and Women's races and 7th April for the Mixed Team Relay and Para-Athletes, so I guess it would be right in the middle of their build-up for it.

JB is still on the numbered start list, Ali is off. With the new withdrawal rules, this withdrawal is now classed as a late withdrawal and can cause a penalty to the countries number of starters at the next WTS. GB won't be able to continue this game this season as they will quickly use their "free passes" effecting their other athletes.
As far as the other top athletes they are all in. Ali and Gomez are the only ones out. this field is massive in talent.

Last edited by: chrisb12: Feb 26, 18 16:06

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [chrisb12] [ In reply to ]

Feb 26, 18 23:41

Post #59 of 158 (3951 views)

Was really looking forward to seeing Ali back racing in ITU, shame.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [Jackets] [ In reply to ]

Feb 27, 18 3:30

Post #60 of 158 (3880 views)

I believe Ali has entered Maloolaba, another sprint distance race that would be preparation for the Commonwealth Games.

Given that both of them gave interviews, saying they were looking forward to racing in Abu Dhabi, I presume Alistair must have picked up an injury of some sort. I don't know the ins and outs of the new late withdrawal rules, but presumably an authentic injury is judged differently to someone just not wanting to turn up.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [FeketeBlob] [ In reply to ]

Feb 27, 18 3:40

Post #61 of 158 (3896 views)

https://twitter.com/AliBrownleetri/status/968436297852444672

Quote:

@AliBrownleetri

I have decided not to race in @WTSAbuDhabi this week. Pulled my calf a bit and there’s no chance of me not putting everything into a race and doing further damage.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [doug_steel] [ In reply to ]

Feb 27, 18 6:43

Post #62 of 158 (3831 views)

doug_steel wrote:

https://twitter.com/AliBrownleetri/status/968436297852444672

Quote:

@AliBrownleetri

I have decided not to race in @WTSAbuDhabi this week. Pulled my calf a bit and there’s no chance of me not putting everything into a race and doing further damage.

Perhaps his propensity of running up on his toes bit Alistair in his calf?

Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [sciguy] [ In reply to ]

Feb 28, 18 4:27

Post #63 of 158 (3702 views)

Predictions anyone???

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [Jackets] [ In reply to ]

Feb 28, 18 8:23

Post #64 of 158 (3649 views)

Men
1) Sanders (obviously)
2) Mola
3) Murray

-----
Women
1) Cook
2) Holland
3) Gentle

Inside The Big Ring: Podcast & Coaching

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [Brandes] [ In reply to ]

Feb 28, 18 10:10

Post #65 of 158 (3613 views)

Men:

1) Blummenfelt
2) Johnny Brownlee
3) Mario Mola

x-factor: Murray, depends on what happens on the bike (whether he is contact starting the run)...

Women:

1) Duffy
2) Zaferes
3) Gentle

x-factor: Stanford

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [Brandes] [ In reply to ]

Feb 28, 18 13:32

Post #66 of 158 (3570 views)

Brandes wrote:

Men
1) Sanders (obviously)
2) Mola
3) Murray

-----
Women
1) Cook
2) Holland
3) Gentle

Defo Sanders in first.....

1.Sanders 2.Brownlee 3.Murrey 4.Mola 5.Blum Women.... 1.Holland 2.Duffy 3.Learmouth

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [Brandes] [ In reply to ]

Feb 28, 18 13:53

Post #67 of 158 (3550 views)

Men:

1. Lionel Sanders
2. Lionel Sanders
3 .Lionel Sanders

Women:

1. Lionel Sanders
2. Lionel Sanders
3 .Lionel Sanders

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [hairypiernas] [ In reply to ]

Feb 28, 18 14:30

Post #68 of 158 (3524 views)

Right! No way Duffy could hold his wheel :)

Inside The Big Ring: Podcast & Coaching

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [hairypiernas] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 18 6:08

Post #69 of 158 (3453 views)

Pfft, Sanders would drop out on the first lap of the bike because of all of the drafting... There's no 20m draft zone in WTS... And Duffy could totally hold his wheel on a course as technical as the F1 circuit...

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [Jackets] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 18 6:26

Post #70 of 158 (3438 views)

Jackets wrote:

Predictions anyone???

Learmonth, Duffy, Zaferes, Coldwell, Routier and Cook hammer the swim and gap the field. Cook and Routier are quickly dropped on the bike. Duffy, Learmonth and Zaferes come into T2 together. Coldwell drops off the run pace at 2k while Flora and Katie duke it out for the next 3 k. for an epic finish.

On the men's side, JB, Richard Varga, Vincent Luis,Heni Schoeman, Kanute and a couple others hammer the swim attempting to get a gap but are reeled in by the field. It comes down to a running race between JB, Mario, Luis, and Murray with the ones in best early season form making the podium.

YMMV,

Hugh

Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [sciguy] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 18 7:03

Post #71 of 158 (3425 views)

why was the trifecta dropped this year?

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [sciguy] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 18 7:17

Post #72 of 158 (3421 views)

No Blu?

Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [oscaro] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 18 8:20

Post #73 of 158 (3391 views)

oscaro wrote:

No Blu?

Ooops.....brain fart;( Yes Blu storms through for a solid podium spot.

hugh

Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [sciguy] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 18 15:51

Post #74 of 158 (3326 views)

sciguy wrote:

Jackets wrote:

Predictions anyone???

Learmonth, Duffy, Zaferes, Coldwell, Routier and Cook hammer the swim and gap the field. Cook and Routier are quickly dropped on the bike. Duffy, Learmonth and Zaferes come into T2 together. Coldwell drops off the run pace at 2k while Flora and Katie duke it out for the next 3 k. for an epic finish.

On the men's side, JB, Richard Varga, Vincent Luis,Heni Schoeman, Kanute and a couple others hammer the swim attempting to get a gap but are reeled in by the field. It comes down to a running race between JB, Mario, Luis, and Murray with the ones in best early season form making the podium.

YMMV,

Hugh

What this will boil down to really, who's fitness levels are better early doors of the season. I know all my predictions have either raced or looked like they've not had the winter off via socail media.

Either way Sanders dominates whatever shape he decides to show up in...

Re: Abu Dhabi Start Lists Up [mag900] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 18 18:17

Post #75 of 158 (3300 views)

Yeah I wasn’t in love with the way they scored the trifecta but it was a fun distraction. It made me feel cool, like those kids who predict the classics races over on that other thread. 😎

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