I predict he doesn't do very well. I think he will be in the lowest tier of pros that compete [at this event, not forever].

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

Fastest bike split of the day with a decent swim and run.

Smoked by Lionel

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I think he doesn't have fastest bike split, perhaps 2nd or 3rd fastest. Not sure how his training in the pool has been going, but he is going to have a wake up call when this swim takes off, especially if there is some surf.

I hope he does well enough to hang in and be motivated to keep at it. I dont know his mindset of where he thinks he should be, hopefully just to have some fun and race hard, let the places not matter too much for awhile..

Well, he’s got to start somewhere. At least after this race, he will have some idea where he needs work. He won’t need to be great at all 3 disciplines yet, just better than average. These pro triathletes are pretty darn good at everything. It will be interesting to say the least.

Geeeez

This race is going to be fire!
I will predict he DOES NOT have the fastest bike split and he will say he, "road very conservative". When in reality he went pretty hard.

I wished Wurf was racing..

Id like to think he will drop the HAMMER on the bike. I don't think he gains anything by being conservative on the bike, seems like the best strategy for him.

I guess I just want him to do that as a fan, make things fun, but also seems logical he would play to his strengths.

I don't see him contending for win, but I predict a respectable showing.

I hope he does well, too. But I'm guessing he'll channel Steve Larson.

This reminds me a few years back when Webb came into itu (briefly...he truly was paid to give it a shot and it didn’t work out and funding quickly evaporated and thus he “retired” as quick as he came into the sport). You can have this super single advantage but it won’t matter if talansky can’t run off that super bike effort/place. So this to me is going to be, is he going to turn himself into a triathlete over time or simply stay a “cyclist doing triathlon”. So if he can’t back up the run off what is likely to be of course a super strong bike, it’s going to be a big learning curve. So yes I think he has to play to his strength but it’s going to be a new ball game to then run off that effort. Will be fun to watch and follow. And of course this all takes time, he doesn’t suddenly become good at pacing and or running world class off the bike splits your 1st time. Going to be likely a lot of “learning moments” that if he can then put it all together....that’s fun to see, that type of athlete development.

I sorta get the feeling he’s doing this more to delay retiring and was sick of cyclist’s lifestyle but isn’t ready to get a “real job”. So next best thing is to go give tri a few years, get a few sponsors and then ride off into sunset if he’s only getting marginal results.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I have been on my Vegas roll lately (i.e., wild speculation). The dude has had a year and a half to fill in any deficiencies in his swim and run. IM cycling is nothing compared to the ProTour stuff, so no issues there. He survives the swim, moves up but doesn't overcook the bike, and kills in the run.

He has a wife and kids to support, so the idea that he can do anything less that finish well is ridiculous

x2

Smoked by Lionel ON THE BIKE.

OK, all kidding aside, I really want him to do awesome, it's just that whenever someone goes from Protour to triathlon cycling, they almost NEVER have the fastest bike split. Hey Lance got schooled by Sebi on the bike at Galveston. I think the only ex bike guy who figured it out immediately was Steve Larsen.

yeah, if he's serious about tri you've got to think he's used that time well and that won't mean riding all the time.
for the spectacle i'd love to see him smash the bike leg and who cares about the rest but in terms of his future impact in the sport it would be best to see him swim competently not too far off the pace, ride well but not necessarily outstandingly (we know he can get that going when he's in a position to really use it) and run to more or less maintain his place which should be possible if he has got his running going ok and rides conservatively

i Can't think of anyone who went from pro Tri to ProTour, but it seems to work OK the other way around (Icould be wrong, but I am thinking Port, Armstrong, Chuckie V, Larsen). Going the other way, Jalabert and Vino did well as retired guys. That Wurf dude did OK at Kona after missing his nutrition on the bike and let's be honest, he was only OK at the ProTour thing.

I think Tri is much more of a science now, compared to the Larsen days. If Talansky has any natural running ability, he will do well. Maybe he can't compete in the "ride for show, run for dough" world, but I think he will be at least a top 10 contestant at his best distance.

Checkout the tower 26 podcast. They had him on last week.

Iván Raña did it for 1 year riding for xacobeo Galicia.

Wurf was only 'ok' at the ProTour??? Pro cycling and Pro triathlon are different in so many ways, and placings are a big one. Wurf may not have placed in the top 10 at the TDF, but he was a super domestique, which mean't riding on the front of the bunch, or in the breakaway, day after day. He has a massive engine, and that's why it was no surprise he rides so well in Ironman.

 

3-6th.

i think people are underestimating several factors that set him apart from other road>tri crossovers.

he's young, has good background in the other sports, is very committed to tri, and was on a very high level as a cyclist.

the only newbie issue might be the swim if it is hectic, but shit he's a pro, im sure he's simulated race conditions in practices.

among THAT start list? gonna be tough...

This. The dude has a massive engine.

Regarding Talansky, I'll give him a top 10. Probably toward the back end of it though.

I hope it wan't too much. Or more to the point, I hope that they didn't choose to fund him over five 22/24 year olds who showed real promise but needed a few years to develop.

3-6th.
among THAT start list? gonna be tough... //

No offense to that group, but it really is not a deep field of top tier triathletes in this are. Oceanside has typically had at least a dozen guys that could win or podium in the race, I see 4 or 5 in this field. There a a "lot" of guys in the pro field, but most of those are not contenders. This is actually a great race for Andrew, lots of lower level pros filling out about a 10 minute wide gap after the front 4 or 5 are up the road, so he should be around and passing lots of dudes..

Really? His start list number is 13 and I’ll be surprised if he beats that. Frodeno, Sanders, Reed, Leiferman, McMahon, Gambles, Jesse Thomas, Sam Appleton are just a few that I would be shocked to see him beat. Then you have Laegerstorm and Metzler “ranked” behind him that will surely beat him. That’s a pretty solid Top 5 with 3 world champs and other podium athletes.

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https://twitter.com/mungub

I'll take DNF, but only because no one else has it yet.

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Actually, I think Lance was a pro triathlete for maybe a year at age 17-18, then went into pro cycling. I recall distinctly that he won the national sprint distance title back around '88/89. I remember it b/c in the article describing it said that he caught the lead swimmer Rob Mackle on the bike, rode with him for a minute or so, then just stood up and rode away from him and won the race.

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