From that Insta post, I think you're right, I think he had sponsors before he even announced becoming a triathlete, let alone hit the water.

New athlete riding a Canyon bike?

Naa they already have all the high profile athletes they need. I bet Potts is retiring soon and it's Cannondale

I am really interested to see what he can pull off. The guy has a runner body and can TT. Even if he was not a great swimmer growing up, I am going to assume no matter how crap his technique, with his engine he can go 60 min. For a second, I am going to assume he can ride 4:20 in Kona off his swim, putting him in the lead group at T2. Now can he run a 2:40 open marathon translating into a 3:00 in kona or is he a 2:30 guy translating into a 2:50 Kona split. I hope he cranks out some early season Half IM and Olympics to get the machine oiled. It's going to be a lift for him qualifying for Kona next year, assuming he only starts acquiring points in the new year. You're already in a big hole since the Top 20 spots are already pretty well gone to people racing Kona and fall IM's and who did well at 70.3 Worlds.

He's going to need to get lots of points at a few regional championship 70.3's (a good way to get decent points) and then bag good points at the likes of IM Texas/IM South Africa/IM Frankfurt/IM Brazil. Basically he has to bank on doing well at some of the high points races which are really in the first half of 2018. At least IM South Africa and IM Brazil are usually wetsuit salt water (let's assume his swim is not totally awesome....hopefully I am wrong).

You guys really have your priorities upside down. No one ever remembers in a few years which winners rode which bikes in triathlon. They just care about the athletic exploits.

no matter how crap his technique, with his engine he can go 60 min. For a second, I am going to assume he can ride 4:20 in Kona off his swim, putting him in the lead group at T2. Now can he run a 2:40 open marathon translating into a 3:00 in kona or is he a 2:30 guy translating into a 2:50 Kona split.


60min non wetsuit IM swim regardless of technique + 2h30-2h40 open marathon? That's expecting a lot of him, even with his big engine...

And IM Brazil won't be a regional championship next year, so that's one less salt water wetsuit IM with a lot of points for Andrew to rely on.

"A few years" doesn't really matter, Canyon is selling bikes to triathletes NOW because of what Frodeno is doing NOW.

Canyon sells bike because they have really nice looking bikes at a good price point. Frodeno could be riding a Louis Garneau, I would still be wanting a canyon.

Being paid 150k-200k a year to ride a bike sounds pretty amazing.

There's no way he does anything special for a few years at least unless this has been in the works for a while and the guys at Cannondale have been letting him cross train, which I doubt. He needs a lot of time in the water, and a long slow progression to build up the running miles so he doesn't break himself.

Why does the guy need to worry about points at all? You don't think WTC lets him in on an exemption?

Many cyclists will cross train in the winter, including running and swimming. You'll see some big name cyclists show up at local 5k or 10k races and do very well.

I guess we'll have to wait and see. I know both my triathlon and cycling friends are very interested in seeing how he does. Almost certainly will bring a little more attention to triathlon either way.

why would he get an exemption? He brings what to WTC to give him that status?

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

uhh, a huge fan base outside of their native one.

Interesting in that I've never heard that about him. Or atleast to the point that it moves the needle for WTC to warrant free entry into the PRO race.

Where is the fan base at? Social media numbers don't warrant much imo.



twitter- 49k followers
IG- 14k followers

ETA: When you talk about getting free entry because you move the needle, you better move the needle. Again, that's not a knock on him, more questioning why that avenue would even be suggested.

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

you've honestly never heard of andrew talansky? i'm very surprised.

also, you're looking at those statistics wrong. there's ~50k people who probably aren't "triathlon" fans who will now be more invested in triathlon, at least partially, because he will likely be posting about it. so, that's 50k "new" "triathlon fans."

No I have heard of him. But 98% of Americans haven't. So when someone brings up WTC putting him in the race because he moves the needle, I want to be shown how HE moves the needle. How this guy moves the needle to warrant THAT move by WTC.

eta: Which is a move that has never been executed by WTC correct? I was just shocked I would read he should be put in the pro race without actually qualifying.

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

It'd be interesting to hear more about his background. I remember reading about him on the Letsrun message board as a former runner that made the switch to pro cycling.

A simple google search doesn't give you much more detail. An old article mentions him trying swimming and cross country in high school, and that he started biking to cross train after a stress fracture in his shin.

A few cross country results are out there from his junior year. Nothing from swimming. I'd guess that his swimming is quite limited to maybe a season or two in high school, since it's mentioned so casually in the article. On the surface his running results are not very impressive given his cycling prowess, but it could be his junior year cross country was his only and first season of running. Also, there are no track results either. So 17:30 is pretty good if he just started running that season. The stress fracture would indicate that he was actually putting in some miles.

http://archive.dyestat.com/.../oct1-FLflrunner.htm

http://fl.milesplit.com/...0/stats#.WdelPk2ouUk

I remember reading an interview of his (after his one really solid season where he won the Dauphine because Contador and Froome were daring each other to chase) and he seemed to imply that he could expect to compete with the best in the world. His talent never seemed to quite justify his confidence in himself.

I'm betting he becomes a solid triathlete, and, over the long-term, an exceptional cautionary tale.

Wait, I'm confused (again). Which race would he be "put into?" I think USAT will give him his elite card, no questions asked. I don't think he'll get into Kona "on the house." Has anyone suggested that? I agree that would be dumb and unfounded, at least in the near term.

Yes it was suggested he wouldn’t need points to qualify,!see my original reply.
ETA: or atleast how I read it?!?

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

I dunno, if that number is actually representative, I think that is pretty bad. A lot of high school kids pick up XC and run faster than that their freshman year.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

eta: Which is a move that has never been executed by WTC correct? I was just shocked I would read he should be put in the pro race without actually qualifying. //

Agreed, if Lance had to qualify, how is it someone with 1/10 his cache is going to get a free pass? Of course there are new owners now, but it is the same management mostly, so would expect more of the same.


I haven't yet seen what his old swim chops used to be, was there anything besides just swimming in his youth? 99% he is going to go the way of all the other pro bike racers(except Lance of course) and struggle to even have the fastest bike splits, let alone winning big races. And very few of that group even got to race pro, usually they just beat up on the AG'ers in their divisions. Even with great engines it takes a long time to become a great triathlete, only reason Lance could do it because he was a great triathlete already and just had to reawaken some old muscle memory, which is also not that easy, aka Alan Webb..

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