I told Bjorn on this forum that there was a difference between critique and criticism. We were critiquing Bjorn's position because it was a bit "outside of the box" which is what made it interesting. It obviously works for him, so who's to criticize.

Bjorn is a very modest man, so I'll be bold enough to talk a little regarding his motivation for trying to ride so aero. He wants to go very, very fast, perhaps even faster than any one has ever gone. In order to ride 180km as fast as any triathlete has ever ridden you'll either need a bigger and/or more efficient motor than any one ever, or have better aerodynamics, or both. He's working on both, and he's working on both about as hard as any triathlete I've ever known. This guy's work ethic puts most pros to shame. Give him a year or two. He's only 24.
Tom, good to see you in NZ. I thought those were white leg warmers you had on during the bike. It was only during the run that I realized it was your skin. Yikes. Scary.

OUCH Tom! That one's gonna leave a mark!

I read that he trains with a 58-big ring. That's with 650cc wheels, right?

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Increasing awareness for suffers of DGS (Diminished Gluteal Syndrome).

58 tooth with 700c -- he's got a 61 built for Kona.

Like Tom, I believe he played his cards as best he could. He aimed for best average pace across all three disciplines.

g

Hey skid,

Man, give a brotha a break- I trained all winter indoors on the Computrainer for that pasty white appearance. I haven't had a tan since Curacao.

It was great to be in New Zealand. I enjoyed the trip, the race, and mostly the very fine fine company of many great athletes and volunteers and everyone. -Really a great time.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Please tell me you are exagerating !!!! :-) Dude, where does that strength comes from. Pro cyclists cannot push a gear that big how does he do it?

Pro cyclists coast downhill. Bjorn hammers everywhere.

He's also said in a different thread that he likes a low cadence, like 70-75 rpm. I'd also assume that he doesn't spend all his time in the 11 tooth sprocket, rather most of the time in the 15 or 16 (I haven't done the math yet), which gives a perfectly straight chainline. That's the reason I like an 11 cog on my TT bike, not because I can push the 11, but because it gives a straighter shot at the 14, which I can.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

With all due respect for pro-bikers but they compete in a completely different sport. Most pro-bikers that I´ve trained with like to train in a group with 10 others, hitting the front just every so often. They rarely train for the timetrial. When they do, it´s for a 30-50 k timetrial.

Triathletes train for an 180 k timetrial where you do ALL the work yourself (except for staggered races:). Björn usually bikes by himself. If he bikes with others he´ll be at the front anyway.

Björns been doing some roadraces as well in Sweden and he´s known to break up just any pack there is simply by getting to the front and pushing during a longer incline. Only a string of elite riders will be able to follow in his wake. He never wins those races since he doesn´t know how to sprint but in pure riding strength he is second to none of the riders I´ve ever ridden with and I´ve ridden with quite a few pro´s, some of which have ridden stageraces like the Giro for instance. Probikers really aren´t used to working from the front for hours on end...

This may sound as if I´m hyping him but I´m sure that Gordo or Molina could second my opinion. When riding with him one understands it better.

Since we´re all (at least most of us) saluting Björn I can´t help myself telling a story that illustrates what I´ve written above. Last year Björn and I was training in Mallorca (again). I got sick as it was a miserable year for me but another good Swedish triathlete came down, Ted Ås. Those two were hammering on the bike. One day they were out on a 3 hr temporide with Björn pushing at the front and Ted sitting on his wheel hanging on for dear life. Suddenly they start passing a few riders and than smaller groups. Funny thing is that they´re all wearing racenumbers.. Short thereafter they pass a big group and five minutes after that they catch another four guys flanked by a motorbike with a TV-camera. That would have been the breakaway-group in the race...

Ted said that was the craziest thing he ever saw and he wished he would have a picture of the guys leading the race as they were passed by Björn and him.... -That story in its own is legendary...

Awesome Jonas, simply awesome.

Guys, have you ever seen the sun rise over the desert? That flaming orb that brings life and warmth and hope.

Witness the dawn of a new star. The sunrise of a man who was an enigma a week ago. Now, the formation of a legend.

In one week he went from "That guy with the ridiculous position" to being simply "Bjorn".

Customers in my store are already asking about lowering their handlebars. I am not kidding. This is how it begins.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I guess that would make Hawaii officially a draft legal race ;-)

"58 tooth with 700c -- he's got a 61 built for Kona"

Unreal. I read an article not long ago that a lot of TDF pros can't push a 55/11 on the flats. What's he running on the back?

Hey wasn't it me just a few weeks ago talking about ridiculously low aero bars? to get really aero. 90 degrees and all that. Bjorn actually puts it in to practice except I'd like to see him tilt his pelvis a bit more. Mind you, where would his bollocks go? I have no idea how Bjorn sees where he is going. He looked awesone on the bike as he flew faster upwind uphill than I was going down wind downhill!

Tom, sorry I didn't get to meet you at Taupo. If I knew you were there I would have made an effort to meet the master.

I really enjoyed Gordo and Scott's seminars. Informative, relaxed and just plain cool. Their advice (including thier reluctant/half hearted agreement with me regarding divorce), helped me to a PB overall and a childlike enjoyment of the bike leg.

TriDork

p.s. I raced on my Cervelo for the first time at Taupo and I was amazed at the comfort on the really rough Kiwi roads. I'm not sponsored by them :-) and they haven't asked me to write a review on their website.

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

I am with you on Scott Molina and Gordo. They are fine guys. I have been a Molina fan for years and years- 19 years in fact.

I was utterly astounded when he looked over at me during the race- he going one way on the run and me going the other- and he said "hi". Scott Molina said "hi" to me. That was pretty darn cool. I was super stoked.

Gordo give me the hand shake before the race started. It was cool.

You sure don't get that being an NFL or NASCAR fan.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

As a bike-racer observing Triathlon, I would hardly classify any of these guys racing it like a time-trial. A time-trial is an all-out effort with the one concern of finishing the distance in as fast a time as possible. If you did it right, you blow out everything you have 1 MM before the line. I don't doubt he goes to the front on most rides, I observe lots of triathletes do this becuase they can't get accustom to the change in pace of a bike race or group ride. If you said it was a 140.6Mile Time Trial then I would buy it since he has to go as fast as he can for THAT distance. Even as hard and as fast as the top guys go, I bet they would go still faster if you told them the finish line was after the bike leg. Mentally, knowing you have another discipline to go you are subsconciously going to hold something in reserve. that's my 2cents for the day.

Dude that story is funny, I wonder what those guys were thinking?

Great picture of typical Björn-style

You gotta be kiddin me. Look at his race number for Pete's sake. It's better than double-oh seven. It's triple oh seven! He's even badder than a double-oh, he's a triple oh!

Triple oh seven, licensed to kill.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

By using the term "time-trial", he was comparing the difference between drafting in a paceline and staying in the wind the entire time....not that he was blowing it all out 1mm before the line.

I don't know the fellow, nor have I ridden with top level pro road racers. BUT, it certainly sounds like some top level people are of the opinion that Bjorn could win a TT against pro-level road racers. If you held a TT every day for a week, it sounds like at the end of the week, Bjorn would be the only one still riding the same time during the TT.

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

Grade AAA troll, Keith. Boy, that was informative. I would ride faster if I didn't have to run afterward? You don't say. That's a really keen observation. You must be a PHD or something.

DUH!

"I don't know the fellow, nor have I ridden with top level pro road racers. BUT, it certainly sounds like some top level people are of the opinion that Bjorn could win a TT against pro-level road racers. If you held a TT every day for a week, it sounds like at the end of the week, Bjorn would be the only one still riding the same time during the TT."


Bjorn is a clearly a triple "oh" seven stud, but not the first to have top TT times against pro road cyclists. New Zealand's own Dr. Matt Brick finished in the top 20 at UCI World's in Columbia back in around 1992 and Aussie Jonathan Hall, World Du Champion finished 7th at UCI World's TT in around 1997.

...and then there are triathletes who found they could beat road cyclists and became road cyclists themselves, like Chann McRae and Lance Armstrong ! Hopefully Bjorn stays with tris, although he would make a perfect 70 kph leadout man for Petacci (sp ?).

"some top level people are of the opinion that Bjorn could win a TT against pro-level road racers."

I don't think so. I don't think Lance, Jan, Millar, etc. would be overly concerned. Wouldn't even be close.

Put it into perspective. The top pro cyclists are no more afraid of triathlon cyclists than are the top Kenyan marathoners.

Which "top level people" are you referring to.