Came here to talk about this.
Seems that the trend for retired WT riders will be triathlon. I wonder how that will shape the Kona standings in the coming years.

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IG - @ryanppax
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Use code ST5 for $5 off your order

 Glad he isn't in my AG.

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http://www.sfuelsgolonger.com

[cries in Patrick Lange]

That's awesome to here & could raise the profile of triathlon a bit.

It'll be interesting to see how he goes. It's often a more difficult transition, at least to the pro ranks, than I think the pro cyclists think it'll be.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

I think it's a sad comment on triathlon that it needs athletes from more popular single sports to "raise the profile of triathlon".

And Team Sky... I'm not going to be the one to say it.

A friend who did IM Wales the same year I did it commented on my Facebook post re: the GT story that when he volunteered at IM Lou in 2018 he helped Andrew Talansky in the changing tent, and Talansky told him that that was the hardest ride he'd ever done.

I have mixed feelings about this. With so many local triathlons falling by the wayside I'm thinking "whatever it takes" to get Triathlon popular again. I actually like seeing uber bikers go out into the lead and have great runners close the gap.

And yet there you go implying.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

I don't get it. What's "sad" about it?

Implying what? They have nice kits?

Especially when things like Call of Duty or other e-sports have world championship prize purses >$1million, pays much deeper than even Ironman Hawaii does(I mean come on WTC pay out more than 10deep at the world champs, don't be cheapskates), sells out arenas faster than some of the biggest names in singing, has entire web channels devoted to streaming games for others to watch and is growing faster than triathlon ever did in it's peak growth years.

I mean can you imagine watching Andy & Rinny do a 3h trainer ride in their basement? Just what everyone wants to see. Some couple riding their bikes for 3 hours on a barely interactive training app, debating who's doing laundry and staring at a wall.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

That's a strange way to look at it. Triathlon doesn't "need" him to raise the profile. Athletes switching sports raises the profile-that's a good thing. I didn't consider it sad for baseball when Michael Jordan tried it and raised significant attention for that sport.

Baseball is one of the most popular sports in the USA, hardly a fair comparison.

Triathlon is a niche sport with a low profile and pathetic prize purses. We keep hoping for some saviour that is going to make triathlon great.

It's time we actually treated triathlon like a real sport if we want to raise the profile.

THE SERGIO will kick his ass.

This is all that matters.

Who is the "we" here? I think everyone on this forum probably already does. The vast majority of the public-consuming sports world does not, which is fine as they should be able to decide for themselves what sports they want to consume. And, maybe they will give triathlon a try if they get drawn in by other high profile athletes trying it out. At least in my opinion, that's a good thing for the sport.

If you're an older world tour rider, you go to triathlon, if you're a younger world tour rider (american mostly) that finds it too hard, you switch over to gravel.

Triathlon is a real sport that is very hard and that few people see themselves doing. Whereas fans in other sports can see themselves playing a video game and catching or kicking a ball. People also don't want to get cancer so they are motivated to do a triathlon and be featured on TV which is another way to gain fame in triathlon.

That other athletes in other sports want to do a triathlon is all upsides to me. The results of the top triathletes are getting so far beyond the average person's ability, there are many average people who don't want to be that far behind the winners.

How much money will ever come to a sport that few people see themselves doing or dreaming about?

Another item that fans enjoy are personable people, like them, lol.

Geraint Thomas seems to have had good press as a TdeF winner and teammate. We would be lucky to get him and have him podium.

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Indoor Triathlete - I thought I was right, until I realized I was wrong.

Well duh. If you are on ST, you obviously have an interest in the sporting side of triathlon.

Everyone else watches the NBC broadcast and thinks that maybe if they survive cancer someday, they'll be able to do a triathlon.

It's all entertainment... its popularity outside of its niche following depends on the sport's ability to entertain/captivate the masses. The sport does need a saviour more than the sport needs to be treated like more of a sport.

My first introduction to triathlon was that same NBC broadcast. So, that broadcast opened the sport to me. And, yes I happen to be a cancer survivor. I'm not really sure I understand your point, but maybe Geraint will open the sport to others. That's a good thing for the sport, regardless of your opinion to the contrary.

What does that even mean? What is a "real sport", and how does one treat a "real sport" differently than "we" treat traithlon?

I disagree on how to grow the sport of triathlon. I don't disagree that he'll being more awareness of it.

FWIW, I have a serious problem with most ex-pro cyclists taking up triathlon given the history of pro cycling.

If he can swim a bit like a wurf then that could be great news for Sebi!

Seems he can swim and run a bit. G apparently swam competitively as a kid.

From this article.

Cheers, Rich.