Ryf has this unless she gets sick, hurt, etc

For the men…. This is a joke right. You most likely don’t have any top 5… if top 10

I'm a big Lionel fan but I can't envision a scenario where he's on the podium. It seems like he's already convinced himself that the heat and humidity will defeat him.

Is Sanders better than Skipper in the swim? Seems based on IM Wales skipper is hitting form.

Not a joke, Some wishful thinking but also all guys who can win it. The mens race is wide open. Currie was runner up at St George, Lionel under new coaching could have a very good day, newman is an unknown internationally but his racing in Cairns in almost identical conditions has shown he is a force. So everyone has the Norwegians pencilled in to win, kona doesn’t always work like that, many have come here as a big fav and gone home empty handed. Macca took 7 attempts to win, Crowie a few goes, brownlee and gomez couldn't get it done.

The mens race is very exciting. The womens race Ryf is still dominating IM and behind it will be a good battle for podium.

Whatever you are smoking, i want some, seems fun!

I don't follow tri particularly closely anymore, but didn't Lange say he isn't racing?

Anyone who's watched Blum and Iden this year know those two are going 1-2, just in what order. I say Blum.
Experience, yadda yadda, the Norwegians perform regardless of course or conditions.

Ryf should cruise to her next title 15min ahead of whomever comes in 2nd. It won't be LCB.
I would have given 2nd it to Matthews but she's broken so maybe Philipp?
Maybe throw Crowley in the mix? She doesn't have gun run but her swim/bike is good.

Thanks mate! Just high on excitement for the race.

We will see with Blum and Iden, it is very hard to nail every race all year. Its not like they are racing a pack of middle aged accountants.

These two are marked men now also, there wont be a free ride up the queen K. They deserve the hype I agree but this race is on!

Yeah same. Would love him to win, but he will be lucky to make the top 10. He'll be 5mins down on the swim, burn all his candles to try and catch the lead guys on the bike and then struggle on the run.

I was watching a LS video with my girlfriend and she was gobsmacked at how negative he was and how down on himself he was. I guess when you watch a lot of his videos you kind of get used to it, but this was the first time she'd seen him. Perhaps that's his Achilles heel - his mental torment when it comes to triathlon. The race is lost before he's hit the start line. Perhaps he needs a different outlook, a different approach.

.
I was thinking while watching the latest one in Kona "Is this all an act for the drama?" Watching them all sitting in the living room,trying to get him to be more positive,was just mind boggling.Surely it must be a big joke that Talbot is playing on everyone.
.

Currie was second runner-up, not runner up...would be great to see him improve that though

One factor seems to be if Wurth allows anyone to stay with him on the bike again

Been saying this for years. Dude is massive physical talent but his head is just not there. He needs a psychologist more than a triathlon coach.

I wrote that before I saw his last video, just watched it....I don't know about it being a joke. When he was injured, according to him he laid on the couch for 3 weeks, too depressed to move. He needs to get that sorted.

He has held back a bit more on the bike recently. I feel like that may at least give him a chance, though apart from the one 2nd place finish at Kona, all his performances there have been along way from the front.

It seemed as if he just sits at the back of the pack, but I wouldn't be quick on sayin that he does worse than other pros in "legal drafting" packs. The year he put his domestique to pace him, ok..yeah I agree that was a bit lame.

FWIW, he should have silenced a few critics at Tulsa last year where he rode like an uber biker putting the likes of Skipper and Long out of contention on the bike. But somehow he always seem to carry around this drafting shadow behind him.

He doesn't seem like a fans favorite, but I wouldn't care if he wins again by punishing a few strong riders and hopefully he can shake off the stigma from his previous wins. However, it is most likely Iden vs Blu for the win.

I can't believe "Yo yo yo" isn't racing, self proclaimed strongest legs in the sport and (arguably) biggest mouth in triathlon and doesn't want to the race the big boys at the big race. Why?

Right after saying how Lange is a changed man and should've silenced critics with Tulsa, you drop a criticism on Long, who is a changed man and dropped that persona when his current sponsors took him on. His banter since then has been far more playful and his self evaluations far more modest.

Here is the WPRO 'bib' number list:
https://www.tri247.com/...ib-numbers-pro-women

I did criticize Lange for the "blue train" thingy. Likely legal, but did not get him any love from most fans and colleagues.

As for Long, I don't really follow him so I am not sure if he has changed his antics or not. Only saw a video way back in 2020. He came across as being very brash and going after Frodo and LS. After that, saw Frodo teasing him about swimming rescue, Appleton and another guy messing with him about training like Tarzan and racing like Jane, and more recently Laidlow going after him. It is my educated guess that if he is gets so much "attention" from many of his colleagues then he must still be doing something to deserve it.

I'm sure other pros are just as guilty as him when it comes to drafting, pushing the envelope etc I guess he's done it too many times, made it too obvious and been busted too much. The two penalties when he won Kona didn't win him many fans and didn't ingratiate himself amongst his fellow pros either - that should have been where he started racing a bit cleaner, but he carried on and now has a bad rep. Still, he's a good triathlete and should sneak into the top 5.

And, MPro start list:
https://www.tri247.com/triathlon-news/elite/ironman-kona-2022-start-list-bib-numbers-pro-men

---

David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.

Do you have a record of Lange's penalties in 2017? I am only aware of him getting a drafting penalty in 2016, when he finished third.

I'd love it if Skipper won, I really would. His podcast, whilst a little unfiltered, is great.

He's a gun biker (12hrs over 300W still boggles my mind), his running has always been on point, it's just that bloody swim.

It would make a change for someone with a different background to win.

I am hoping his ride up Mauna Kea hasn't bust his legs though!