Hard to say but probably not that low maybe 80%. Remember 10% is huge at this level. Injuries haven't really hampered his swim or bike it's just the run that is really poor by his standards.

To be honest last year AB was probably 90%. At St George last year he won that race on the swim and bike. The same at WTS Leeds. His run in both races was mediocre by his standards but when you're 2 mins up the road it can be. That's why I think he can still be pretty successful.

However what he'll never have again is complete control of races. Before all the injuries I think he could win on any course, in any circumstances. The chase pack bridge up? Big deal he'll still outrun you. Easy course? No problem he'll drop a low 29 10km.

Which leads us to Tokyo. The course there is probably not ideal. He could fully commit to 70.3 until 2020 and debut IM in 2021. That would allow him to play domestique for JB. But if he wants to go there and win he needs shelf all this long course nonsense until after Tokyo.

The apparent decline of JB has surprised me. It was always on the cards for AB with his injury record - but JB is younger and seemed less injury prone; there were always rumours that he was at least AB's equal on the training paddock. There was always a 'I can't beat my brother in a real race' blocker going on but up as his brother faded from the ITU scene he appears to be mirroring AB's decline and has not been a factor for a while.

Not sure 'winning the individual' will be a pull for AB re Tokyo - he's a smart guy and must know that he's very unlikely to get a break to stick on the course or run into a podium from a big lead pack.

I still see him there though - reasons being a shot at the relay (a format he has always said he likes and a real medal shout with the strong GB ladies), I don't think long course excites him much and in the eyes of the public (non Triathlon) community he will effectively disappear if he goes long course - being in the Olympic picture keeps his status/endorsements going for another 2 years.

If he is planning to race Tokyo then we will see him at a few more races next season then to make sure he has enough points to be nominated by GB. I assume that is one of the reasons he is racing Gold Coast as the grand final is worth extra points, an ok finish there is equivalent to a podium at another WTS race.

I was just thinking about the two last WTS events... In Edmonton Blummenfelt ran with mola nearly the whole way and finished just 3 seconds behind... I Hamburg he got off the bike with a 20 second gap. Could he have won if he hadn't had the stomach problems he did?

If my aunt had a penis she’d be my uncle. But yeah, I think so.

Sports math is always interesting. On paper yes Blu would had won. But reality is never like sports math.
We will never know what Mola can do, when he is going all out before someone is pushing him the whole way.

The Norwegians are racing in Lusanne tomorrow. Looks like a nice race.

Just watched Spirig spank the competition at the hilly Lausanne world cup (live on TriathlonTV).

Taylor Knibb rocked the uphills and was the one who dragged the pack up to Spirig out of T1 and was the most aggressive up the hill the second time to blow up the field, leaving only 4 to hit T2.

But at the start, the officials held back 2 Russian (I think) women, and then they started about 10 seconds later.

Would this have been a time penalty for not showing / arriving late to athlete's briefing or some such thing?

I can't think of any other reason and have heard of penalties (usually last choice of start spot) for missing the athlete's briefing.

(Men's live race starts at 10 ET)

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Advocating for research & treatment for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).
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Yes, the penalty for missing the briefing is a new rule from ITU's 2018 updated rulebook. It was also enforced in Astana World Cup.

Fun to watch Blummenfelt and Iden going for it.
Those guys are not afraid to make a break.

And now they are pushing the run.

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10k - 30:48 / half - 1:06:40

1 and 3 is not bad with Iden and Blummenfelt.
Stornes on 8 and Gundersen on 14.

It looks like it was really hot there.

A 30.12 run by Iden.

Great race

It is a great course - looking forward to the grand final next year, and Iden's attack on the run was unbelievable!

Jonny hasn't been the same since the melt down in Mexico, I think he lost something both physically and mentaly he hasn't been able to get back yet.

I was impressed with that run from Iden. Really liked what I saw there from him.

I was also happy to see my favorite American in 6th.

Do you find Iden's run to be surprising? I sure did.

All season Johnny has out run him/equal to and then he throws down a 10k that was over 30" faster than JB and 40" faster than Blummenfelt. And he did it in an explosive manner which would indicate he had much more in him. His body language after the attack never looked labored.

Thoughts?

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I am not surprised. But then it is a little bit easier for me to follow the Norwegians since I am Norwegian.
They all work out together and the distance between Blummenfelt and Iden has been closer in training than in competition.
I also think that Blummenfelt looked to have some heavy legs today.

Iden is actually a stronger cyclist than Blummenfelt.
Last year Iden took part in Haugesund 70.3 and won the whole thing. Finishing up with a 1.11 half marathon.

It has been a good summer to be a Norwegian sports fan :-)

West did have a very good race it seemed. His previous highest finish in a World Cup was 19th (Chengdu 2016 and Sarasota 2017). I was impressed when he even went to the front of the lead pack for a bit towards the end of the ride, putting in some work and not just sitting at the far back the whole time. From the pictures they showed on the live stream, he looked pretty comfortable for most of the run too sitting in that second pack.

Hmmmm!!!

Can confirm, in this case over standard distance, it's 15sec delayed start for arriving late to the briefing... I've seen it at a number of races this year... Given that many countries arrive together in blocks, it's not all that surprising that it was two athletes from the same NF...

Iden had a pretty monster performance in Lausanne, and JB seems to be finding some form... Is he peaking for the Grand Final, or for Superleague championship series?

The post race interview with Spirig was pretty wild, apparently she pushed the bike so hard everything was cramping (even her fingers), which I assume was the same for those near her, but she still smashed the run... Knibb raced valiantly, and it's nice to see her start to get results over the standard distance...

Highlights of that here...

Thoughts? //

Well thanks to jackets I got to see how this race played out, and it is no surprise that Johnny was a little gassed on the run. Dude was super aggressive on the bike, attacking from the gun, only to have it all nullified by the field. His legs had to be a little toasty and in spite of that, held on for 2nd, so a really good showing considering how many matches he burned to try and get some lead going into the run. Just look at the guy that did get away at the end, just ran off the course from fried bike legs, Johnny held it together well enough for a good podium spot.


And it looks like if he could have gotten a break, he would have been a big favorite for the win, so definitely worth all the attacks and effort..So no surprise someone that sat in and was not nearly as aggressive had a better run, especially someone that has been winning this year already..

Is it usual for Jonny to do one of these World cup races?

Does seem to have fried his legs on the bike, so does Blum usually (didn't see any of that from the highlights though) so good of Jonny to finish infront of Blum but still beaten to 2nd, poor bloke must be wondering what he has to do to win these days

Haven’t watched yet, but I assume it was appealing as a preview for the Grand Final next year.

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

His other win this year wasn't against the level of the guys he beat here. And he ran over a minute and a half faster for this win, to beat guys comfortably he doesn't normally. Yeah, they worked harder than him on the bike, they always do, but this time he slaughtered them in the run, a direct contrast to his regular performances

Catching up on the World Cuo shows on Triathlon.tv - Chelsea Sodaro wasn’t on my radar until watching her run away at Huatalco. Total Gwen flashbacks!

Looks like 20th and 21st at Mooloolaba and New Plymouth, 2nd at a few US races, then nothing much else.

Looks like she has a 32:05 10k pb in 2015 and they said is making swim gains. She’s 28, but some folks figure it out. Any chance she could factor into 2020? Tokyo looks like a runner’s course.

I know the US women are stacked, but 32:05 seems fast.

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team