Check these out!
What do you think hhhhmmmmm.
All these guys are MOP’ers. You will never see this up at the front. Sub 5:45 bike splits usually don’t see this type of fiasco. Once you get into the slower cyclist, it gets all crammed up.
Not so in Brasil.
Last year there were a few peletons in the 5hr to 5.30 range. Very large packs.
not so in Brasil.
What do I think? I think that was exactly what happened in Brazil last year and not a thing was done. I would have easily done a sub 4:45 if I hadn’t dropped back to stay legal.
Yup. Realistically, I don’t “blame” the competitors. It is easy to say they should unravel the drafting packs on their own- that is easy to say. But in reality, they paid $350+ to race, not do a bike tour while maintaining 3 bike lengths.
They need wave starts, or something…
A sub 5:45 is not an up front bike split. It’s above avg but no where near FOP.
I hear what you are saying, Tom. But we take responsibility for our own actions and drafting in an IM is not what I want to do. I paid the same entry as the others but was not prepared to get a pb based on using someone’s draft. I feel sorry for those that race clean and lose out on a Kona slot to one of these jokers.
My idea of or something is effective draft busters and strong RDs. Last year I thought it was going to happen as the 'busters were driving past the packs on their scooters with their pillions vidoeing the numbers of the packs. Imagine our disappointment when we found out that 2 competitors had been dq’ed for drafting and they were both Brazilian. I heard a lot of languages being spoken in the pacelines as they past and Portuguese was not one, mainly English or versions of it.
Us Americans are all cheaters =)
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WTC has become greedy by allowing far too many competitors at each mass-start Ironman. I believe this compromises the safety of the swim, and compromises the fairness of the bike leg. It’s impossible to start 1800-2000 people together in the water and expect the bike course to be clear and uncongested.
I know WTC feels it is a “tradition” to have mass-start Ironmans, and they don’t want to deal with the logistics of course cut-offs when there may be 10-15 different waves. I recall that when Roth was still an official WTC event, they had wave starts, and didn’t seem to have any issue with the road closures or cut-off times.
As long as WTC insists on mass swim starts, huge pelotons on the bike will be extremely difficult to avoid for most Ironman courses.
BrokenSpoke
Huh? Talk about getting the wrong end of the stick! Would you understand better if I said accented English? You know “Boys from Brazil” ring any bells?
I was just trying to get a rise out of you. No worries dude.
It’s too late in the day for that, Eric. I have Brian for that, and I’m not saying which one (Ha!).
I think this is the problem with multiple loop courses. This IM has a flat course so the loops make the packs inevitable.
Make it a single loop like IMFL and things get really stretched out.
2000 athletes over 112 miles ain’t that bad. Tough for the first 10-15 miles and then the ability differences start to shine through.
Not sure about when/where the pictures in the first post were taken. Not to defend, but the first one appears to be on an uphill section and marshalls tend to lighten up on the calls on up-hills. In the second picture it appears thay are coming up on a turn or an aid station, due to the yellow cones, and again this is an area where the marshalls go a bit easy. However, it’s VERY hard to assess fully from a static still picture. Out on the road it’s a dyanamic situation. Don’t forget that you have 15 seconds to get through the draft zone. Count that out slowly to yourself and you realize that’s a long time and as long as the offcial sees movement forward, they will very often give you the benefit of the doubt.
All that being said, you have raised the key point in big, competitive IM races, it’s really a question of time and physics - you can’t put that number of people on that size road in that short a period of time and expect them ALL to line up single file with a 5m gap between each cyclist. The rules are asking the compatitors to do something that is impossible to achieve.
Fleck
The loops make zero difference. Its not like the leaders on the second loop and the slowpokes (so to speak) still on the first loop are bumping into each other. The its more a question of 1000 people exiting between 58 min and 65 min. Try to put 1000 competitive people on the road that are only spread apart by 7 min and you are asking for trouble. Either wave starts are needed, or these races have to start with 10 K uphill at 8% to immediately string things out. Given that the latter is pretty well impossible, it is pretty clear that wave starts will help.
I agree with Fleck that a static photo says nothing about the dynamic flow on the real race course.
You;re right, better enforcement would likely change the way people conduct themselves in a race. Brazil does have a bit of a reputation as a race that has extensive drafting in it. Until they clamp down on that I suspect it will continue.
Well, you can certainly assume that, TECHNICALLY, there is probably some drafting going on…by the letter of the law…I.E. not clearing the zone within the alloted time…but I’d venture a pretty good guess that most of these folks are looking to rectify the situation at the earliest opportunity. Think about it. What would YOU do if racing and you came up on a bunch of congestion like this??? Thats what I thought.
There is a point where you have to consider the intent of the individuals involved.
Oh, we could look at ways to spread out or thin the race field…but frankly most of the folks caught in situations like this aren’t harming anyone…and they’re enjoying the sport.
If someone can tell me for sure that packs of racers drafting illegally are competing for AG wins and/or qualifying slots…now THERE is a problem…focus on them…they sure aren’t drafting the 17mph MOP folks that are bunched up…
drafting was everywhere today. at the front, at the back, everywhere…some ´favored´athletes had media vehicles, despite not being in the lead for some, or losing it for others, there was a nice group of pros bunched up behind Olaf and James Bonney…
all this was very voluntary…it sucked…
Quit your winning. You didn’t even finish the race and your over hear crying about what every body else is doing. I swear, you’ll never learn. You get no respect from me!
neither do you from me…at least until you can spell whining
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