Build up to LA 2028 and World Triathlon ITU Thread

Of those Brits who went well / very well in Pontevedra the only ones racing (first glance) were Yee, Bentley (#9 last week), Waugh (#3 last week).
I guess after her months off injured Waugh needs points to get on start lists. Bentley same (but no points today after a spiky bike and then a run DNF).
I wonder whether they’ll sub Gar for Bentley in tomorrow’s MTR, and same same put Anema in for Waugh.
Isakova, Mansson and Spivey didn’t seem ‘too tired’. Sanchez top 10 in both. Lindemann maybe a bit tired - she’s not racing the relay. Nor is Spivey (the US women are Ruff (#30) and Kasper (#21)).

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Ya Isakova surprised everyone with that final sprint of hers, announcers were mailing in the win for Tilda once she caught. But how about Spivey, what a run she had. She was holding that elastic to both those ladies who were pushing each other to an all out run split. And when you think about it, if Taylor had a couple bikers with her in that break, she would likely have won this race. She has gotten her run to the point where if given 30 to 90 seconds off the bike, she is a threat not just for podium, but the win. Imagine if Waugh had her normal swim today, might have been a whole different result..

At any rate it is a great thing to know that you can now rely on your run and not just a race with a break.

Umm, Michael Gar was racing who came 2nd in under 23, also Solomon who came 5th in under 23.

I somehow think if you don’t race so hard the week before, (those you mentioned may have raced but we’re not near the front? ) You don’t go quite so “ out of Gas”

Yes I was wondering about Bentley doing the relay. But don’t they post the starters after the race? Or were they up before?

she only surprised the GTB die hards (pink)

If you don’t auto qualify for GB-Tri it is going to be au revoir. Men and Women will qualify 3 each this cycle but I guarantee on the mens side it will be (assume no injury for Yee) Yee + Domestique in OD race and then one other will have to be a super strong relay for leg 2.

Women not sure they will take a domestique but at this point in time it is hard to look past GTB, Potter and Waugh.

Policy favours previous Olympic medalists but it is going to be extremely difficult to AQ. From what I heard last weekend in Pontevedra Dickinson is still considered as a strong domestique. That leaves a lot of disappointed men - Gar, Conway and Okrafo-Smart all have the potential to be a good leg 2. Stapley would be a good domestique but would be a risk for leg 2.

one is always as good as ons last race on ST but Conways run last year at under 23s was better than Nils seres run last week ie Conway defo has the talent and I would say for sure uk will take one young 2032 medal potential to LA most likely Conway or Gar.

Yes they have a lot to figure out with those two spots. I think Dickenson is the safe pick, and he can do the relay as well as being a super domestic. All the others left are basically in same boat if they are relay subs, work for Yee if needed, then you are on your own to race. They really do have to build a team around Alex though, get him to T2 in the group and you likely have your gold medal once again. 45 seconds+ in the rears, and probably not with the top runners who will likely be in the break..

Think you left off Connor Bentley who has been busy this weekend showing off his relay skills.

Don’t really see why they need Sam Dickerson now. Given Oliver, Michael Gar and Connor Bentley

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I agree - I’d be most surprised if BritTri put much effort into pulling Dickinson back to execute a ‘domestique’ role. He has his Olympic medal and contributed to Yee’s gold. There are several who, 21 months out, could fill that role as well. In addition with a man on leg 2, Dickinson would be more vulnerable to being gapped before handover to GTB so he’s not as good a bet as two or three others in that role. Finally he surely expects to continue to mine the lucrative PTO/T100 lode next year (be good to drop down the Race Ranger illegal time leader board, mind).

In the same way as they gave the nod to Waugh last time, aberrationally selecting her rather than Coldwell, BritTri will have an eye to the future and Conway, Gar and Bentley will all be ready for Los Angeles and their chances in Brisbane will be enhanced by Olympic experience in 2028. Picking two of them (maybe Smart coming up on the rails) will ensure that both the domestique role and the MTR Leg 2 role will be filled with men who can do both. It increasingly looks as if Milner’s star is waning.
https://www.britishtriathlon.org/gb-teams/elite-team/athletes

Will GBR go into LA as MTR favourites or will France (given WMWM)? Going to close given Brit young bloods improving whereas French men hanging on near the top.

Enjoyed the relay race but boy, was the moto helping the leaders… Yee is an absolute badass and GB would’ve won like they’re taking candy from a child regardless of the draft, but riding away from the two chasers would’ve been unlikely! This went on through all 4 legs

I asked this last week, just as at the worlds, all the brits- as far as I can see- had no personal sponsors on their tri suit, why ?

BTF sponsor agreement with Descente

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It was the GF so they were racing for the federation not for themselves. GB-Tri doesn’t allow personal sponsors when they are federation racing.

If you look at Rome. Yee (and all other athletes) raced with their sponsors on their suits for the individual race but come the relay race they all had no sponsors except Decente who is a federation sponsor.

They race for themselves for the race series but for the federation for the GF and the relays. It is same for Olympics as well.

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I guarantee their selection will have nothing to do with 2032 medals potential. They will be 100% focused on LA28 medals to protect/preserve their funding cycles.

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thanks

at the same time for the Olympics thats an olympic rule by the IOC ( and they cant have decente either on their suit apart from the small logo but not the big centre logo) , and not a fed rule. while for the grand final and relay that is a federation rule. On top of my head ,iam not aware, of another fed that does not allow private sponsors on athetles suit ( and yes many feds do have fed sponsors athletes are obliged to have on their suits)

Well I think GB needs to drop Sam from the funding and make way for Solomon, who surely has feomonstray that he is worthy.

Sam is racing the next world cup.( On the start list)

Agree Hugo not looking good. I’ll give him until next year to show form again He has been injured a LOT.

https://www.britishtriathlon.org/britain/documents/gb-teams/selection-policies/wc-performance/la-cycle-olympic-wcp-selection-policy---final-2.pdf

ie Smart did satisfy podium potential. (as did Conway and Millner and Bentley )

what is interesting is that if I understand this correctly. all 3 nothingham atheltes Conway , Rainsly and Smart will have to move to loughbourgh or leeds now ( see podium potential section and rules end of 2026)

Sam qualifies for A level funding according to their policy. It just states anyone who won a medal at Paris 2024 is eligible for tier A, it doesn’t differentiate between team or individual.

It isn’t a case of Sam needs to make way for Solomon, that isn’t how it works. If you meet the criteria you are nominated for funding. Solomon isn’t missing out on funding because Sam is funded.

But don’t the have a limited amount of total funding? Meaning they can’t keep adding athletes without some dropping out? And if Sam doesn’t commit to WTS first that not make his continued funding questionable?

For the Olympic cycle they are receiving £7.5m for triathlon and £3.3m for para-tri. I am not sure £29k for one athlete is going to make a difference. Don’t forget part of that is means tested as well, unless it has changed this cycle.