It’s very simple. Show us and deliver what he can do. Some athletes deliver constant wins several times in a row, some doesn’t win all the time, but get on podium all the time. Some athletes go through ups and downs and are not consistent. Where does he belong to? We will see.
Bet against a healthy and fit Alistair Brownlee at your own peril.
It’s very simple. Show us and deliver what he can do. Some athletes deliver constant wins several times in a row, some doesn’t win all the time, but get on podium all the time. Some athletes go through ups and downs and are not consistent. Where does he belong to? We will see.
Bet against a healthy and fit Alistair Brownlee at your own peril.
On one hand I agree, but on the other hand this is also true of Frodo, Lange, Iden, and KB just to name a few. Being healthy and fit at the right time is all part of the game and so far at long course and even at recent halfs, he hasn’t lived up to the promise many think he has.
So you only count the bad races in the last 4 years no st.geroge 2017, 70.3 worlds 2018, 2019, his two ironman’s he both won pretty easily. Just look at the bad days…
if we do that for anyone can look pretty bad. Jan 2017 kona, 2018 kona missed.
Jan wasn’t first at 70.3 worlds or kona on his first attempts either.
time will tell…
So you only count the bad races in the last 4 years no st.geroge 2017, 70.3 worlds 2018, 2019, his two ironman’s he both won pretty easily. Just look at the bad days…
if we do that for anyone can look pretty bad. Jan 2017 kona, 2018 kona missed.
Jan wasn’t first at 70.3 worlds or kona on his first attempts either.
time will tell…
Even though he’s still good, there are so many young guys improving fast like Sam Long, Blu, Iden. I still have doubts about him until he smashes the field and proves that he’s not done yet.
Just like you said let’s tune in and see!!
It’s very simple. Show us and deliver what he can do. Some athletes deliver constant wins several times in a row, some doesn’t win all the time, but get on podium all the time. Some athletes go through ups and downs and are not consistent. Where does he belong to? We will see.
Bet against a healthy and fit Alistair Brownlee at your own peril.
I’d never bet against a fit and healthy Alistair, I just wonder if we’ll ever have that privilege of seeing him again.
Hopefully we will
Hope wont get anyone anywhere. Joe Skipper is probably impressed with AB numbers but who wouldnt be? Point is something prevented Alistair from winning Oceanside. And of course I don’t know either. However my feeling is that he just didnt seem to push, which to me would indicate just wanting to be at the front again, hang on for as long as comfortable and use the race as a test in his build to SG. So I think he is peaking towards SG.
Interesting is that the athletes have done almost all their volume and hard sessions. Now its just hangin on, avoiding injuries, no covid and believing in yourself.
Im really looking forward to the race, but expectations have always gotten me in trouble and led to disappointment! There will inevitably be a few more pros that fail to get to the start for various reasons. Fingers crossed for LS and AB.
Brownlee was ill before Oceanside, as has been quite widely reported
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Hope wont get anyone anywhere. Joe Skipper is probably impressed with AB numbers but who wouldnt be? Point is something prevented Alistair from winning Oceanside. And of course I don’t know either. However my feeling is that he just didnt seem to push, which to me would indicate just wanting to be at the front again, hang on for as long as comfortable and use the race as a test in his build to SG. So I think he is peaking towards SG.
Interesting is that the athletes have done almost all their volume and hard sessions. Now its just hangin on, avoiding injuries, no covid and believing in yourself.
Im really looking forward to the race, but expectations have always gotten me in trouble and led to disappointment! There will inevitably be a few more pros that fail to get to the start for various reasons. Fingers crossed for LS and AB.
If anyone has ever raced when sick you will know when it hits you during a race it hits you bad! AB was sick as noted
Interesting with Gomez out, he was another who could potentially have split the swim with Brownlee. Playing into the hands of the Norwegians, Lionel Sanders etc more and more.
Interesting with Gomez out, he was another who could potentially have split the swim with Brownlee. Playing into the hands of the Norwegians, Lionel Sanders etc more and more.
there is still a lot good swimmers in the field neuman, smith , laidlow , baakegard , angert ,the one who likely would have had the biggest impact was josh amberger. gomes does not do to much leadwork in the swim .
Great to hear that Brownlee is getting some sun and altitude
The front end field depth evaporated a bit but Baekkegard and Brownlee could have similar pace profiles
Is David Macnamee on form? What about Hoffman, Aernauts and Currie?
4th place isn’t bad at all if he was sick!
There’s hope we could see something special again coming.
Great to hear that Brownlee is getting some sun and altitude
The front end field depth evaporated a bit but Baekkegard and Brownlee could have similar pace profiles
Is David Macnamee on form? What about Hoffman, Aernauts and Currie?
yeah, i think the timing of that BMC video from brownlee threw a few people for a loop. i was confused too.
macnamee has had some shaky performances this year at a couple of halfs - struggled with illness i think. but he did run a 1:11 at oceanside, which is solid. i think his training has been good, working with vincent luis and co., and i figure a race of attrition (like st.george might turn into) would play into his hands.
haven’t followed bart as closely, but he also had a middling day at oceanside. but braden has had some intriguing performances - he was stuck in NZ for a while and had IM NZ cancelled, but did win a legendary adventure race there in convincing fashion.
hoff is currently slated to race texas this weekend, as well as st.george; i think in the past he’s been cool with high volume, so maybe he’ll train right through texas, or maybe (?) his ‘real’ focus is kona and this is all just early-season stuff for him.
Baekkegard is a FOP swimmer, so no problem with that…He is also a good biker…if he´s got the day he can do some damage cause he also knows the course… There are 6 main favourites right now: Iden, Blum, Brownlee, Baekkegard, Sanders, Long. (I ignore wether Skipper is sick or what…). Blum will catch Alistair an Baekkegard in the first miles of the bike (though I would not be surprised with the guy exiting the water with Alistair)…
I think batting 2/3 in Ironman while concurrently doing short course is pretty amazing. HIs loss in Kona BTW was crazy. I can not imagine how much energy he expended chasing back to Frodeno and TO. I think he would have podiumed if he waited for the Wurf train.
He clearly did some calculation in his head at Oceanside, really his first tri since western australia, and did not up the gear when passed. He may have been sick or realized that at 33 you only have so many matches per season. Could have also not wanted the target on his back as much at St George. He strolled across that line, 55 sec behind(only) and patted a clearly spent 2nd and 3rd on the back, casually walked away and started working on what needs to be worked on.
When you have 2 Gold medals oceanside does not matter, only the WC matters. not saying he will win but he will be a huge factor being one of the biggest engines, across all three disciplines, the sport has seen.
… I would not be surprised with the guy exiting the water with Alistair
I would be very surprised to see that!
… I would not be surprised with the guy exiting the water with Alistair
I would be very surprised to see that!
Without Josh Amberger there to drive the swim, I’ll be surprised if the swim speed is especially fast. Alistair will certainly be firmly attached to the toes of the first or second swimmer but I’ve never seen him lead a distance swim. If you can point to any where he himself drove the swim I’d be glad to be corrected. He’s too smart a racer to waste his energy towing the field. I expect Blu to come out very close to Alistair.
YMMV,
Hugh
Ali has lead the swim a few time in ITU when the pace hasn’t been on to his liking, he’s been first out the water a few times.
He’s a clever racer, so I’m sure if need be he’ll lead that swim.
Ali has lead the swim a few time in ITU when the pace hasn’t been on to his liking, he’s been first out the water a few times.
He’s a clever racer, so I’m sure if need be he’ll lead that swim.
Please name me a race where he did this from early in the swim, not just the last hundred meters or so. I do remember Johnny leading out a couple of swims with dire results later in the race.