Not a chance I can do this off the top of my head, and can’t be arsed going through every race swim to find out when this happened.
It certainly wasn’t a regular thing especially when Varga was racing (what the hells happened to him by the way?) Just a few times, defo a race were post interview Ali complained about the pace of the swim and said he had to go to the front.
He’s a clever racer, so I’m sure if need be he’ll lead that swim. //
THIS^^^^
The swim could end up like a bike race, a super hot pace from the beginning to shake out all the groups, then a nice settle in to the finish. I could see Ali setting a blistering early pace to make sure the hurt is put on enough to break the elastic back to Blu and others, then make them burn matches closing whatever swim gap they can easily hold. That would be my tactic, as long as there is at least one or two that can hang with you during your attack…
Dennis Chevrot , Kyle Smith, Angert and a fit Braden Currie can make the front pack too…Chevrot was first out of the water in Kona 18. So add them to Alistair and DB and maybe Blummie…
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.
Austria 2011 (could have been 2010), Macca’s return to try to qualify for the London Olympics.
AB let the swim, and the whole race from the get go.
I remember it because Macca was off the back in the swim and AB was commenting how slow the swim was.
Thanks, I’ll go watch that one. That was a decade ago and therefore before I was following regularly. I still expect to watch him very near but not at the front.
I’m glad someone has an encyclopedic like knowledge of races!
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.
Austria 2011 (could have been 2010), Macca’s return to try to qualify for the London Olympics.
AB let the swim, and the whole race from the get go.
I remember it because Macca was off the back in the swim and AB was commenting how slow the swim was.
Just watched the highlights which showed the bulk of the swim and as you said, Alistair did put on a master class driving it right from the get go. I’m still ready to bet he won’t be found leading the coming swim. I do however fully expect him to be exhorting the swimmer ahead of him to go faster;)
Not a chance I can do this off the top of my head, and can’t be arsed going through every race swim to find out when this happened.
It certainly wasn’t a regular thing especially when Varga was racing (what the hells happened to him by the way?) Just a few times, defo a race were post interview Ali complained about the pace of the swim and said he had to go to the front.
Heard on the triathlon mockery podcast today that Varga is racing IM Texas tomorrow!
Varga being in IM is bad news for those weak swimmers!
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.
Austria 2011 (could have been 2010), Macca’s return to try to qualify for the London Olympics.
AB let the swim, and the whole race from the get go.
I remember it because Macca was off the back in the swim and AB was commenting how slow the swim was.
Just watched the highlight which showed the bulk of the swim and as you said Alistair did put on a master class driving it right from the get go. I’m still ready to bet he won’t be found leading the coming swim. I do expect him to be exhorting the swimmer ahead of him to go faster;)
Which race was this exactly? Might have a watch of this myself over the weekend.
It was 2011 Kitzbühel and Alistair was definitely in fine form.
Alistair is in fine form! With only 5 days to go we know whos in and whos out. Except for Wurf, whats his status anyone know?
I hope hes in to see a true Cyclist smoke the bike course.
I’ve got Alistair on the podium, and a decent shout at the W.
This will be the first 140.6 focussed and run fit AB we will have seen in LC. He’ll have dialled in pacing and nutrition as part of the sub 7 prep and despite his reputation as a reckless racer in LC a lot of that was down to ‘I haven’t got the run fitness, I need to win this on the bike’. If he has the run in the locker, that will temper his bike strategy.
As someone noted earlier, the Oceanside 4th finish didn’t show a man who’d gone all in for the W, and had blown. He’ll enjoy being off the radar, maybe even written off by some and won’t be the most marked, and watched athlete out there.
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.
He needs to show up to the start line to win. He’s been well prepared but not 100%. Again, he can’t show us what he got. Cramp, injury, 4th place at Oceanside… I’m sorry but haven’t seen his recent stellar performance that blows everyone away. We have to wait for months again.
Again, he’s injured and can’t participate in Sub 7 project.
I’m glad someone has an encyclopedic like knowledge of races!
Haha not really 
I think you do better.
I really enjoyed the ITU during 2010 - 2017.
The Brownlee brothers + Gomez turned it into a smash fest and the courses were (mostly) interesting. There was even a hill climb event one year.
The women’s racing was also really good: Stanford, Holland, Spirig, Jorgensen, Duffy (and many more tbh)
AB’s performance in London 2012 remains the best I’ve ever seen at any distance. The women’s race was a five-way sprint.
Lately it’s lost it’s charm for me, for reasons I can’t quite work out.
The same goes for IM in an odd way. 2006 - 2014 seemed like a golden era. Wellington, Stadler, Alexander, Carfree, Ryf, Macca, Faris, Sindballe etc.
It’s become a lot more ‘plastic’ since.
Anyway, back on topic, I really wish AB would have just one good year at full distance. He smashed the IMWA just after the blow up in Hawaii, so my guess is he can do well.
I would love to know what really goes on behind the scenes. Maybe one day he’ll write a book with the details.
Will we see Ali in Kona? He should get a wildcard invite along with Gomez. They are names I want to see on the start line.
Will we see Ali in Kona? He should get a wildcard invite along with Gomez. They are names I want to see on the start line.
We will see neither at Kona, and rightly so.
These guys have to start and finish some decent races, including a full distance, before throwing themselves at Kona. They need to demonstrate readiness to race, if only to themselves.
Brownlee has managed Oceanside (3:45). Gomez raced Pucon (3:50).
Will we see Ali in Kona? He should get a wildcard invite along with Gomez. They are names I want to see on the start line.
would love to see both of them there, and i also wish kona made more liberal use of wildcards. for instance, i think olympic champs should always have a standing invite. in a field of 2000+ athletes, adding another few men and women pros with the potential to make the race interesting wouldn’t meaningfully add to crowding, nor would it dilute the sanctity of the kona qualification process.
of course, the taller order is getting ali and javi to the start line fit and healthy. still, we can dream . . .