Loved it, what a smashfest. Great bike course.
Again, great stuff from J Brownlee.
Can’t wait for the KB up next.
Pretty impressive riding by the big 5 today and smart decision for Javier & Jonny to wait up and pull Vasilev, Royal & Fabian along for the 40km bike smack-fest. The combination of the five guys allowed them to put 1min 45 sec into the chase pack and ultimately gave the three medals out of that lead bike pack. I think Kitz will show even more impressive rides as Alistair will be there, and guys like Mola & Murray will be able to rock without worrying about pulling anyone else. Truly solid gutsy riding today and it paid off with medals.
this can’t be right. i’ve read time and again in this very forum that draft-legal races are just a cruise, and anyway those ITU guys can’t ride.
are you saying that all this time we might have had it wrong?
-mike
The abiding memory for me is the looking back that Brownlee and Gomez were doing after the hill on the second lap. They had dropped everyone! And these are the guys that also run some of the fastest times.
What has been great the past two / three seasons is that the top people are those that swim hard, work hard on the bike, and then run the fastest. These days there is rarely a winner who “sat in the pack” on the bike.
Thanks for your commentary, as always knowledgable and interesting.
No comment
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Impressed with Gomez after doing his first 70.3 half race (victory) in Barcelona 2 weeks ago with a 7-9 min victory. I knew his legs were still not fully recovered from that first long event, but the race was the European Champs and it was in his own country, so he took full advantage of it. There was no way he was going to run head to head today with Brownlee. I think all three (Jonny, Alistair, Javier) are going to be rested and ready to show their hill climbing capacity. This will be a tough course to cover on the bike as its so narrow, its going to be very interesting to get motorcycles and helicopters trying to follow these guy. I will be hiding at the top of the mountain waiting for them to get up the big climb. Going to be epic.
he also raced last weekend both Saturday and Sunday. acuathlon and sprint tri, national level so he didn’t have to kill himself but racing nontheless…
Loved it, what a smashfest. Great bike course.
Again, great stuff from J Brownlee.
Can’t wait for the KB up next.
I watched the womens race yesterday, first time watching an itu race on tv. Honestly it was pretty compelling. You can see the strategy of the racers as it unfolds and it moves along pretty fast.
Two questions/comments: Does Annie haug really not where goggles during the swim? And jorgensens running economy is amazing.
I too am looking forward to Kitzbuhel. The set-up is unprecedented as a “point to point” as is the insane course all the way around. While I think Alistair will shine, it’d be good to see someone who we’re not used to seeing often.
My gut tells me they should have more of these odd-ball set-ups, at least one per year. We’ll see if in theory it makes sense… it’s next on the schedule so we’ll know soon enough.
There are very few races that I have heard athletes talk about 5-6 months in advance. Likely other then the Olympics, no course will be more specifically trained for then the Kitz tri bike course. The swim should keep everyone close as its 1 x 750m small quiet lake (with the cool european spring/summer I would anticipate wetsuits). Then 4km of slight downhill through town/corners/cobblestone before they hit the mountain climb. I have been to the top of that mountain (having walked it 3 years ago) and its un relenting. Some guys will likely blow themselves up in the first 10-15min trying to stay in contact with the bigger names (and lose minutes). Others may simply want to try to conserve till the last 3-4km of the climb (and let it rip). With the run being so short (about 10 minutes of running at high altitude) you are going to need to be close by the end of the bike or there won’t be enough running terrain to bring guys back. Like the Tour, there has to be some less known, light but powerful guys who will make a name for themselves in Kitz. The only odd thing is that two of the lightest, most powerful guys are named Brownlee. Jonny told me that Alistair is in incredible bike fitness right now and with the run being so short, I don’t think he will have to worry much about his running ankle/foot issue as he focuses on his swim & bike fitness for a month. Obviously with a 28:30/10k in his body in the last 2 months, even if he doesn’t run much till Kitz, he will have enough running muscle memory to crack out a fast 10 min run. There will be a massive waiting list to get into Kitz as veteran ITU athletes are asking for consideration (even though they are in 70.3 type racing). I do agree that a yearly smashfest on some weird distance is a good thing for ITU to keep in mind. This is a first time attempt to check out the odd format and so far everyone (media, sponsors, fans AND athlete) all seem excited.
And with that win Brownlee Jr (6) moves ahead of Gomez (5) for 2nd most WTS wins.
When Gomez races he is the favorite but can lose on a bad day. with either Brownlee racing their is no doubt they will smash. Brownlee Jr has 14 consecutive WTS podiums
Usually she has goggles as far as I remember.
Is Densham injured?
Wish Aus had some male representatives in ITU that were competitive, we seem to do ok with the ladies but lack the male counterpart
And with that win Brownlee Jr (6) moves ahead of Gomez (5) for 2nd most WTS wins.
When Gomez races he is the favorite but can lose on a bad day. with either Brownlee racing their is no doubt they will smash. Brownlee Jr has 14 consecutive WTS podiums
Whilst you’re accurate Mr ITU - let’s not forget it’s just a name. And in fact the period you’re referring to they were calling it the WCS before the WTS, so it could be argued those numbers aren’t correct?
I know I’m being pedantic - but my point? There was a World Cup before this WCS/WTS thing came along, it gets discounted far too often by people - and if you include that Gomez has been dominant for longer.
A truly exceptional athlete, he just keeps adapting.
It’s hard to believe but Al Brownlee was a champion mountain runner 10yrs ago. Hope he’s okay for Kitz.
(26/07/03) M OUNTAIN GOLD FOR BROWNLEE
Alistair Brownlee, representing England won the Teenager Games, European Mountain Race in the Black Forest at Berglauf, Germany
and headed the England Team to take the gold medals. The England juniors took the first three places, led home by Bingley junior
Alistair Brownlee. All three boys had pulled well away from the leading pack by the steep ascent- which rises to a climb of over 900ft -
when Brownlee changed up a gear over the last 400 metres to win by 6 secs.
I always appreciate your commentary - the insights make the race much more interesting!
We have always heard about Charbot being a strong cyclist. I wonder if he, of all the US guys, has the best chance to do something at Kitz. Form seemed good at Moolalooba.