Hi All,
A very rare Bike-Y 2-parter this week, and I did want to touch on a few triathlon stories that have slipped through the crack lately. But Lance once again makes headlines...
Yep, that whole Lance-disappears-during-a-doping-test fiasco is apparently over. Early this morning, Lance was notified that the investigation was being dropped and that the AFLD would not be pursuing sanctions or penalties against Lance. Apparently, Lance's explanation for his actions during the visit were enough to convince the French to not continue the witch hunt. I will predict that Lance gets tested by the AFLD before he clears French customs when he arrives for the Tour in early July...
Speaking of doping, I haven't yet mentioned Tyler Hamilton's latest doping snafu and his subsequent decision to retire. Why? Well, first, Tyler Hamilton stopped being relevant in pro cycling a long time ago (although I will note that he won the US Road Race Champs last year) and second, can anyone really be terribly surprised? Hamilton tested positive for DHEA, a steroid that he knew was in a herbal supplement that he took for depression. Yep, Hamilton admitted that he knew what he was taking was illegal but did it anyway. It's almost like he wanted to get caught...what a dummy. This is a guy who was a folk hero for his performance in the 2003 Tour when he rode the whole way with a broken collarbone and then in 2004 he won the gold medal in the Olympic time trial. This despite being banned and warmed for having high-normal hematocrit levels a few times in 2004...he then got caught later in 2004 during the Vuelta d'Espana. Given a second chance in 2006, Tyler never regained his status as a top cyclist, and ended up on Rock Racing the last two seasons. Good old Bob Roll even suggests that Tyler Hamilton should get a lifetime ban from cycling for his ridiculous actions over the last 5 years. I tend to agree, but would love to read a tell-all book by Tyler someday...
Okay, triathlon schtuff...last weekend was Ironman China and Ironman China 70.3. It is the only event where both half and full Ironman events are held in the same venue on the same day. And what a day it was! With race course temperatures at 113 degrees (45 Celsius), it quickly became a survival test first and a race second. Chris McCormack, who competed in the 70.3 race (there was no pro event, he just competed against two Australian pros as a challenge on a glorified training day) called it "the toughest triathlon day of my career". He continued by saying that by mile 4 on the run, he knew he had the race won, but that it might be impossible to make it to the finish line. And he was only doing the half!!
The men's Ironman race was won by Rasmus Henning, who is better known as the 2007 and 2008 winner of the Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon (which is known for its huge payday). In those two events, Henning collected $400,000! And a Hummer! He's among the large number of ITU athletes trying their hand at long-distance triathlons. And he proved he can compete at Ironman, with a 40 minute swim and 4:29 bike which gave him a huge lead into T2. After missing his special needs food on the run, he ended up cramping and walked most of the last 10 km, resulting in a 3:38 run split. And still won the race by 29 minutes! It was also the slowest men's run split for an Ironman winner in the past 25 years...to be honest, not too many top pro men did the race (i haven't heard of the guys who finished 2nd or 3rd, while consistent pros like Petr Vabrousek, Jozsef Major, and Byung Hoon Park finished well back). Anyhow, Henning is now right at the top of the list for Kona rookies this fall...and a definite podium contender.
The women's race actually contains the fastest runner in the race, with Charlotte Paul of Australia running a 3:35 run split to easily win the women's race by 13 minutes. She was the only woman to break 10 hours, but the two Canadians (or a Czech who lives in Canada and a Canadian) Tereza Macel Donna Phelan in 3rd and 4th place. Pre-race fave Hillary Biscay (who won Ironman Wisconsin last year) could only manage a 4:17 run split!
This weekend of racing brings ITU racing back to Ishigaki, Japan. But unfortunately, with the World Championship Series only one week away, almost no top contenders are in Japan this weekend. It is seriously among the weakest fields I have ever seen for an ITU World Cup race! I think only Australia's Courtney Atkinson and Russia's Ivan Vasiliev have ever been on a World Cup podium before. Canadian Kyle Jones (who actually got race number 2, so he's the second highest rated athlete in the field), didn't even make Canada's Olympic Team. Hopefully Jones can use his recent training with his buddy Simon Whitfield and get on the podium. The women's race is no better when it comes to quality of field, with 9 Japanese among the 22 expected starters. The top rated athlete is Japan's own Juri Ide, who was 5th at the Olympics, while Canadian Olympians Lauren Groves and Kathy Tremblay will look for their first ever World Cup win! And they will never have as good a shot as they do this weekend.
The American triathletes and a ton of elite 70.3 racers are in St. Petersburg, Florida for the St. Anthony's Triathlon. This race has been around for 26 years, which makes it one of the oldest races in the US. I think this race has 20 times more well-known triathletes than the race in Japan. Matt Reed, Andy Potts, Terrenzo Bozzone, and Greg Bennett on the guy's side, with Lisa Bennett, Mirinda Carfrae, Becky Lavelle, Joanna Zeiger are some of the stars on the women's side.
Okay, now I think I'm done until next week!
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