Thanks to a partnership with BR Fernsehen viewers in Germany will be able to watch 9 hours of live coverage of Challenge Roth on 7 July for the first time. The legendary top pro field, combined with 3,400 individual athletes and 650 teams from 76 nations, promises a thrilling race.
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Shortly after the broadcast starts at 6:15am, the race will kick off with the 3.8km swim in the Main-Danube Canal, followed by the 180km bike leg and finishing with the marathon. The winner of DATEV Challenge Roth will probably finish below the magic eight-hour mark again. The world’s fastest time set by Jan Frodeno in Roth in 2016 is 7:35:39, and the women’s record (Chrissie Wellington, 8:18:13 in Roth) has not been beaten anywhere in the world since it was set in 2011.
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Christoph Netzel, sports director of BR Fernsehen said, “The triathlon in Roth is a real spectacle and an extreme challenge for the participants. 2019 will also be a real “challenge” for us – BR Sport will become the long-distance TV channel, we will broadcast live almost continuously from 6:15 to 3:30 pm on BR Television. We are thrilled to bring our viewers this very special premiere – world-class sport, a fantastic backdrop, garnished with many Franconian stories and lots of human interest!”
There might be a key World Tri Series event happening this weekend in Japan, but the multisporting world will also be keeping one eye on the Sardinian capital of Cagliari. Why? Because the two-time Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee is making his first ITU World Cup start in over a decade there. But how will he fare on the sprint course after mainly racing middle-distance triathlons for the last year? And does this return mean he has Tokyo, and a third gold medal, in his sights?
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Just to recap, the 31-year-old’s last three short course-triathlons appearances included a disqualification at the 2018 WTS Grand Final due to congestion in the swim at the first buoy, a fourth in the 2018 Glasgow European Championships and 10th in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. But, unsurprisingly, he’s fared better over the middle distance, where he’s focused most of his attention. Results there include a second place at the 2018 70.3 Worlds behind Jan Frodeno and ahead of Javier Gomez, in perhaps one of the greatest 70.3 battles of all time.
Back to Cagliari and, if fit, Brownlee senior should make light work of the field. Challengers include Mexico’s Rodrigo Gonzalez and Germany’s Justus Nieschlag as well as Italians Delian Stateff and Davide Uccellari.
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For the full men’s start list click here
5 triathlon tips from Alistair Brownlee
While Alistair has stolen the headlines, GB will also have strong representation on the women’s side – bothJodie Stimpson and Sophie Coldwell will be toeing the line and hoping that together they can drive the bike to set up a medal-winning finale. Stimpson wears the number one in her first start of the year, while Coldwell marked her return to action with a fourth in Madrid a fortnight ago.
For the full women’s start list click here
You can follow all the action as it unfolds exclusively on TriathlonLIVE.tv as well and on social media channels via the hashtag #CagliariWC
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What’s next for the Brownlees?
Alistair & Jonny Brownlee’s top speed tips for Olympic-distance triathlon
Alistair Brownlee’s key triathlon training sessions
In a bid to encourage more women to take up tri, 220 Triathlon has teamed up with Limelight Sports and Her Spirit to recruit, train and support 20 women through their first triathlon experience at London Triathlon on Saturday 27 July 2019.
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Here’s why we named London Tri one of the best triathlons for beginners in the UK
So if you have, or know someone who has, always wanted to take up tri then read on!
Interested? Here’s what you need to be able to do:
Be able to swim 200m non-stop in the pool. It doesn’t matter what stroke.
Own your own bike or be able to borrow one.
Be available on 27 July to take part in the 2019 London Triathlon.
Be vocal and let us know what stopped you from doing a triathlon before, what would motivate more women to take part and tell us how we can make the whole experience better.
Provide video an/or written content over the 8-week training period that we can use to inspire more women to get into triathlon.
Be physically healthy. Please check with your doctor if you are unsure if this is a suitable event and training experience for you.
In return you will get:
Free entry to the 2019 London Triathlon Super Sprint – Swim 400m, Bike 10km, Run 2.5km.
VIP Experience on the day with the Her Spirit Team.
8-week training and nutrition plan.
3 x 1:1 online coaching sessions.
Monthly group Skype call.
1 group coached session. Location TBC.
Use of a wetsuit over the 8-week period and on race day.
FREE 3-month subscription to the Her Spirit app.
A free copy of 220 Triathlon magazine and a copy of 220’s Beginners Guide to Triathlon
We will select the first 20 women that complete the sign-up form below and fit the criteria we are looking for. If you’re interested, please click below and fill in the required fields and someone will be in touch! For any questions please [email protected]
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Sign up at herspirit.co.uk/my-first-triathlon/
How to train for your first triathlon
Sprint & super-sprint triathlons: 14 of the UK’s best for beginners
First ever #WTSYokohama victory for @vincentluistri @FFTRI
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.@KZaferes6 leads a @usatriathlon podium sweep in #WTSYokohama
Read all about it
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In a return to ITU racing two-time Olympic Alistair Brownlee has won Cagliari World Cup, his first ITU World Cup race in over a decade.
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“I am delighted with that,” said Brownlee afterwards. “I just said to myself with a couple of minutes to go, no-one can push harder than me so, if they’re going to beat me, they’re going to have to go really deep.”
It was to be Germany’s Justus Nieschlag and Mark Devay of Hungary first out of the water, however Brownlee was hot on their heels and the trio were joined by Ryan Bailie (AUS), and Sylvain Fridelance (SUI). A lead group of twelve riders then formed, and carved out a 12-second advantage by lap three.
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Brownlee left T2 in first place and ran stride for stride with Germany’s Justus Nieschlag and Kevin Mcdowell of the USA for the first 4km. He continually pushed the pace until Mcdowell was dropped and Nieschlag had to settle for second, one second adrift of the winner.
“He (Justus) was there on the swim, pushed it on the bike and is a real all round triathlete,” said Brownlee. “It was great to see, but I am delighted to be back and in the sharp end of a race. As for what’s next, I am still sitting on the fence. I have European Championships in two weeks and Leeds the week after that. I’ll see where that leaves me in three weeks’ time.”
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In the women’s race compatriot Sophie Coldwell delivered an incredible performance in Cagliari also take the gold medal, ensuring two golds for Great Britain. Beth Potter was the fastest on two feet by some margin; sprinting home to take 6th place and second Brit. Jodie Stimpson finished 7th and Kate Waugh was 25th.
1. Yokohama not so hot as an Olympic dry run: The Japanese city lies less than a 40km bike leg from Tokyo and its course profile – essentially pan-flat – resembles what triathletes can expect at next year’s Olympics. Acclimatising to the time and cultural differences will provide valuable experience, but one factor that Yokohama could not recreate were the expected conditions come August 2020 – likely to be so oppressive the racing has been moved to early morning starts. History tells us that turning up the heat leads to unexpected outcomes in triathlon, so don’t read too many omens into this one.
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2. British selection goes from tough to tougher: The women’s race might have played out as a precursor for the harshest of British Triathlon selection decisions for the Olympics. Jess Learmonth always leads the swim, pushes the pace on the bike, and is currently tied for second place in the series rankings. But it may not be enough. The more her cycling improves, the greater the chance of the front group staying away from the rest of the field – and that includes the faster running Brits. Had the chasing bike pack containing Georgia Taylor-Brown and Non Stanford caught the leaders in Yokohama, the chances of a GB medal would have increased. But before Learmonth fans cry foul and worry unduly, if and when Duffy and potentially even Nicola Spirig return, the race dynamics will change once more. Before selection is determined, there are plenty of twists and turns to come.
3. Dicing with the dismount line: Quite why pro triathletes cut the bike dismount so fine is almost as unfathomable as how technical officials could make an accurate penalty call amidst a flurry of legs and spokes careering down the blue carpet. Given any advantage would be negligible, there seems to be an unwritten code that no-one will actually be penalised for transgressing, except, as Jonny Brownlee, ala London 2012, will recall (then with the mount line), ‘rules is sometimes rules’. So, with next year’s Olympics in mind, perhaps all triathletes should give themselves a little grace as to where they plonk their feet.
4. The joy of a home hero: Yuko Takahashi may not be the highest profile triathlete in the world, but when it comes to racing in Japan, she tops the bill – and that will be multiplied 10-fold next year. The Asian champion has been in the sport for over a decade, is still improving, and in Yokohama went one better than her previous best of fifth place in last year’s Bermuda WTS. It brought smiles all round. Home heroes bring a vital ingredient to the WTS. Bermuda was all the poorer for local ace Flora Duffy’s absence in the last round and Leeds won’t be the same unless a Brownlee or two shows up.
5. Lose the wetsuit, concede the race: Yokohama is a long-standing host on the World Series and many of its past races have seen the field come together to form one main bike pack for a less-than-enthralling roll around the city’s streets. It didn’t happen in either race this time, and a major factor was the non-wetsuit swim. Without the neoprene, weaker swimmers are exposed, the race fragments, and among the big names to drop out of contention early here were men’s world champion Mario Mola and women’s 2018 Grand Final winner Ashleigh Gentle.
6. More glee for Yee: Britain’s Alex Yee, originally from London and now training in Leeds, produced another step up in performance to be the sole triathlete to run under 30mins for the 10km split (29:58). While he officially needed a top three finish to achieve the first part of the Olympic selection criteria, the 21-year-old, who finished fifth, must already be inked in for Tokyo, particularly with the Brownlees’ injury challenges and no other medal contenders emerging. Yee is not infallible, but after the curtain-raiser in Abu Dhabi we stated he could win a WTS race this season and his Yokohama performance further solidifies that view.
7. The first pedal strokes determine the race: As Britain’s Tom Bishop, Non Stanford and Georgia Taylor-Brown will attest, the frenetic moments heading out of T1 and on to the bike course define the narrative of the race. All three Brits were cut adrift by fine margins, and with it went their chances. It felt particularly tough on Bishop, who swam within 19sec of the lead, yet unable to latch on to the front was left time-trialling solo for several kilometres trying to bridge the gap.
8. You don’t out-kick sprint king Luis: After his fourth place in Bermuda last time out, we concluded that despite being the series leader, Vincent Luis was still an enigma when it comes to the highest level. What wasn’t acknowledged – and that he’s proved time and again – is that to beat the Frenchman, he needs distancing before the blue carpet. Otherwise, as shown in Yokohama, when it comes to a sprint finish, there is no-one better.
9. And we’re left seeing Stars… and Stripes again: It was the fourth occasion the USA women have achieved a podium clean sweep – the others being in London (2015), Gold Coast (2015) and Edmonton (2016)– and Katie Zafares has been there every time. There are also currently 10 Americans in the ITU world’s top 100 rankings, proving great testament to the collegiate recruitment system led by 2004 Olympian Barb Lindquist. Just as with the Brits, US triathletes with medal-winning potential are going to miss out on Tokyo. Just imagine the fun if 2016 Olympic champion Gwen Jorgensen fancied a return too?*
10. ITU is racing ahead with its coverage: No apologies for the plug because the broadcasting has gone up another level this season thanks to the introduction of a new platform on triathlonlive.tv. As well as full coverage of the men’s and women’s races in Yokohama, the paratriathlon was also shown live (Britain’s Jade Jones-Hall took gold in the wheelchair division). But your annual $26.99 subscription doesn’t stop there. The weekend’s World Cup race in Cagliari, where Alistair Brownlee and Sophie Coldwell triumphed, was also broadcast live, and, if you fancy a trip down memory lane or some extra footage to watch when on the trainer, there are years of archived races to get stuck into.
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*Despite Jorgensen having chosen a slightly trickier alternative career path, there is no indication of this happening.
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As part of its partnership agreement with the Challenge Family Triathlon Series, Bkool is organising a special online competition called the Challenge Cup, running from May 30 to June 27.
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The Challenge Cup is an online competition based on the actual bike circuits of four Challenge Family events. Ride all four events and come top of the overall classification to win a free entry to the final European race of the 2019 calendar, the Challenge Mallorca!
Gain a Competitive Edge
As well as being able to train safely from home on the real courses for each event, thanks to the Bkool Cycling Simulator, triathletes and all Bkool Premium members have a chance to compete in the Challenge Cup.
“If you’re training for a Challenge event, Bkool is a great way to hone your competitive edge and train on the actual race courses,” explains Javier Cepedano, Bkool’s Director of Marketing.
The Cup events will take place on the following dates:
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Thursday May 30 – Garmin Challenge Herning
Thursday June 6 – SKODA Challenge Geraardsbergen
Thursday June 20 – Challenge Kaiserwinkl-Walchsee
Thursday June 27 – DATEV Challenge Roth
Each event will have 6 possible sessions to join online, covering all timezone possibilities:
11am (GMT+2) – 5pm (GMT+2) – 7pm (GMT+2) – 9pm (GMT+2) – 2am (GMT+2) – 5am (GMT+2)
Ride With The Pros
The Challenge Cup will also be ridden by some of the stars of the Challenge Family series, with triathletes such as Laura Siddalland Frederic Funkjoining in the fun.
How To Enter
To participate, and be in for a chance to win a free entry to Challenge Mallorca plus a tonne of Challenge Family merchandise during each event, all you have to do is download the Bkool Cycling Simulator and sign up to Bkool for the first event Thursday May 30:
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Click here to join Bkool premium.bkool.com
On 23rd June all triathlon eyes will be on the double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee as he takes on the full distance for the first time ever at Ironman Cork. How Brownlee fares here could indicate what the future holds for arguably the greatest short-course triathlete in history.
And so far indications are good for the Brit over longer distances. Ali moved up to the 70.3 distance in 2017, notching up wins at Ironman 70.3 St George, and Gloria Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria
Later that year, injury unfortunately kept him off the start line at the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championship and delayed a possible long-distance debut, but he came back in formidable fashion in 2018 with wins at Ironman 70.3 Dubai and Ironman 70.3 Liuzhou and a second place at the2018 70.3 Worlds behind Jan Frodeno and ahead of Javier Gomez, in perhaps one of the greatest 70.3 battles of all time.
But how will he fare over the full distance, just two weeks after the Olympic distance WTS Leeds? With the Ironman World Championship in Kona now in his sights, will he qualify in Cork? It’s going to be an exciting watch.
“We already knew the eyes of the triathlon world would be on Cork this June, but with Alistair Brownlee choosing to make his IRONMAN debut here, viewers and local supporters will be in for a treat,” said John Wallnutt, Ironman Cork Race Director. “Ironman Cork was always going to be a historic event being Ireland’s first ever Ironman race. Now, it becomes the race where one of the greatest triathletes of our time takes the next step in his triathlon evolution. This is something we can’t wait to see.”
Watch Alistair Brownlee take on his first ever long distance at Ironman Cork, as the event will be streamed live on Facebook Watch.
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GB’s Georgia Taylor-Brown took a home win today in Leeds at the fourth round of the World Triathlon Series. The 25-year-old Leeds resident held off strong competition from the series leader, Katie Zaferes, to claim her first-ever WTS win while teammate Jess Learmonth made it a GB sandwich to finish third on the podium.
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Coming into today’s race, America’s Zaferes was the woman to beat, having won the first three rounds of the series and with her sights set on matching Flora Duffy’s record of four consecutive WTS wins in a season.
The GB team also had a strong line-up with six of the world’s best athletes on the start line – Vicky Holland, Learmonth, Taylor-Brown, Non Stanford, Jodie Stimpson and Sophie Coldwell. Despite a sub-par start to the year – 8thin Abu Dhabi and 15thin Bermuda – the reigning world champ Holland was back on home soil and in a race she won last year.
No surprise out of the 1.5km swim as Learmonth led the pack with Coldwell, Zaferes and America’s Spivey on her feet. Although 11secs back into T1, Taylor-Brown also comfortably made the front group. But out of transition, it was Coldwell and Zaferes who formed the first group as they took to Leeds’ streets on the 12km journey into the city centre.
Learmonth, Taylor-Brown, Spivey, Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) and Lopes (BRA) were just behind in the chase group, while Holland, Stanford and Stimson were 30secs down in the third group,
After 8km the two groups had joined to make seven, before dropping Beaugrand on lap two to leave six chasing for the podium. Over the next 20km, the lead group stretched its lead to 1:40secs by the bell lap.
Out of T2, it was the series leader who took the helm of the 10km run. But Taylor-Brown wasn’t ready to let her go, looking comfortable on the American’s shoulder. Meanwhile the battle for bronze was between Coldwell and Learmonth, with Spivey hanging on for fifth.
Taylor-Brown, who going into the fourth round had a 9thand two 5ths to her name to see her in fourth place in the series overall, pulled ahead with 8km to go. After the first lap, the gap was 5secs. By lap 2 that had more than doubled to 13secs.
At halfway on the run, Learmonth, nearly 1min behind her teammate Taylor-Brown, made her move for third, leaving Coldwell in the clutches of Spivey who took her on lap three of four. Next up, Learmonth.
Keeping Zaferes at bay, Taylor-Brown crossed the line after 1:55:46 to take her first World Tri Series win in her young career. Zaferes crossed for second some 11secs behind to retain the title lead, before Learmonth ran through 1:25mins later for bronze.
Spivey took fourth, Stanford, who clocked the second fastest run with a 34:41, fifth, Holland seventh, Coldwell ninth and Stimpson 15th.
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For post-race video interviews with the women’s podium see our Instagram page. And click here for the full results list.
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