IRONMAN Reveals Stacked Start List for World Championship in Nice

Good morning everyone,

September is now upon us and with it, the slow change of the seasons. Here in the northern hemisphere, it’s a slight reprieve from the hottest summer days. Down south it might start feeling like spring.

Wherever you’re at I hope the change in weather brings some awesome training, and maybe even an exceptional race or two!

In today’s edition:

• 🏁 IRONMAN drops stacked start list for World Championships in Nice.

• 🔥 Creatine is one of the hottest supplements of the moment. Should you be taking it?

• 🛞 And how wide should your tires be? Wider, apparently!

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

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HEADLINES

Stacked Start List Revealed for Historic IRONMAN Women’s World Championships in Nice

What is it: In less than three weeks the first-ever women’s IRONMAN World Championship to be held in Nice, France will take place. And based on the recently released pro start list from IRONMAN it should be a historic and action-packed day of racing.

• The race is headlined by three former World Champions, Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR), Anne Haug (GER), and Chelsea Sodaro (USA).

Key contenders: As the returning champ, Charles-Barclay will have a massive target on her back, especially given her win earlier this summer at IRONMAN France (on the same course). But she will have some serious competition looking to make history of their own.

• Anne Haug controversially skipped out on T100 San Francisco to compete in the IRONMAN 70.3 France age group race. This ensured quality time of her own on the unforgiving hills of Nice.

• After a disappointing performance last year in Kona, Sodaro will be looking to return to the top step in Nice. And after a recent coaching, change, a breakup with her bike partner, and a move to Boulder, Colorado she may have found a new formula to fight for the win.

• Kat Matthews (GBR) has been on a tear with strong wins at IRONMAN Texas and Vitoria-Gasteiz earlier this year and should be a factor late into the race.

• And Laura Philipp (GER) is always a threat for the win, especially if she is in the mix coming off the bike.

Crazy course: Unlike the IRONMAN World Championships held in Kona which features a relatively flat bike course, the course in Nice is an absolute beast!

• All told over the single loop 180km (112 miles) bike the athletes will climb over 2400m (8000 feet)! 😲😲😲

• And at a leg-shattering 18km (11 miles), Le Col de l'Êcre is the longest climb on the course and sees the athletes gain 920m of elevation.

Pro Series implications: On race day the athletes won’t just be battling for a World Championship crown, as the race also features the heaviest opportunity of the year for IRONMAN Pro Series points - 6000 instead of 5000 at typical IRONMAN races. Current leader, Jackie Hering (USA), will be hoping for a podium finish to pad her lead in the series.

• But athletes like USA’s Danielle Lewis (2nd OA), and Denmark’s Maja Stage Nielsen (3rd OA), could be in the driver’s seat for the series win if Hering has an off day.

Tempo’s take: We’re heading into championship season for the major triathlon entities and the women’s IRONMAN World Championship in Nice is an exceptional way to kick it off.

• In last year’s men’s race, there was absolute carnage on the bike and run just due to the sheer brutality of the course. I actually think the women’s race will be a closer contest and we may not know who the actual winner will be until very late into the run.

One of the more intriguing aspects of race day will be to see how the T100 contracted athletes will fare. Charles-Barclay, Sodaro, Haug, Matthews, and Phillip have been racing an incredible amount of IRONMAN AND T100 events this year to maximize their opportunities over both series. Will a long season finally catch up? Or will they bring a whole new level to the big show?

Not too long till we find out!

FAVORITES

🥕 Creatine machine: Creatine supplementation hasn’t traditionally been associated with endurance sport. But a new study has suggested numerous potential benefits, such as the ability to be successful in “race defining” moments like a surge in pace or climbing steep hill. But there are drawbacks. [Outside]

🛞 Tire width win: Could your skinny tires be slowing you down? According to this article a wider tire is faster AND more comfortable. And apparently there is an optimal width for triathlon. [Slowtwitch]

⏰ Morning workout drawback: Morning training can be an incredible start to your day boosting your energy and mental clarity. But can you overdo it? This athlete says yes, and your cortisol levels might thank you for dialing your AM workout back. [Stylist]

🔫 Celebrity starter: When Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikeç took his viral stance at the Paris Olympics he couldn’t know would know where his newfound fame would take him - including as the celebrity starter of the recent Challenge Istanbul Triathlon! [Turcas_Es]

REEL TIME

Sometimes the sand at the swim exit is just really thick! 😆

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QUICK NEWS

Extreme triathlon: Looking for an extreme triathlon this weekend? And in Norway? The Pulpit Rock Extreme triathlon is taking place this weekend.

Insane record: On May 9th Jonas Deichman started his marathon run of full distance triathlons. He’s now finished 120 in a row! [Triathlon Magazine]

Iconic race: This November marks the 30th anniversary of the iconic Laguna Phuket triathlon.

WEEKEND RACES

Supertri London

After Chicago, it’s now Yee 1 - Wilde 1. Will the Kiwi take down the Brit in his hometown race? And will Georgia Taylor-Brown continue her winning streak after a dominant performance in Chicago? The third round in London should have plenty of action!

Challenge Samarkand

Norwegians Kristian Blummenfelt and Gustav Iden couldn’t pass up a trip to Uzbekistan as they build towards the Ironman world championships. But they’ll have their work cut out for them as they’ll be taking on current 70.3 World Champion Rico Bogen and Britain’s Tom Bishop.

• In the women’s race Laura Madsen (DEN) is the favourite. But Nicole Van der Kaay (NZ) will be pushing hard in her first long course race post-Olympics.

World Triathlon World Cup Karlovy Vary

In the women’s race look for a group featuring Bianca Seregni (ITA) and Maya Kingma (NED) to breakaway on the swim/bike and have a run duel for gold.

• In the men’s race Casper Stornes (NOR) is the clear favourite for this one. But he could be pushed by Tayler Reid (NZ) and Mark Devay (HUN).

IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast

Paris Olympian Natalie Van Coevorden should have the upper hand in this one. But Samantha Kingsford is a consistent performer who should have no problem taking the win if Van Coevorden has an off day.

• Nic Thompson, Nicolas Free and Sam Osbourne should be able to distance themselves from the rest of the field. It will remain to be seen who will charge for the victory.

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

• How to nail your IRONMAN training nutrition!

• Why this performance psychologist wants you to celebrate the small wins.

• How this pro triathlete manages training and vet school!

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