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Tailwinds or Turbulence? London Set to Test T100’s Trajectory
T100 London, the irony of zone 2, and are you getting enough Choline?
Matthew Sharpe
August 05, 2025
Good morning everyone,
Just wanted to give a quick shoutout to our Tempo Talks podcast. We’ve been at it for a few months now, and it really feels like we’re hitting our stride.
Our latest episode discusses,
What Race Ranger anti-drafting tech could mean for age groupers.
What does it mean to be a “good” race location?
And how to overcome a pre-race setback!
If you haven’t given it a listen, we’d love for you to check it out!
In today’s edition:
✈️ Tailwinds or turbulence? London set to test T100’s trajectory.
🔥 Why does zone 2 gets harder as you get fitter?
🧠 And are you getting enough Choline?
-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor
Have a triathlete in your life who can't stop swimming, biking, or running? Fire this off to them. Forwarded from a friend? Sign-up for free.
ONE BIG THING
Tailwinds or Turbulence? London Set to Test T100’s Trajectory
T100
What is it: This weekend sees the resumption of the T100 Triathlon World Tour in London. And with a strong start to the season, plus a massive injection of funding, the upstart Triathlon series is hoping to ride the tailwinds towards end-of-season success!
Women’s race: London will play host to another chapter of the burgeoning Taylor Knibb (USA)/Julie Derron (SUI) rivalry. The Swiss sensation finally broke Knibb’s incredible T100 unbeaten streak in San Francisco, but Knibb roared back with a stellar win only weeks after in Vancouver.
However, it could be rule Brittania as T100 Singapore’s breakout star Kate Waugh leads a stellar lineup of Brits including Lucy Charles-Barclay, Jessica Learmonth, India Lee, Holly Lawrence, and Lucy Byram.
And T100 stalwart, Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) will be looking for a repeat of last year’s win in London.
Wicked wildcards: If five contracted Brits weren’t enough, GB Olympic medalist Georgia Taylor-Brown will also be making her T100 debut. She’ll be joined by countrywomen Lizzie Rayner and Kate Curran - all three will no doubt be boosted by the home crowd.
Other notable wildcards include Singapore T100 bronze Lisa Perterer (AUT) and Caroline Pohle (GER), who will be looking to turn the corner after coming out on the wrong end of a finish line tussle at the 70.3 European Championships.
Men’s race: The men’s race sees the highly anticipated return of T100 Singapore champion Hayden Wilde (NZ). The kiwi will make his return to racing after recovering from a brutal crash.
He’ll be joined by T100 San Francisco winner, Rico Bogen (GER), and T100 Vancouver winner, Jelle Geens (BEL). Also lining up in London is T100 Singapore runner-up, Leo Bergere (FRA).
Also in contention for the London podium; Mika Noodt (GER), Kyle Smith (NZ), and Sam Long (USA), who was only added to the start list in the last week!
Willing wildcards: The home crowd’s hope will rest on the three British wildcards: Will Draper, Harry Palmer, and Jack Hutchens.
Jamie Riddle (ZAF), an athlete who is always pushing the race from the front, will surely be ready to light it up in London!
Tempo’s take: The T100 has tailwinds. In 2025 it’s three Pro races have seen six different winners. It’s age group events in Singapore and Vancouver were well attended and well received by athletes. And, hey, they just closed a $40m funding round!
But under the surface, not all is rosy. Immediately after their funding announcement, it was revealed that they would finally be paying the 2024 PTO year-end bonus. Is this why Sam Long just happened to be a last-minute addition to the start list?
And it begs the question if the T100 is actually on a stable financial footing? Or is the new investment heading out the door as quickly as it came in?!?
In any case, London should provide excellent Pro racing, and it’ll also be the last stand-alone T100 event for some time. Upcoming T100 World Tour stops in the French Riviera, Valencia, and Wollongong will be held in conjunction with World Triathlon races.
And with both entities facing unique pressures, they’ll need the next months to progress perfectly - otherwise their 12-year agreement could end up being a two-year tragedy.
How to watch: Watch for free on the T100 YouTube channel. The women’s race starts at 11:45 local time (6:45 AM EDT) Saturday, August 9th.
The men’s race kicks off at 14:45 local time (9:45 AM EDT) Saturday, August 9th.
FAVORITES
🔥 The irony of zone 2: Zone 2, the famous aerobic area that is foundational for your fitness, performance, and longevity. But are those “easy miles” actually supposed to be easy? Ironically, the fitter you get, the “harder” your zone 2 becomes! So why is that? And how can you get the most out of your crucial zone 2 work? This video explains! [GTN]
🧠 Choline Check-In: Think you’re getting enough choline? This under-the-radar nutrient plays a major role in brain function, liver health, and even pregnancy outcomes, but most athletes aren’t getting the recommended amount. So what exactly is choline? Where can you get it? And how much do you really need? Get the full breakdown here! [Healthline]
🍑 Activation action: You’ve seen Tadej Pogacar do his Tour de France-winning pre-race activation. So if he’s doing it, you have no excuse! And with this incredibly quick and simple pre-ride glute activation, you can be the champion of your own Tour de Neighbourhood! [Jack Ultra Cyclist]
🏊 Swimming longevity: As triathletes, swimming may not always be our favorite sport. But this story is a reminder of how being able to swim can provide excellent exercise and an escape from life’s noise long after we’ve hung up our racing shoes! [New York Times]
🗻 Notable Norseman: The Norseman Xtreme Triathlon has put Eidfjord, Norway, on the map and turned a tiny fjord town into an endurance sport landmark. But beyond the economic boost, it’s become a source of pride, with locals volunteering and creating new events inspired by the race. Read just how impactful triathlon can be on a community here! [Slowtwitch]
REEL TIME
“About $3.1B…” 🤣🤣
TEMPO TALKS PODCAST
What Would Race Ranger Mean for Age Group Races?
And how do you recover from a pre-race setback?
All this and more in the latest episode of the Tempo Talks Podcast!
Together with The TriDoc, we bring you the biggest stories in Triathlon,
Training tips to make you faster,
And breakdowns of the latest in sports science and performance!
QUICK NEWS
Commonwealth tri: In for the 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games in Malta? Triathlon! [World Triathlon]
Philippines prestige: 2026 promises to be another landmark year of triathlon in the Philippines as it sees the return of IRONMAN 70.3 Subic Bay and IRONMAN Philippines! [Business Mirror]
PTO investment: The PTO just finished a $40m funding round, and they’re already putting it to work as they have invested in a new tech venture to redefine live data storytelling in sport.
The Wright idea: An Isle of Wright triathlete will aim to do the amazing as he plans to circumnavigate the island swimming, cycling, and running - and all for charity. Seriously, a 105km swim!?!? [County Press]
RACE WEEKEND
IRONMAN 70.3 Krakow
Paula Findlay (CAN) and Sam Appelton (AUS) were the big winners in Boise!
LATEST EDITIONS
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