Uncertainty In Abundance Ahead of Ironman World Championship in Nice

Good morning everyone,

I had a crazy ride the other day. I left my house in the blazing sun, but as the ride progressed and I got to the top of a long climb, the skies opened up and rain and hail pelted me. It got dark and I could also hear thunder not too far away - not great! It was the first time in a while I was genuinely afraid on the bike. My motivation to get through was to make sure I could get this edition to you!

Lol, not really. But it was a pretty crazy ride!

In today’s edition:

• ❓️ Uncertainty awaits at first-ever non-Kona Ironman World Championships.

• ⚙️ The perfect video on how to replace your old bike chain.

• 🦵 And how does your body actually adapt to training?

Thanks for being here,

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

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ONE BIG THING

Uncertainty And Unknowns Ahead of First Non-Kona Ironman World Championships

What is it: This coming weekend, over 5,000 professional and age group athletes will compete in Nice, France at the Ironman World Championships (IMWC).

• It will be the first edition of the split-venue Ironman World Championships, with the men competing this year in Nice - Kona will host the Women’s IMWC on October 14.

Unique course: Unlike the relatively flat and volcanic rock-lined bike course in Kona, the bike course in Nice is a climber’s paradise that features almost 8,000ft (2,500m) of elevation gain 🤯

• The infamous Col de L’Ecre will burn the legs for 18.5km at an average grade of 5.5%.

• The bike course also features stunning vistas and natural rock tunnels.

• Athletes will also be tested on the incredibly technical and demanding descents.

Doubts: After the initial announcement, there was shock and uproar around the new venue, and the separation of the men’s and women’s Championships. This is a pivotal moment for Ironman to show it can deliver a successful World Championship event outside the iconic venue in Kona.

• Ironman will be under even more intense scrutiny after the recent tragedy at Ironman Ireland that saw two athletes pass away and possible litigation with Triathlon Ireland.

• And the shadow of the tragic motorcycle accident at Ironman Hamburg also looms large.

Tempo’s take: It’s a brave new world for Ironman. After the huge announcement last fall and the massive build-up till now, its time to see what an Ironman World Championship looks like outside of Kona. Will the energy be the same? What about the loss of forty years of tradition?

Many people are saying it will fail. But not us.

The setting in Nice is beautiful and iconic in its own way. The community infrastructure will have no problem handling the massive influx of athletes. And the course and conditions will be a true test of champions.

Our only complaint? They shouldn’t have split it up.

FAVOURITES

🧽 Clean machine: Regular bike maintenance is important for getting the most out of your bike, and making it last as long as possible. This great video shows how in a few easy steps, you can replace your chain and make your bike feel like new! [One Last Lap]

🫁 Foundational principles: So how does your body actually adapt to training? This article does a great job outlining and explaing the unique physiological adaptations that occur in your body when you train. This fundamental knowledge is important, no matter where you are in your triathlon journey! [Trail Runner Magazine]

🫁 Groundbreaking pro: Sanelle Shange wants to be the first African-born professional triathlete. Check out his recent interview to learn more about this incredible trail-blazing athlete. [The Daily Tri]

👏 Faster over 50: Pro triathlete Mel McQuaid has been competing as a professional athlete for over 30 years. In this podcast, she talks about the keys to her longevity, the highs and lows of her career, and how she’s preparing to compete in the upcoming Ironman World Championships - the first as a professional over the age of 50! [Live Feisty]

TODAY’S DIGIT

2,569

The number of days between victories for 2016 Olympic Gold medallist Gwen Jorgensen. She won a World Cup event in Valencia, Spain this past weekend. [Triathlon Magazine]

QUICK NEWS

🌴 Dominican destination: The Dominican Republic will host its first-ever Ironman 70.3 triathlon at the inaugural 70.3 Cap Cana on April 28th, 2024. [Endurance.biz]

🌵 Desert dual: The start of a serious NCAA Triathlon rivalry was born this weekend at the first-ever dual meet between the five-time NCAA Champion Arizona State University and the first-year University of Arizona. The Sun Devils were able to best the TriCats in this round. [Arizona Wildcats]

👑 Javier’s return: Spanish Triathlon legend and Olympic silver medalist Javier Gomez will make his return to racing after many setbacks, including injury and illness. And many athletes will be racing on his home turf at the upcoming World Triathlon Championship Finals in Pontevedra, Spain, later this month. [Tri247]

🏁 Kids tri: Nearly 250 South Carolina kids participated in the inaugural Simpsonville YMCA Strong Kids Triathlon on Sunday. The event was held to help promote and develop healthy lifestyles among children. [WYFF]

RACE WEEKEND

Chaos and Champions at Super League Triathlon Toulouse

What was it: The second round of the fast and furious Super League Triathlon took place this weekend in Toulouse, France.

• This race had some star-studded additions, including Olympic gold medalist Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR), current World Champion Léo Bergère (FRA), Hayden Wilde (NZ), Emma Lombardi (FRA) and Léonie Périault (FRA).

• The race format was contested over the unpredictable Triple Mix Format which consists of three separate multisport races.

Women’s race: The Sharks carried the momentum from last weekend in London as Kate Waugh rocketed to an early lead in stage one.

• In stage two drama unfolded as hometown favorite Jeanne Lehair (Eagles) was disqualified after starting the bike with her helmet unbuckled.

• With Lehair out, Waugh was only challenged by Emma Lombardi (Eagles) and Léonie Périault.

• But Waugh held tough for a solo effort on the final stage to take her first win in Super League.

Of note: We’re happy to hear that Scorpions athlete Nicole Van Der Kaay is okay after this gnarly crash on stage 2.

Men’s race: No one could have predicted how wild this men’s race would be. On the first stage, Leo Bergere (Eagles) and Jonathan Brownlee (Sharks) found themselves in the lead, with the competition closely behind.

During stage two Taylor Reid (Scorpions) crashed hard on the bike, while Hayden Wilde (Scorpions) would claw back time on Bergere and Brownlee.

Stage three saw Wilde and Bergere riding as a pair ahead of Brownlee and Henri Schoeman (Scorpions). But then chaos ensued.

• As they headed into T2 to start their run, Wilde mistakenly rode through transition. Bergere also did not dismount his bike until after the mount line.

• Wilde then rode back to transition and headed into the water, where he also learned he would be receiving a five-second penalty. 

• This would prove costly as Brownlee and Schoeman used their advantage to snag podium positions while Bergere was crowned champion.

• Super League Triathlon even had to issue a press release due to the social media storm that erupted.

Tempo’s take: Absolute chaos in Toulouse and we love to see it! There were lots of changes in the leaderboard, and now, with four weeks till the next race in Malibu, the athletes will have an opportunity to recover and heal up (especially the eight who kissed the pavement).

It will be interesting to see what the swell in Malibu brings! 🏄🏄🏄

REEL TIME

The athletes competing in Nice at the Ironman World Championships will be swimming in the Baie des Anges, which is starting to go viral for its…Gatorade water?!? This could be a great stealth marketing campaign or just a regular old Tik Tok trend.

@efultimatebreak

bonus points if you bring goggles #gatoradewater #nice #nicefrance #gatorade #nicefrance🇨🇵 #gatoradeblue #thisisultimate

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

• Expert analysis: Nail your Ironman training nutrition

• In 2023 what is the state of the sport?

• Xterra and Ironman? No problem for this pro triathlete!

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