speaker-0: Pro Try News is a podcast with different opinions, knowledge, and possibly fake news about triathlon racing. This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and some stories may be dramatized for comedic effect. Enjoy! speaker-1: Hello and welcome to another episode of Pro Tri News, broadcasting live from the Woodlands, Texas, 2026 Ironman, Texas Pro Series. And it's fair to say the greatest field outside of a world championships, debatable, inclusive of a world championships we've ever seen. speaker-2: And second largest, if they start right now, the Men's field will be the second largest outside of Kona. There was a Frankfurt that was like 80 guys, 80 dudes, but this is like 77, so this will be the second. There's a couple hundred dudes starts at 2009 Ironman World Championship in Kona, but the largest field too. speaker-3: Yeah, it was like early 2000s. 100 dudes. 105. It's crazy. So thank you guys for all coming. Appreciate it. This is our second time at this venue and our fifth year of doing live shows. So if you've been here before, welcome back. If this is your first time, we structure this a little bit differently than our daily podcast or daily, weekly podcast. Daily podcast will come for World Championship. speaker-1: There's a 200 dude star in... speaker-3: We got the usual gang. Luke at Win Republic obviously hooks us up with ⁓ the best that we can drink the whole night. ⁓ be sure to give a thanks to Luke. Go buy one of those Win Republic race belts. See if you can race your fastest this weekend. We'll have some to give away and maybe some other special stuff. So without further ado, welcome guys. How's everyone's time been so far? speaker-2: It's hot here. Hot. We ⁓ have like 10 people in the audience if you're watching online and they all said it's hot too. We talked to all of them. speaker-1: And Pat did his usual thing. Pat loves to burn the candle at both ends. You're like, Pat, when you're getting in, he's like, my plane lands at two, I'll get an Uber, I'll come to the pod, I'll watch the race, I've got a flight to Alta Uzbekistan in the morning, and then I'm going to Mongolia and then I'll be home. So Pat, how long are here for? speaker-0: I am here until Saturday night, so we're gonna look at you. speaker-1: Dude. speaker-3: He's staying for the race at least. speaker-0: I came in for the live show. absolutely going to be here for the race. then, I do have a flight to Uzbekistan on Monday. So I've got to fly home, pack for that, and then... speaker-1: That's not a joke, he is actually going to his back. speaker-3: It's phrasing, so yeah. Mark, you guys have been here for what? speaker-1: We always get late, so you know if something works don't change it. She's one through on the bounce. So we fly in on, I'll be honest a part of it is Kat went right on the road here for like obvious reasons. Those that don't know, that's where she got spanked by a car. So she won't ride on the road so like you don't want to turn over too much. But also the time zone for us kind of works. Like if you fly in, I want to go to bed at 7pm and I want to wake up at 3 in the morning. That's our time zone. And that's what the race day is, right? So fly in late, don't change the time zone and just roll into the race. So I've been here since late Tuesday. speaker-3: Yeah. Okay, nice. speaker-2: And I've been here too. speaker-3: Yeah, you got in on Tuesday-Tuesday. speaker-2: Today I did my standard going to shoot some Lionel footage, but I've been here for over a decade coming to this race now, and it was pretty wild to see Lionel in Texas finally doing this race, so I'm pretty excited. speaker-1: Has he never raced there? speaker-3: Yeah, you raced it the first time we came down here. Yeah. It was crazy. speaker-2: In 2015, and he So speaker-0: Can I just do a plug quick, a random plug? speaker-3: ⁓ here we go. How long is speaker-1: of you investing in now because we've got Wove here. What else are doing? speaker-0: No, ⁓ Gwen, my dear wife, is giving away 10 Canyon road bikes. So if anybody knows any aspiring juniors that are trying to be excellent but they need a race bike, please just chase down her social media. But yeah, she's giving away 10 race bikes. speaker-1: We've got a pair of twins in the audience here. There's two girls in the audience that are currently 17 years old. ⁓ And on Saturday, day of the race, they turn 18 and they're both starting and racing. ⁓ speaker-3: Bye. Wow! speaker-0: Okay, so right there, that'd be an opportunity. Good shout out. speaker-2: Pat's gonna be like, it's 18 and under now. speaker-1: I meant to eight bikes, eight bikes, eight bikes. speaker-3: We'll plug it in the we'll put it up online so then people can find it so Typically how we structure this is we talk about the past people who have won at a venue So typically for this race, we'll do Ironman, Texas winners. We got four so each of us will pick one You ready Patrick Lang Matt Hansen Rudy von Berg Christian Blumenfeld speaker-0: I'll go first with Matt Hanson. speaker-3: Okay. speaker-2: I'll go with Rudy. speaker-1: I'll take KB. speaker-3: Okay, I'll take Patrick. I'll take Patrick. speaker-0: Perfect. Let's do an easy one. Matt Hanson. Why can't he win? Right? The obvious would just be this is the most stacked field that we've ever seen, right? For a non-world championship race. Insanely competitive. It's no secret, there's just a few people that have got a bigger profile that have got better results in front of them. Not really up for debate. Why can Matt Hanson win this race? He showed at Ironman New Zealand that this is a different game at 20 meters. it's... He's in the race coming out of the swim in a way that he wasn't for the previous 10 years of his career, right? And ⁓ we saw in New Zealand, people said, 20 meters is gonna be boring. There's gonna be no racing. The amount of people that were exploding or collapsing or coming from behind was... was just at a rate that we, I didn't expect, did you? speaker-1: No, no, The fireworks were way more and I didn't expect Matt Hanson to excel the way he did. Like he rode brilliantly. He runs well. He's good in the heat. I agree with you. speaker-0: So yeah, me personally, I'll be cheering for Matt the whole way on Saturday. speaker-3: And he's won here three times, by the way, three times. ⁓ When I talked to him in New Zealand, just to add to that, he said that his goal is to race the first lap as hard as possible and then chill the second lap for the marathon. That's what his goal in New Zealand, and that panned out for him. speaker-1: But he already stamped his Kona qualification slot in New Zealand. So I think Matt now can risk a bit more as well. Like he, you, if you want to take top six or seven here to qualify, you look at the field, that is not easy. There, there will be massive name athletes going home, not qualifying. But Matt's already got his. Why not? speaker-3: ⁓ Yeah Yeah, anyway, go for it. speaker-2: ⁓ Rudy I think Rudy can do good here because everyone always doubts him and then he shows up to the Ironman World Championships and runs onto the podium runs onto the podium I think that everyone was I don't want to say shocked but we were yeah, I would say pretty shocked ⁓ Why he can't win here is he's recently changed coaches and anytime I don't want to say anytime because Patrick changes coaches it goes on and wins an Ironman World Championship speaker-0: Chalk. speaker-1: And changed to the same coach. So Rudy's now changed to Ben Reisel, who was the coach that Patrick changed to to win coach. speaker-2: He just changed to a new coach and so sometimes there's a kind of a dry area and then also too I think it stems down to confidence and that's why we always say it's so important to be here like being in the press conference he was the most insecure one up there on the panel and I was kind of like dude you got to believe in yourself too so he just kind of said it it is what it is I'm not in good shape and we'll see how the cards fall so speaker-3: One little nugget I'll add to that is one time in the last 12 years at Ironman Texas, someone's had the fastest bike split and won the race. Now is the year Rudy did it. speaker-1: Interesting. ⁓ Christian Blumenfeld. Why can he win the race while he's Christian Blumenfeld? I mean, the guy has shown unbelievable form this year. We underestimated how ill he was before New Zealand. I probably should have like downplayed him because I spoke to him and he was talking like this. He was so bunged up and full of cold. But since that, he went to Zhilong and he just rolled. Hayden Wilde and Jelle Geens, like they were nobodies, like they were nothing to him. He ran minutes into them. He goes a week later, six days later or something, goes to Oceanside and just dusts that field off. He's clearly on the form of his life. He's then gone away and had three weeks with the Norwegians. I don't need to harp on about this because he's the overwhelming racer. So Christian Blumenfeld can win the race because Christian Blumenfeld does Christian Blumenfeld things. speaker-3: He's the race favorite for sure. speaker-1: Why he can't win the race? ⁓ He's a miserable guy, intrinsic, shy and boring. He's also, it's so hard to explain why he can't win the race. The only way I will say is he's done a lot this year already. It's the only downside you can look at him with right now. He's raced three times already. He's stacked up loads. And there's the 20 minute bike draft zone. There's some big hitters that are going to make the bike super hard. It's dead flat. It requires a very aero profile. Christian doesn't have the best aero set up package. It's part of the way he's built. He's not, he doesn't look great on a bike. Or his bike falls apart because he's on a Caddx, you know. So like maybe, maybe he over extends himself on the bike to stay with the front, crumbles on the run, but he's the favorite. speaker-3: Or his bike falls apart like it did in New Zealand. ⁓ Patrick Lang won here for the first time in 2016 and as me and Talbot have talked about today, we asked the question in Pro Racing, it didn't get asked but ⁓ this is the first time that Patrick's had to chase a qualification in 10 years because all he's had to do is validate since he won the Ironman World Championship, since he won this race. speaker-1: That is a crazy stat. He has not had to fight for a qualification slot to Kona in 10 years speaker-3: Yeah, so that's gonna be something that's probably weighing on his mind The fact that Rusty's here and his coaches here. That's one of the reasons why I think that he can win this race ⁓ Patrick doesn't show up at a race if he doesn't believe that he can win and he had a whole lot of swagger at that ⁓ pro panel today came out with a Texas Tech football jersey that's branded with all the sponsors It was it was next level. So I think that Patrick is one of those athletes that you can doubt him all you want and say that he's not gonna do well, but he'll show you on race day. speaker-1: mean Patrick can win the race but I'm not sure you can cite him having swagger as a reason he'll win the race. Because if you remember Nice, he stood on the start line in a leopard print. ⁓ What was that? What's that called? speaker-3: happened in Kona. speaker-1: a leopard print dry robin hood and got absolutely spanked. And that's the most swag I've ever seen anyone rot. So like, I think he can win because of previous form and race style and the heat and everything. Is Rusty still here or has he limped off home? ⁓ he's left. Rusty's Patrick's boyfriend away from home. speaker-3: Yeah. I don't know where he went. Yeah. Anyway. So let's move on to the women. Obviously, returning winner is Kat Matthews from the last three times. There's no one else that has won this race that's starting besides her. So I thought what would be fun is maybe we talk about the three different versions of Kat and how she's won the race. Like, no, no, no, Like, Mark, obviously you've seen her 20, 23, 20, 24, 20, 25. She's won three different ways. Obviously, one time was. speaker-2: The at home version? speaker-3: on very little run training and she was still able to win the race. What are your thoughts as far as looking back on 23, 24, 25 versus where she's at now? speaker-0: What was the year that she was at 24 where she was like pretty behind the eight ball at a half marathon and then it was at Sarah's fence that fell apart? No. speaker-1: No, that was 23. Oh. Yeah, no, no, that was 23. 23 was when she was five months off a broken back, skull, ribs, hip, and 50 stitches to the face. She was five months off the back there, and she got off the bike 10 minutes down on... Maya. Maya Stajnilson had the run of her life, and Kat ran her down in the last 10K. speaker-0: That's right. That's speaker-1: So I don't think we should look at that version of Kat. Like, you know, she got the job done, but that was a pretty broken woman. later that year she DNF'd in Kona. We probably shouldn't have come here. We probably should have just given her more time. I think what she wanted to do that year was get back to racing and like be like, I'm a whole human being. I'm an athlete. I can race. I can do this. But like in... speaker-3: She raised ocean side the week like he's pro third speaker-1: And that was super important for that reason. So maybe in the long term, it was really good. But that year, cost her later on because the emotion you invest to come to a race when, you know, it was only like three months ago, she got like a bit of glass out of her neck from the crash that's still stuck in the scars. So like you probably shouldn't be doing it five months afterwards. So that version of Katz and No. The next year she lost all her nutrition on the bike, then got a drafting penalty and then ran her way through to the win. They're both her mistakes and my mistakes, so that's not like an speaker-3: That's 24? Yeah. And that was the bum calf year too, right? She was walking? That was that year. Slater was running her down. speaker-1: That was five weeks after tearing her calf in Miami. So we had like a bum, like she didn't run well. The whole thing. This is why today, I don't know if you saw the press conference, she pulled on like full cat mode. They said, and I won't use the word I've been using with her, but they said, you know, why do you love coming back to Texas? What makes it great? Why do you enjoy it so much? And she went, I hate it. speaker-3: Yup. I hate it here. speaker-1: Like straight up on the press conference, so awkward, but anyway, but that's part of it because that didn't go well. And then last year, ⁓ she pretty healthy, pretty good, rode really well, second fastest Ironman bike split in history behind Taylor in the same race. She caught Taylor pretty quickly and kind of wrapped it in a little bit. ⁓ So she's never had a great race. speaker-3: He was That was a great race last year though. It was an eight-tenner speaker-2: Guys, we got a massive race. Why are we talking about the past? How long are we gonna sit right here? speaker-1: spent 20 minutes doing the men's previous winners. We've got fucking one woman, so shut up and listen. ⁓ So the cat Matthews, why she can win, someone else tell me. speaker-0: Look, mean, she's, you know, on paper there's two women here racing that are the most dominant in the Ironman distance, right? It's Kat and Solveig. Kat can win because she's won a bunch of these. Won this race three times already. We saw in New Zealand she can do it on, I mean, I'll say it at 70%. I'm gonna be generous and she's had some more training since then. speaker-2: And it's think just consistency too. You don't see Kat have like bad Ironman days. It's either like she's on and up at the top. So. speaker-0: ⁓ and she's dialed with the fueling with the bike. Yeah. mean, she's got all of these. speaker-3: She's got some good gear as well. speaker-0: Yeah, all of that. speaker-1: Mainly the Win Republic try suit, Yeah. Surely. Yeah. speaker-3: ⁓ Cool. We go with that? Why can't she win? guess Solvay. This is only thing that... speaker-1: And Taylor Lib, just because she hasn't won an Ironman. know, like this show last year, I was, you know, a little bit far gone, some could say. Maybe I had one beer too many. You know, it's debatable. One, yeah, one. But I said that Taylor was the outright favorite. If she doesn't win, she should be ashamed and embarrassed is what I basically said on the show. And she took it so personally. Like she mentioned it so many times. speaker-3: He's never won an Iron Man! speaker-1: So I'm going to say again, because it really affects her. Taylor should win this race. If it doesn't, if she doesn't, failure. Embarrassing. No, I'm joking. Like Taylor, Taylor's, she's a generational talent. She's a generational talent. Her bike ability is second to none. She makes Daniela Reif look bad on a bike at the moment. The gap she's spreading and the way she's riding time trials and stuff. She's yeah, she's another reason Kat can't win. That gap could be massive if Taylor has a day. speaker-3: Yeah. Yeah, We miss anything anyone else have anything in that? Cool Moving on to the race itself. We have a couple people making their Ironman debut Vincent Louie who did challenge Roth last year This is his first Ironman yellow jeans who's doing obviously his first Ironman and grace that who also did challenge Roth last year doing her first Ironman race ⁓ Fastest splits we could talk about those swim dynamics you guys think speaker-1: The men's race is going to be massive pack at the front. we've got so many, got like Andres, Vincent Lui will take the start out and then everyone that's raced short course will make that pack. It's not a wetsuit, it's a hard swim. The men basically go out in the dark, right? I think the race starts too early. They need to, they do the men at like, speaker-3: many What once the sun hits that? speaker-1: But you watch the broadcast, the men are swimming in basically pitch black, which is pretty awkward, but the group will be massive at the front and then there'll be a giant... speaker-2: so too it's not just like a fast swimmer at the front it's multiple guys that are clearly going to communicate that says we don't want Christian on our feet we don't want him on our feet we don't want him making this pack and you know that the likes of Martin Van Riel has talked to Vincent who's talked to the other fast swimmers Jonas ⁓ speaker-3: I got 10 dudes, Vincent Louie, Jonas Schoenberg, Jan Stratman, Martin Van Riel, Andre Salzberg, Yelagines, Brock Howell, Kieran Lenders, Emile Holm, and Fraser Minniken. speaker-2: Yeah, Frazier Minnican will be first out of the water. So I feel bad for everyone who picked all that, you know. speaker-3: If you've already done your podium picks. speaker-1: And I think Fraser Minican will be first out of the water because he's probably got himself a bonus for a swim lead out. Whereas Vincent Louis, who probably could do him in the last sprint and get out first, doesn't need the money. speaker-3: For those that don't know, Frazier Minikin, this is his first pro race. I believe Talbot did some research. He's a... speaker-2: He's like a nuclear engineer, works on the Royal submarines. speaker-3: And then the first time I ever heard of this guy, Andrew Horsfall Turner messaged me and he was like, I'm doing my podium picks and you don't have Frazier on here. And he was like, I've been racing Frazier for 10 years. And so I messaged Joel and Talvin and I was like, I know that we usually don't do first year pros on the site because we have to wait for their data to come through. he's swimmer. He's that good a swimmer. speaker-2: I'm speaker-1: That good a... Osvald Turner is a Brit athlete, comes from a pro swimming background. So this guy's a pro swimmer is what we're saying. speaker-3: But. speaker-2: It will be a very, very fast at the front swim. So fast. I don't even know if Mark Dubrik could hang with these guys. speaker-3: Yeah, it might. speaker-1: Well, like the people that will get on his feet then are like the Louise of this world. I like the little snide digger Mark Dubrik there, that's excellent. speaker-3: Peace. speaker-2: He wasn't happy that Casper said he was backstroking in Oceanside. That's why I said that. speaker-1: ⁓ dear. Get a result, you know. speaker-0: mean, is there a world where the swim here is more tame, is tame like it was in Oceanside? speaker-3: It's always team here like none of these guys push this swim here ever like literally every year. There's always a group and I speaker-1: I think it's because it's three straight lines. You can break the swim into thirds. You swim out one third, you swim back second third, you swim the canal third third. Like there's nothing like straight line. If you get on the feet of that group, the wash is so big and the more good guys you put into the mix, the more the wash is like significant. speaker-2: And Tio, how many times did you communicate with other pros that we need to push the front? speaker-3: All the time. speaker-2: You think these guys are going do it this weekend? speaker-1: So Tim O'Donnell's saying like that, the communication with the swimmers always happens pre-race. Don't think they, mean Luke McKenzie could say the same story. Back in the day you'd chat to the other swimmers. speaker-3: We talked to Tim! speaker-1: So Luke McKenzie and Tio used to lead out some swims together in the groups. I'm sure it plays off. But the problem is some of the real big hitters are really good swimmers. If you want to push your swim advantage, but one of the best swimmers is Martin Schomburg or Van Riel, either of those two guys are great swimmers and they're great riders. All you're doing is towing a great rider up to T1 and he is dropping you straight speaker-2: Yeah. speaker-0: like speaker-3: bracelet. speaker-2: When we get so they get into transition they get on the bike and they get moving that group is gonna be I think Christians average deficit out of the water and Ironman's about 50 to a minute and half. So The only interesting thing is there's lot. Yeah speaker-3: He swam front pack last year. I mean, if they don't push the swim like that, they're only hurting themselves. His average death. speaker-2: Average. So there's not a lot of riders with them once they get onto the bike that you lose the likes of a Magnus Ditlev, which those guys really like because they're like, ⁓ nice toe to the front. But also, too, it's a bit different this year with 20 meters. But there's not I don't know if there's a lot of fire. There's firepower behind that will come through later on. And Ironman is a very long day. But there's not a lot in that group that is going to try to catch them right away at the front. speaker-1: The Gustav Edens, the Christian Blummenfelts, like, are they going to back themselves to run? They're not going to close that gap? speaker-2: I I don't think right away. ⁓ speaker-3: Swim deficit to the leader for KB is usually 48 seconds according to ProTryNews.com speaker-1: So 50 seconds. speaker-0: I mean, where does that leave us on on the bike market? Maybe just give us some context around now that it's Thursday with the weather that's coming and how the wind is ultimately going to impact because I was coming in on the highway today. It was windy, right? And this race is a speaker-1: Yeah, but what's happened since we did our last show? The wind's speaker-3: It was dead. No wind. speaker-1: The wind is like you've got a slight head cross on the way out and a slight tail cross on way back. It's like five mile an hour winds or like 10k an hour in proper speeds. We use miles in the UK, I'm only joking. It's really mellowed off and the temperature looks like it's mellowed off because what we had was this one day was an anomaly. So it doesn't take much of a weather shift to shift one day out of the pattern. So actually it's now looking really fast. If it picks up a bit and maintains the same direction, it becomes interesting because crosswinds break groups up. Headwinds makes groups stay together. Tailwinds just keeps everyone rolling fast. Crosswinds takes away your draft advantage. So even like a six, seven, eight mile an hour crosswind does make it significantly harder to hold a pace if you're just riding in a straight line for 30 miles. So I would say the weather is honestly, it's fairly negligible here. I don't think it's going to make much difference in the race. It will get hot by the run, but the bike, nah, it's just a flat fast course now. speaker-3: Yeah. speaker-0: I mean, so what do we think? mean, I'm obviously for the men's race, I'm looking at, I mean, don't want, we're gonna get into podium picks, right? But we would certainly. speaker-3: I got some dudes, you ready? Marius from Norway, he'll be back from the swim, but Kamwerf now not doing the race, so if you've your podium picks already, take Kamwerf off. Robert Callan, Christian Hoganhog, Sam Long, Lionel Sanders. But like obviously the front group. speaker-0: yonashon bridge going to be pushing it from the front that we're gonna i mean i'm i'm saying right now that's who we're gonna see on the broadcast the majority of the day speaker-1: Jonas Schomburg. Like if he does a Roth here, I've been trying so hard today. Thank you, Bradley. ⁓ Jonas Schomburg, like if he does a Roth, which I think he should, I think he should do that in every race. He should get out the front of the swim and he should drill transition. Because he actually came pretty close to winning Roth off that strategy. And he has that snap. So I think Jonas will drill it. I think Martin Van Riel is looking great. speaker-0: purpose speaker-1: Do know who I think is going to ride surprisingly well? Who? Vincent Louis. I have never seen a man look more dialed on the bike than Vincent Louis does right speaker-3: He's gonna look fresh. He's like all red. Going all red. Red bike, red shoes, red kit, red helmet. All red. speaker-1: I wanna hate him cause he's French. speaker-3: You do, because we were out there, we were literally out there before the live show talking to the new, were just like... I don't know if we should say it, but he did say that he doesn't like French people either, speaker-1: I love everything about No, said, Vincent Louis said, the problem with France is the people. The problem with him is I'm just jealous. He's good looking, he's stylish, he's talented. I just hate the guy. He's so friendly as well. Like, oh, give it a rest. But no, I think, honestly, I think he's going to surprise us. We'll get into the pics, but I think... speaker-3: Yeah, that's what he said, so... He's also an athlete that went with a new coach. Obviously, you guys talked about it last week, but him now being with Glenn and back in the environment with Martin Benreal. Martin said that he's training lights out right now. speaker-2: You also have the likes of Robert Cowan on the bike as well who should come out around that Lionel Sanders Sam Long Gap three, four minutes back. speaker-1: If those three guys come out together, that is dangerous because they are all unbelievable cyclists. speaker-3: That's serious. speaker-2: So Sam Long on the community picks is the projected favorite for the fastest bike split. We've also been working on a race predictor. We have Robert Cowan on the fastest bike split. So we... speaker-3: Yeah. speaker-0: Can I just say, the last time I saw Robert Callan's bike... speaker-1: 54 front chainring. speaker-0: It was in the most atrocious condition. And this was for Kona, right? This was the premier race. He had, mean, the chain, Mark would have been, the chain. Yeah, but I mean, it It was horrible. So like for him to be able to do these bike splits that he has on, I mean, I'm telling you the most beat equipment I have ever. speaker-1: It 54. It was covered in grime. Haley Shura bike stuff. speaker-0: Worse. was, I mean, it's shocking. So I mean, if he literally could just clean his bike, throw on a new chain, he would, that's 20, 30 watts. speaker-3: He was his- last year in transition I got a video of him, was wiping his bike down with baby wipes. It was clean! speaker-1: I don't know the baby wipes. Baby wipes can solve all problems. speaker-0: I ⁓ so I mean yeah absolutely insane because he's not he's not a dude that's geeking out about his actual gear sure his position speaker-1: I think he's up to it a bit. I think he's he's basically looked at his doppelganger Magnus Ditlev and gone, you know what I need to is nerd out He's not as nerdy as Magnus Ditlev because no one in the world is but I think he's sourced his game out the problem with Robert Callum is speaker-3: Magnus is still the only to this day that's 3D printed a Race Ranger holder, so... speaker-2: The bike should be a little bit slower than last year, think, given the 20 meter draft roll and then some of the wind. We're predicting around like a 423 fast. speaker-3: We speaker-1: You also had like freakishly low air pressure last year. There's a reason the women, two of them broke their all time bike split record. The men broke it in multiple numbers. It was basically like time trial dream conditions, super low air pressure. So if you think, if you sign up to this race, I know lots of you are doing it and you think the bike is super fast here, it's not really. It's a bit hot, the tarmac's slow. speaker-3: Yeah. speaker-1: Don't think you're gonna ride PBs just because it's flat, in general. speaker-2: Yeah. So they hit the run and this is where one of our biggest hot takes they got the most likes was people said three people will go under 230. And I'm like, ⁓ I don't think a single person will go. I don't think, I think one person will go under 240. speaker-3: 230? The big kahuna is shaking his head no back there, That's the big kahuna, that's Andrew Lewis. The best predictor, the best podium predictor. speaker-2: Gosh. speaker-1: Andrew Lewis is Daniel Lewis' husband, super nerd in the sport. He won Oceanside and Texas fantasy picks back to back. speaker-3: Yeah Well, and he won the week before in jillong on our private picks that we were like trying to roll out the private speaker-1: Sorry, G-Line on Oceanside. speaker-2: Hey, Andrew, how's Lionel gonna do? speaker-3: So, so? Yeah, it does. speaker-1: I don't what we're talking about, he actually does. I think saying three people will go sub 2.30 is kind of crazy. speaker-3: I don't think so. 235 maybe? speaker-1: It's not like Nice is flat. I know it's a hard bike, but it's proper flat. This is a flat course, but it's a bit twisty. It's hotter. You have some narrow paths. That concrete is horrible. Like it's really leg sapping. It's not like the, I don't understand cause tarmac feels pretty hard to me, but the difference between running on concrete and tarmac is significant. know, KB went 234. Yes, he wasn't pressed, but that's four minutes and that's KB. I'm with you. speaker-2: There was the next fastest run, but it was like eight minutes slower. So I would say one, maybe two people go under 240. speaker-3: Fastest runners in the field KB Patrick Lang Matt Hansen Casper storms Jason West yellow jeans you think that is that fair? speaker-1: But like we don't know what Gustav's doing right now. Like that guy can run. Like let's not just write him off because he's had a couple of... I know I said last show you just have to jog past Gustav and you'll get a slot. speaker-2: Chris, they all sent us a video. speaker-3: Yeah. speaker-1: I know, I apologize. He found it funny, thank God, because he's a lovely guy. I think, I think, I don't agree with the 240. I think you'll get three or four athletes go between the 30 and the 35. I think the winner will go sub 230. speaker-3: KB went 234 last year and that's the fastest split we've ever seen. speaker-1: I could see KB go sub 230. I'm going to say it. I think so. speaker-2: Subtitles. speaker-3: Yeah. speaker-1: Because I think they'll go out so hard. think they will be, I think all of them, the Van Riels, they'll all be there and they'll go out so hard and someone will hang on to the pace. speaker-3: Yeah, yeah, fair. ⁓ Do you want to do podium picks or should we leave that private until race day? No, hell yeah. gotta do some picks. All right, go. That's fair. That's First, second, third. Talbot? ⁓ speaker-1: We're not trying to win our own competition. And we definitely wouldn't win it anyway. speaker-2: I'll take KB, then I'll take. ⁓ I'll take Jonas and then I'll take Matt Hansen. speaker-0: I'm going to go yellow gains. speaker-3: For the win? Alright. speaker-0: Jonas Schomburg. And something's gonna happen to KB on the bike. But then we're gonna see an insane run and that's how he's gonna get third. speaker-3: Okay. All right. speaker-1: Because I don't know, there's no other way you can pick KB for third, right? speaker-0: don't know, I was going to say this earlier, the only way that KB doesn't win is there's got to be some sort of catastrophic thing that happens. He's vomiting profusely on the bike, he's got a puncture, his front handlebar falls off, those are the things that derail. speaker-1: I that. speaker-2: All things that have happened in the last calendar year. speaker-0: That's the only way speaker-3: He will lose. speaker-2: We're working with my brother on the website and I'm looking at like his average times for Ironman and stuff It's like his average place is seventh place. I'm like no this is you you've messed up something here and we're like looking for the date I'm like, oh, yeah a couple of 30th places will definitely throw off. It's either like 30th 40th or first speaker-1: He finishes a race, doesn't he? I mean, fair play. OK, that's your podium. I'm going KB. I just think he gets it done. I think he'll be sourced out with Kit and stuff here. And then I'm going Martin Van Riel in second and Vincent Louis in third. speaker-3: Man. Okay. I'm going to go. speaker-0: You go and then we're going to add one to this. speaker-3: Okay, for the win, I'm going to go... Yellow jeans just because I saw him before I came down here and he's he winked at me. Tell me it's gonna be a good day I'm gonna go yellow jeans for the win. I'm gonna go Patrick Lang second, and then I'm gonna go Christian Blumenfeld third I Think eventually Christians gonna reveal that he's human. Do we sorry but he's got to be human at some point do speaker-2: We ask Andrew, what, someone who actually understands triathlon, do we ask him to pee? speaker-3: No, he's not telling anyone anything. speaker-1: Can I, I just remembered something. Can I change my picks? Sure. Yeah, I'm going to take ⁓ Sam Long first. Ben Canute second. Can someone else give me another American racing? speaker-3: Jason West? speaker-2: really wrote no Americans will go in the top 10. speaker-1: I was reviewing the race documents earlier, the race brief, and I heard there would be ice on course. So I don't think any US citizens will be able to finish. ⁓ Is that what that means? Is that not right? It's not. speaker-3: That was good. That was good. speaker-0: All right, let's, I wanna touch on this one. Okay, who is gonna be the one person that doesn't get a KQ after this weekend where we're sitting there going, okay, shoot, now they've gotta rewrite their season a little. speaker-3: ⁓ And it speaker-2: Just to give you guys context, to give you guys, like it's so, it's crazy first off that a lot of people pick this race to do it, but I remember being here with Cam Wurf last year, we were shooting our triathlon documentary here ⁓ for the feed, and he missed it by one position, ended up being 40 seconds, and it's crazy, it derailed his entire season because the rest of the summer, he went to three more Ironmans chasing the Kona qualification, and it's... I mean I would say pretty devastating for the pro athletes that they set up their year and they come here to get it and then you don't get it and instead of like being like all right now I can go do this 70.3 or this Ironman I have to worry it is the rest of time it is stress and chasing. speaker-0: for those watching on Saturday there's really going to be two races going on that you need to be looking at you need to be looking at the podium but then separately than that you've got to look at where these KQs roll down to right so there's going to be six slots out that they're giving out it could roll to speaker-3: 12th place? 12th place? Maybe? speaker-0: But it. speaker-1: I don't think he's good at it. ⁓ no, you're right, because I think the man will perform really well. I think the main problem you'll have is like, the big name that won't get it, and I know Lionel might not get it, sure, but he actually isn't a big... speaker-3: Tell me that these people won't be in at least the top five. Christian Blumenfeld, Casper Stornas, Gustav Eaton just has to validate. And then if you go down further the list, got Nick Thompson who's already qualified, Cameron Main who's already qualified, Sam Long who's already qualified. There's a lot of dudes on here that have already got their quali- speaker-0: Somebody's gonna somebody there's gonna be a shock situation that somebody leaves here empty-handed We don't we don't we can let's not waste our time throwing the what-ifs with the names But know that when we're doing the post show on Saturday, we're gonna sit there and go speaker-1: Totally. I think the most likely one I don't think Lionel Sanders would be a surprise because he is the maybe the best 70.3 athlete ever and he doesn't want a World Champs but he's won what 30 of them something crazy He's not an Ironman athlete. I know he has two podiums in World Champs Let's not forget that but most of his Ironman performances are really subpar So like if he doesn't come sixth or seventh, I'll be that surprised if he runs in eighth It's probably a good race for him. Kudos speaker-3: 33, 34. speaker-1: I could see Patrick Langer being the problem here. I think Patrick will either come one or two because he is that good or he will have an off day and he'll struggle and I could see this like three time Ironman World Champion walk away with nothing. speaker-2: Don't forget when you talk about those athletes that are further in the back, it's more of an individual race than it used to be with 20 meters. And you saw the likes of Matt Hansen and Trevor Foley controlling New Zealand that you would have never thought. mean, Matt Hansen is easily in this race this week. speaker-1: I totally agree and I actually genuinely believe 20 metres, I could be proved wrong in two days time but I'll say anyway, I think 20 metres will favour Patrick Lang. speaker-3: Yeah. speaker-0: I would agree. I'm just one last encouragement to everybody watching. The tracker updates quick, right? And you're watching on the broadcast. for both the men and the women's race, you've got to pull back a few pages to kind of see who's moving from behind as the marathon keeps going on, because that's where it's going to get really interesting. And it will happen in the men and the women's race for sure. speaker-1: And I implore though, if you don't know the split, if you aren't sure, just cheer them on. Because I tell the number of pro athletes, like Kat will do a race and she'll get 10 lots of splits. And then she'll get to me and I'll give her a split and she'll like, she'll look at me like I'm wrong. I'm like, I'm right. I promise you I'm right. And she'll have just got some nonsense. So if just, just clap, you know, that would be better. Or know the split. speaker-3: Before we get on to the women's race, show of hands, little interactive. Christian Blumenfeld for the win. Not as much as I thought. Casper Stornes for the win. All right, Jonas Schoenberg for the win. Oh. speaker-2: That's crazy. speaker-1: Why split this? Martin Badreal. Yellow Gains. speaker-2: None of us even paid for the podium. speaker-3: Oh, oh, that's as many as KB. Vincent, Louie. Who else? speaker-1: Right, anyone else? ⁓ We love to anyone else. speaker-3: Lionel. Lionel in the back. There we go. speaker-1: As of right now. speaker-3: Christian Hogan Hoggs. He's on the list for fastest. I think I haven't picked for fastest bike split on my podium picks, but that's just me. speaker-1: Christian Blume, sorry, Christian Hoganhoug is one of the most dialled athletes in the field that produces some of the most power. I think he'll have the fastest bikes, but if he has a bad swim, I think if he has a good swim, he won't need to push it as much. Christian Hoganhoug can Kona qualify here. He can top six. He can ride that well. Yeah, great shout. speaker-3: Yeah. On to the women's race? Yep. Good. All right. Moving on to the women's race. ⁓ Swim aggressors, Taylor Nibb, Marguerita Ryan, Rachel Zolinkis no longer in this race. So I would say those two are probably the two that are going to be pushing it. speaker-1: Can I change my pics now? Joel, can I change my pics on the website? speaker-3: Yeah, I'll the up until the race start the second the race starts it closes Margarita Margarita Ryan and Taylor nib Margarita Ryan is the one that swam with Lucy Charles Barclay at 70.3 E speaker-0: I had Rachel as the fat speaker-1: Yeah, I did as well, yeah. So who else did you have? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And ran ahead and celebrated when she got so much time for that. Yeah. Beating Lucy Charles out. She got dropped by about four minutes in transition, but she came out the swim ahead of Lucy Charles and full on celebrated it. And you don't see Lucy Charles get beat out of many swims. And I'm here for it all day. speaker-3: I chatted with her earlier this week and I was like, am I gonna have you down fast to swim sweat? And she just grins, so I would assume that. speaker-1: I really hope she does because Taylor got a huge advantage off Salinska's last year. Because Taylor's like an unbelievably great swimmer. Please race your own race. Like don't drag Taylor further and further ahead just so you can have the fastest swim split and then tank the race. Come on. speaker-3: That's how she races. It's all good. ⁓ What's the deficit going to be to Solveig, mean Lisa Perger? She may be able to swim pretty close. Obviously, Hannah Barry is going to be up there. She'll be in front of Kat like she was maybe in New Zealand. speaker-1: Lisa Perter had a bad swim here last year. She's a better swimmer than that. Lisa's a really good swimmer and I understand Lisa's in some really great shape. Hannah's swimming. ⁓ I'm getting nods here. She's in good shape, is she? Has she been training down near you girls? Is she going well? She looks good. Okay, we'll take it. I think Lisa Perter is going to be a real, like, gun to tape impressive performance in this race. I think, like, you're going to get Taylor off the front with one other and then you're going to have a really strong swim pack. I don't know who's gonna lead that second pack though. They normally rely on like someone, Fenella language that misses the Lucy Charles feat but still wants a good swim that drags it forward. It's gonna take one of these girls like Hanna Berry or Lisa to step up and swim really hard and well. They are interested in gapping Kat and Solvee. If one of them doesn't step up, there's a world that Kat and Solvee swim with them. There is a world. They've done it in 70.3, but this is non-wetsuit. I think the main question in the swim here is what's Taylor's gap to Solvi, Kat and Lisa? It would be my main takeaway from it. speaker-2: And it's interesting when we were looking at the data too on Kat is so hit or miss on in most 70.3 she's like right up there with the front pack and then in Ironman she'll be up there or she'll be down far and it's just so interesting I don't know if it's the freshwater if it's just the field the field size or what it is but that is gonna be a very big factor because Taylor is gonna want a lot of time out of the water to distance herself from Kat so she can get to work on the bike by herself and not have to have the likes of Kat breathing down her neck on the bike. speaker-3: Yeah. speaker-1: I think there probably is a thing about like Kat started triathlon at 27, right? She's not a historical swimmer. And there's like a maintaining body position for a long period of time. So I think you can kind of blag it on a 70.3, you can muscle through it. I think in the Ironman, Kat does really well in the swim when it's wetsuit, because it maintains your body position for you. You the thing that the young swimmers all have, whereas... a full Ironman in freshwater in a swim skin, it's like a, it's a form test of swimming. And I've got, I'm looking at great swimmers like Luke and Timo. Like I think if you go freshwater, swim skin, full distance, technique and form carries so much through it that this is actually why Kat kind of hates this race because she has massive deficits here historically. speaker-2: Yeah, because she usually she averages about a one minute gap in 70.3s and about a four and a half minute gap in Ironman. So it's it's if you're Taylor and Solvay, but Solvay also lost a lot of time to Taylor in Oceanside. So those three are all going to be looking at each other and then you're going to have the likes of you're going to want to look where Lisa's at coming out of the water as well. speaker-3: I've talked to people who are weak swimmers and they say that this is one of the hardest swims that they've done. I mean, it's. speaker-1: I don't know why, but totally. It's dark, it's straight, you don't get respite, you just gotta get into a rhythm. I think for weak swimmers though, a course doesn't require sighting, but I think maybe that's age group level weak. That's like, respectfully, that's the 90 minute swimmers, where sighting is a problem. The straight courses really help. But I think if you're like... speaker-3: It's just some fresh water, no wetsuit. It's a challenging swim. speaker-0: We didn't talk about it much for the men's race, I do think it plays a factor in the women's race. getting information on the course, right? Because they'll hear some splits coming out of the water. But then on the bike, they're going realistically, they're battling through the shrapnel of the back of the men's field, given that there's almost 80 men racing. What does it look like from just an information standpoint? And are they looking at just their computer and then taking information? Like, we'll drive out onto the highway and just try and intercept these little spots and hope that they see a whiteboard or hope that they hear us. But in the women's race, it's a little bit harder to see the traffic and if somebody's four minutes ahead of you, you're not seeing anything. speaker-3: . speaker-1: No, you have no idea. The first chance you get probably is if you gun it to the garage when they're just about to enter the Harley toll. And you're about 25K into the race by that point maybe. That's maybe when you get a split if you're husband or coach or someone is on it. And then you get maybe two more on the whole bike, right? You get someone on the Harley toll road, some poor sod that stood there. surrounded by trash sat on the barrier looking at trains roll past on this beautiful bike course and you're like it's true right it's not a speaker-0: It's an insane race to try and explain to people because it's like you this toll road somehow Ironman gets closure of and Allows you to bike race on it, but you don't get to go preview it this week. It's speaker-1: You don't need to, but it's just miserable. So like, I think it really favors quite, I'm sorry if you're racing it for the first time and I've just said it's miserable, but ⁓ you know, better forewarned than surprised. speaker-2: You'll get to see a lot of the pro athletes out there too if you're racing. speaker-1: Yeah, if you're racing, you'll get, they'll either blow past you or you'll see them fly back the other side. Like it's super fast, but it is information void. You are very much in your own head. And there are turnarounds. There's four of the turnarounds in total. So you get to see a bit there. But the reality is when there's so many age groups congested, it's not like you can tap split and worry about waiting to see someone come past. You're kind of trying not to die as you're going past. three age group are stacked wide, the groups here are crazy, you're going past 30k an hour faster in some points on the tailwind, and then now the lanes are side by side, which I do want to come onto, I think is a terrible idea. So I think it's an information void, yeah. speaker-3: Still the women's race. Yeah The bike the fastest bikers probably Taylor nib cap Solvay Hannah Barry Lisa Perter Indy Lee out of the race So if you've already done your podium picks, make sure you change that the only two times in this decade has a Women had the fastest swim split and been able to earth Sorry fastest bike split and been able to win the race Jocelyn McCauley and Jody Robertson even when speaker-0: on the run. speaker-3: Danielle Reef won the race. She did not have the fastest bike split. That was Kim Morrison. speaker-1: Yeah, but Kimberley Morrison was a ⁓ UK national 100 mile time trial champion. speaker-3: Semantics. Yeah, okay. Brun, you got Cat Matthews, Sarah Svenske, Marta Sanchez, who we haven't talked about yet, and Solveig Loseth. speaker-1: TaylorLib runs faster than two of those names. So does Lisa Pertera. ⁓ So does Grace Thek. Like I think data takes you so far, but when people are relatively new to the sport, we underestimate their problem. And that's why Joel's struggling so hard to make an accurate predictor, because he's struggling to make a model that gives us predicted race splits when YellowGens is doing his first Ironman. And he's got like Yellow, he's got, where do you start with it, right? So. ⁓ Kat Solvee Taylor. They're probably the fastest runners as well to be honest. speaker-3: ⁓ What did Grace run in? Grace and Roth ran a 253. speaker-1: It's 253. Like a few years ago, that wins every women's race you've ever seen. Incredible running. speaker-3: That was Are we doing podium picks? speaker-2: ⁓ I think what it's gonna come down to in the woman's race, and I know I said this on the last podcast, said that Solveig, she was just right here, I asked her, said, how many grams of carbs did you get down per hour? ⁓ And she was like, well, you got it wrong on the podcast. I was like, I thought it was that high. And she was like, well, is there anyone that knows how many, outside of Brad, how many grams of carbs she gets down per hour? speaker-3: What? speaker-2: No. speaker-3: What close? 150. speaker-2: 139 per hour. And it's just interesting because you look at someone like Taylor Nibb who put out her post race feed video, she had one gel from the last five miles till the end of the race. And it's what this is gonna turn into on race day is really who fueled the best on race day. mean, it fueling is so important. speaker-1: It is important, but I think you've been a bit star-lighted by this stat, right? speaker-2: I don't look at all these runtimes. are all faster because these athletes fuel themselves to the higher. speaker-3: Yeah, but speaker-1: Hats on 90 and she's out she outrun her by like seven minutes in Kona. I mean I can do 250 grams an hour on a good night out for about seven hours. It doesn't mean I'm running well off the back of it. ⁓ And unfortunately for my waistline, I actually absorb that as well. The problem is you can eat all this, but you can't necessarily absorb it or utilize it. So like, yeah, you can chomp it down and Brad can post it on Precision Hydration. And it's like, you know, you definitely need to buy nine gels an hour. But and you probably should because if you have no downside, which Solvee has no downside, she's got guts to steal. The girl's an absolute animal. I would just take as much as I can stomach and crack on. Yes, fueling matters. The more you can get in, the better, if you can then absorb it as well. speaker-2: have to absorb it. Or you're gonna get sick and puke it all up. I'm not saying if you're an athlete don't go change your nutrition plan and be like oh let's hit 150 today. speaker-1: So I wonder, I think we've got to a bit of a precipice in the sport where more carbs, more better has become a thing. But the reality is like everyone can absorb it between 80 grams and 150 grams an hour. You don't know where you sit unless you do a full on metabolic test, etc. But yes, is probably, Talbot is all of that said, Talbot's probably right. That is solving secret weapons. She is a absolute card monster and the way she just generates power is unbelievable. speaker-3: Picks? Women's race? Top three? I'll go first since I went last time. I'm going to go Solveig for the win. I'm going go Katrina Matthews second and I'm going to go Lisa Perter third. speaker-1: Ooh, Pat represents Taylor and, ⁓ Carl's just shit. speaker-2: I forgot about that. I'm gonna have to listen to this one. speaker-3: I love Taylor, but I- speaker-1: Right, I'll tell you what Pat's picks are going to be. Solvik for third and then it's all about what gap Taylor has on Kat and it'll be close come the end but one of them will shine through and that's where I'm leaving it. speaker-0: I was at speaker-3: I'm also gonna just say- in the canal so Pat doesn't have to pick first or second? speaker-0: I was actually just going to pretend that both of them weren't racing and then I was going to three other people. Okay, so I'm going to say Solveig wins, Lisa Petter second and Hannah Barry third. speaker-1: Do that. Your loyalty is wonderful. speaker-0: I think but but but with those two I mean with with Taylor and with Kat I mean we're gonna see some awesome racing come Saturday. Yeah. speaker-2: Definitely. ⁓ Man, I struggled on this. have like three times went picked and unpicked and picked and unpicked. So it will just it'll be so interesting to see the where cats at after New Zealand and Geelong. And then you saw Solvay's run in Oceanside. then that's also really, really, really bad swim in Oceanside. And so it's just you just don't know where it's gonna be. speaker-0: We spoke about this on the pod a few weeks ago. Everybody took a different way to Texas. speaker-2: Yeah, it's and so yeah, so I just I'll go Solvay for the win. ⁓ Cat second and. ⁓ torn between Lisa and Taylor. I'll go Lisa. speaker-3: You got the same pigs to me. ⁓ speaker-2: So I'll change it speaker-1: our whole philosophy this year is trying to... Kat basically traditionally got good, stayed really quite good and then finished the year and she never seemed to peak for Kona which is why there's the seconds and stuff like that so we're trying really hard to peak. It's not a great time of the month this race for Kat like ⁓ it doesn't fall. The women in the room and the men in the room with women in their lives can all relate. So there's all those things said so I'm... Gonna pick cat for the win because it's fucking Texas and she's gonna win speaker-3: Woo! speaker-1: I don't care what problem she has, she's gonna roll it. then Solviglosset looks brilliantly impressive. And I'm not gonna pick Taylor because she'll invariably win and I'll look like an idiot and I kind of get off on that. So I'm gonna take Lisa Percher because I think she's ready. I think she's here. speaker-3: I'm still, I love Hanna Berry. That's why I'm like, man, that third place is gonna be tough to pick. So everyone else picks, ready? Raise your hands, Kat Matthews. Everyone believes, everyone believes. Taylor Nibb. The loyal one, the loyal ones. Solveig, there we go. And... speaker-1: ⁓ my god speaker-2: the nipster. speaker-1: least. speaker-3: Lisa ⁓ we a believers got some believers speaker-1: Who's the sponsor? Who's our nutrition? speaker-3: Hahaha, they speaker-1: Brad from Precision Hydration's got... ⁓ so solvig, you absolute traitor! Anyone else? Anyone else? speaker-3: Who's? Jacky Herring, there we go. speaker-1: We would all love to Jackie win. She is like the greatest person in our sport. When you meet her, the way she interacts with people, it's a big ask and she knows that. speaker-3: But she has shown up like every year the last three years of the pro series. She has just randomly showed up and won a pro series race. She did it in Hamburg, she did it last year in Cannes, and now like it could happen. speaker-1: I mean, there's a world that the top three throw nukes at each other and they're just fucking walking along on the bike and Jackie jogs past them whilst they're walking after a stupid nuke battle. I'll smile. speaker-3: happened? What happened? You're going to go in the canal. You'll go in the canal. speaker-1: Don't smile at that, I would think that shows you right. speaker-2: All right, I'm going to do some hot takes. speaker-3: Before we go, who has never in their life tried precision fuel and hydration? Never in their life. I got two, well, I got four. got two hats, three, four hats. speaker-2: I was like, on, save some of these, because I'm going to use them for the hot takes. All right, all right. We got some anonymous hot takes that are here that I would love for them if they admitted who it was and we'll give them a giveaway. All right. We're going to do the top 10 hot takes. Number 10 got two fires. At least four male pros will run faster than Patrick Longa. speaker-3: We got we got more than enough speaker-1: Null charm. speaker-2: No way. No, I say one or two, or two KB and like a Jason West. speaker-1: I think the only way that happens is if Pat's actually having in a blinding race. Like he's ridden 20 meters back solo, he's really ridden well and he's running for a great position and there are some blinding runners behind that have kind of tanked the bike. But on this course, in this heat, what people don't know, when he won here in 2016, he had a homestay that we now stay with a lot. He was this skinny little runcy German with dog shit kit. And they had him staying because it was like someone arranged. And they didn't watch the race because they're doctors, they've been at work. And they got back and he came downstairs. They're like, how did it go? And he's like, yeah, it was pretty, pretty good. Yeah, pretty good. And they went, ⁓ who won? He went, ⁓ I won. Yeah, I won. And they were like, what the hell? This guy is built for this course. No way four people outrun. speaker-3: There we go, over there. speaker-1: Alright, there she is speaker-2: Here. speaker-1: Throw it. speaker-3: Throw away speaker-2: There's some gels in there. All right, next one. ⁓ Iron Man selection of the pro men for the panel was kind of dog shit. speaker-3: ⁓ dog shit pro panel for the man. Who would you put in that panel? speaker-2: There is one person I wouldn't have put on the stage and I'll let you guys pick who it was. speaker-1: Don't be a coward now. speaker-3: to say anymore. speaker-1: His dad's not gonna come for you like he came for Sam Laidlaw. speaker-3: Haha! speaker-2: The person that submitted it was anonymous, so. speaker-1: ⁓ I'll. speaker-3: I think like we talked about this like they could have done ten men on a pro panel they could have done it split and done like ten men and maybe like speaker-1: It's too much. It's just too much. I actually disagree with the hot take. I think you've got to put two Americans on stage. We're in bloody Texas. Nothing feels more American than Texas if you're an outsider. Get some Americans on stage. Yes, Gustav Eden wasn't on stage, but you don't need three Norwegians. Patrick Lange has got to be on stage. Jelle Geens has to be on stage. I think it's right. speaker-2: We didn't have new stuff on the stage. speaker-1: Yeah, but like, like you would have... Who are you dropping for him? Rudy, the only American? speaker-3: We don't need it. speaker-0: This is one of the things though for me that needs to change the the pre-race pro panel they need to come I think speaker-1: Honestly, Pat, I'm going to stop you because I know you're saying get rid of it. speaker-3: There was 300 people in that room. speaker-1: You would and it was really good. ⁓ speaker-2: I'm a new MC girl and she can't really get- speaker-1: So what if I know here was it It's genuinely really good speaker-3: It was on. speaker-0: so what if i said I want to keep the pro panel, but then afterwards I want the top three to sit next to each other and then they've got to do a proper post-race interview. speaker-3: Pro 3's Pro Panel. Yes. speaker-2: Next one. The woman's podium will be affected by a pack of male pros. No. speaker-0: football or whatever. speaker-3: No. speaker-1: I just think they're moving, you know, like Kat, Taylor, Solvee. Taylor swims so well, she'll catch some decent riders, but it's Taylor Nibb. She'll just ride better than them. 20 meters, like a pro got in the way last year. I don't see it, personally. I could see a world, now you've said it, like Taylor gets out really well at the swim. There's a bad pro male swimmer. He rides really well, possibly she gets some help. speaker-3: There's also essentially like nine minutes between the pro women. Yeah first age group Because they have like seven minutes is technically the XC So the the rich CEOs and then the para swim is like that's next so we're just Yeah, I I don't I don't think that they I hope that they won't affect it like you in the nine minutes nine minutes should be enough maybe the back of the pack pro men because that's only six minutes, but ⁓ speaker-1: We're disagreeing with the hot. Are you in the room? Thank you for coming. You're wrong. speaker-2: Yeah, right here. Thank you, Fenton. ⁓ No one is riding under four hours this year. It's too windy. speaker-3: That was mine. I didn't mean to, well, guess technically it was Trevor Foley's. speaker-2: But I'm not speaker-1: You run through the foley's speaker-3: I told him to submit it and he said no. speaker-1: Websites been running for two weeks and we already have fake accounts. Track that. You know? Jesus. speaker-3: No one's riding under four hours because the wind, the weather, like this is now not a factor. This was obviously submitted like a week ago, so... speaker-1: I kind of agree still though. I think the air pressure, et cetera, was crazy. I just, it's just not a, but then Laidlow did it in Kona. So I mean, didn't run great after it, but like, I'm not sure. I don't know. speaker-3: there. speaker-2: Next one is by Anonymous. Mark will stay sober for the entire show. speaker-0: He did it! speaker-1: I think I've done pretty well. speaker-2: I think he's done well. speaker-3: That was submitted by Brad over there. speaker-1: Yeah, and where's my fucking beer, Brad? I'm dying of thirst over here. ⁓ speaker-2: He wanted to make sure he was right. speaker-3: You didn't come on the podcast for a few weeks too. speaker-1: It was a bad space, you know? speaker-2: All right, our next one, I don't know who submitted it, some fanboy, Nick Thompson. Y'all know who he is? speaker-1: We didn't even mention him on- What field is that? You don't even mention- speaker-2: Here's what he said. Jamie Riddle could have built a successful career in modeling if he chose to not do triathlon. speaker-3: Yeah. speaker-1: Jamie Riddle would like to think he could build a successful career in modelling had he not done triathlon. It's how I would work that. speaker-2: Yeah, ⁓ mark and matthews i said mark matthews no americans in the top 10 And it got a lot of fire speaker-3: I disagree. We didn't even talk about Ben Canoe and every time we don't talk about Ben Canoe, what happens? He gets on the podium. speaker-1: the men's race just to be clear I'm not saying Taylor ain't making top 10 or Jackie or you know speaker-3: ⁓ I think that I think that we could get three men in the top 10 If we get three men in the top 10 speaker-1: Okay, there's a middle- speaker-3: What are you gonna do? speaker-2: Three men in the top ten. mean that's... speaker-3: ⁓ You'll go in the canal. speaker-1: I believe I like I I'm a huge fan of like Ben Canute great guy. Yeah, I Just think I I mainly put the post up for the little fire likes because I knew it'd be funny Yeah, and I knew you guys would bite but in this race like you can I can name you ten athletes better than every American Ironman quite easily but like doesn't mean they won't top ten like that All right, I just think it's a possibility and it's good for discussion speaker-3: Next one. Let's keep rolling. speaker-2: Next one, anonymous. Who has a faster run split, Lionel Sanders or Sam Long? And Solveig lost it. Who a run, passes run split between them? speaker-1: Solveig fucking lost, Seth. Every day of the week, those boys are walking this bad boy in. And Solveig's going to run a 2.42. Solveig will run a 2.42, and they are jogging it in. I'm having Solveig in that bet. speaker-2: I'm gonna go. speaker-3: Come on. I'm gonna go Sam Long. I think Sam can have a faster split. Sam Long. I he could 240. I think he could maybe run a 242.01. speaker-0: It's gonna be painfully close. ⁓ I'm telling you, it's gonna be painfully close. speaker-1: Thought to be all well we have these sort of head-to-head speaker-2: Who asked it? speaker-1: Stay off our website. speaker-2: All right, ⁓ Parker, Kurt, three people will run sub 2.30. speaker-1: We've done this. We've done it. The four, yeah, yeah, yeah. speaker-2: Why does he win at everything? Christian, his stupid hot take wins. speaker-3: it. speaker-1: The fastest Norwegian bikes will be whoever has the worst swim. And they have to catch up to speaker-2: That's Marius. He'll be back there with Lionel. speaker-1: that is so skewed by that. speaker-3: Yeah, that's fair. Raise your hands. We have a lot of stuff to give away. So raise your hand if you want something and ask a Yeah, raise your hand and ask question. speaker-1: Let's hear some questions. speaker-2: Gotta get some questions. speaker-0: you Not till 6 p.m. speaker-1: It's going to rain at 6pm. So some of you guys, we probably all would right now, will get wet. speaker-3: resume You wanna win Republic Grace Belt? Yeah? speaker-2: Nice. We want some spicy questions, speaker-1: Don't insult me! speaker-2: You kidding? Why? And then Pat and then Kyle and then myself. speaker-3: can't even run a mile. speaker-2: That would have a four hour lead off the speaker-0: I'll tell you what, based on the one swim I do every year, I'd be second place in the swim. Because I beat you out to the coffee boat every year. I've done an Ironman and somehow every time I'm halfway out to the boat and I'm... speaker-1: ⁓ Yeah, token speaker-3: You speaker-2: Where the hell is Kyle? speaker-1: You're leaving the swim, you beat him on the bike, obviously. Pat pushes 350 watts for the whole bike. Not a joke, that's what he can do. He's got a few kilos behind him, I grant him. But you can do that. And then Kyle can't run anyway, he drops out of every race injured. You're second. You're second, Pat. Great question, by the way, because it an argument. speaker-0: Couple hours, yep. Thank you. speaker-1: And Talbot, by the way, Talbot's brother's never been to a triathlon, ever. Never done one, no interest in it, just made our website. I'd back him over Talbot in a triathlon. speaker-2: I would too. Back there, back there, yeah. speaker-3: you speaker-0: What else we got? speaker-3: Nick Thompson top five bikes. ⁓ god. Yeah, 100 % That's all he's been doing this whole offseason is riding. So yeah without a shadow of doubt in mind speaker-0: and we'll have a top five bike split. speaker-1: He could have the fastest bike split and what a guy how if you don't follow Nick Thompson socials because you know He's Australian like we all get a bit entrenched around people follow that guy speaker-3: ⁓ He asked a bad question to me give him a wove saddle for his bike question come on, man speaker-2: Nice. speaker-3: Both of them are not starting the race. speaker-1: So Cam Worth, Jackson Laundrie, there's lots of... Indy Lee's a big drop out on the women's side, we've had a lot of late, but is anyone surprised Cam Worth was on a start list for a race he didn't start? No. speaker-3: I Cam, I heard Cam. speaker-2: I chatted him. He got sick, but he said unlike Lionel, he doesn't take his name off start list just in case he decides he wants to show up and race. So that's a point too, because a few other pros were like, I'll never take my name off a start list again, which could potentially be a problem. ⁓ speaker-3: And then Jack's speaker-1: Yeah, but also with Cam Worth, even if they start putting fines in place, he's got so much family money. That name is staying on that start list. He couldn't care less. speaker-3: To my knowledge, Jackson pulled off before Oceanside, so he shouldn't have ever even been on a list. speaker-0: One in the back right there speaker-3: Yes, my opinion, yes. Ironman should limit, the question was, Ironman should limit the amount of people that can do a pro series race, professional male race. Yeah. To 50, that's right, that's my, yeah, I agree 100%. speaker-0: third year of the series that point is becoming true right I think when it two three years ago we didn't know what that was gonna look like but certainly now with the evolution of the series I think there's got to be some sort of I for sure a cap and then a prerequisite to get in as well speaker-2: But I agree with it, but it will be funny is when they do that is when everyone will come out and start complaining about them limiting the field. But I never complained about T100 doing it, but yeah, I complain about air man. speaker-1: Totally true. T100 is 20 athletes and no one complains about it and Talbot's totally right. The minute Ironman put a cap you will get a bunch of social media pros going mental about how they can't earn a living, blah blah blah. speaker-3: They're sitting here like I'm not gonna. Maybe I will. I'm gonna sit here and I'm trying to put this in here, but maybe I'm not gonna. I was gonna bash on T100 real quick, but. speaker-0: Come on, come on, we got a lot of questions. Who's got another question? Right here. How important is cat suit on race day? speaker-1: I can't tell you how many watts you can save with a decent ratio. speaker-0: Yeah speaker-2: What a question! speaker-3: Do you need a win Republic Race suit? Is that why you were asking that question? ⁓ speaker-1: It was 8-1-0! ⁓ speaker-0: Big winner speaker-2: ⁓ But it should be noted it should be noted a lot of pros and this is just like a fact that are not Were not previously sponsored by winter public wanted to get in their suit like I could be right. Where's Luke? Did he bounce? Hayden wild even prior to him even having a sponsor he worked with them to get a suit and there's also can we say it's Yeah, I said of out that he's racing to you 100 speaker-3: Get lagged. Matt Hauser? It's out that he's racist. speaker-2: Yeah, so then he even came over and wants to get that suit. It's so super. I mean, Mark speaks up more than me. He's the that's aerotesting stuff. speaker-1: Joe I won't just do the sponsor plug that you don't know what the right suit is for you until you go to a wind tunnel What you can do is hedge your bats So like there is no one fastest suit like there's no one fastest helmet, etc I'm not we're not gonna say here and say this is the fastest suit in the world What you could the best thing you can do is hedge your bats and you find a suit that works for a variety of people so like find find a bunch of big pro athletes that can choose between different sponsors so they're not taking it just for the money and then look at a suit or a helmet or whatever it might be that's got a bunch of different pro like shape sizes all using it that all can afford to take different sponsors because you know like Schomburg, KB, Kat, Taylor they're not going to use slow stuff and if there's something that tracks across a variety of people you know it's probably quite good across a broad range, Rudy Helmet. I'm not affiliated with them, but you see it all the time. That's probably the best way to decipher if something's actually fast, likely to be fast for you without testing or not. That's the bit of advice I'd give. speaker-2: Uh, one, one, we're going to do one more. speaker-1: You've had a question already. Go on. speaker-3: guess what? Guess what? You know how many times that's happened in history? Zero. speaker-1: It's happened individually. Danny's won it, Pat's won it. speaker-3: But they haven't won it and won Kona in the same year. It never happened before. You could technically say Patrick Lang the year, but technically, Thomas Rodriguez won the race and then he was disqualified. speaker-2: Alright speaker-0: What do got? speaker-2: Yeah, Lionel, we were chatting to him earlier in the week and he has a plan. speaker-3: Good question. speaker-0: question. speaker-3: You gotta repeat the question, you gotta repeat the question for the people on the- speaker-2: But what do you say 27 what? Yeah, is Lionel gonna ride like 2017 Kona or like what he did in St. George? ⁓ Chatting to him, he said that St. George is the last race that he actually just did his own race. So his plan is to ride like he did in St. George and just do his own race and then get off the bike and he's going to aim for a 245 marathon. And he said that he believes if he can do that, he thinks there'll be enough for a Kona slot. So yeah. All right. speaker-3: We need a hot question. speaker-2: One more Wobe Sack. No, no, no, we got a good one. Who in here has been to two live shows or more? Raise your hand. All right. What about three live shows or more? What about four live shows or more? speaker-3: Here you go! speaker-1: You don't count. And these two women are the bane of my life. They are like uber cat fans and at races they just turn up and they go absolutely mental course. You've got something wrong with you but I love you. speaker-3: Ha Close this out? Who's going to close this out? speaker-2: Well, awesome. Thank you all so much for coming out. We hope you enjoyed the show. If you haven't created an account on ProTry News, go create an account. We got some very exciting things on their plan for the future that could include y'all. ⁓ speaker-3: your podium pics before the race. Before the race podium pics.