I then started looking at the event and all it offers after an horrific year for sports and decided to enjoy it for what it is. Column: Reasons To Be Optimistic For Triathlon in 2021, WIN A BIKE: Super League Triathlon’s Fantastic Christmas Giveaway, Georgia Taylor-Brown And Jessica Learmonth Reveal Secret Of British Triathlon Success, Olympic Joy For Four Of Super League Triathlon’s British Stars. M PRO Age group. French World Triathlon Series champion Vincent Luis finished down in eighth, hampered by a two-minute penalty, while Britain's Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee fell away. I think 2020 will be remembered in triathlon for Hamburg and Vincent Luis and Georgia Taylor-Brown winning the World Championships, the Arena Games from Super League and the first marriage of eSport and real sports in a competitive and broadcast quality offering, and this event at Daytona. The wait is over! The distances for this race are 10km less on the bike and 3km less on the run than a standard 70.3, which could be significant. (CLICK HERE FOR THE PRO WOMEN REPORT) Two-time Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee was the betting favourite to take victory at Sunday’s PTO 2020 Championship at Challenge Daytona, but it was two relative youngsters, aged 24 and 25 respectively, that carried British hopes into the final stages on the Daytona International Speedway. 2 Bib number. When you’re an athlete and you are injured you always have an urgency to come back because you have a season and there are races or you need points. Spencer Smith. I am usually very attentive to the women’s racing because over the last few years the dynamics have been more interesting at a longer distance and there’s been more competition than the men’s side where Jan Frodeno has been dominant, but the dropouts have made this, on the face of it, a little less engaging, which is disappointing. Ultimately, 2020 has drawn us to this end of season race where all athletes – the narcissists and the quiet ones – have the opportunity to come together and compete with substantial money on the line, and full credit to the PTO for delivering it. #alistairbrownlee #challengedaytona #challenge #triathlon #daytona #daytonaspeedway #cycling #pto #zoomzoom Super League has really changed the game for short course triathlon, and after the Olympics it will change the game for long course as well as some of those athletes move across. Alistair Brownlee (GBR, #2): Photo: Brad Kaminski. Holly has really made this distance her own in recent years and I think the 20 metre draft rule will play into her favour in this event with many holes in the field across bike talent leaving gaps that will amplify as the distances go on. Alistair’s career has brought him medal after medal and victory after victory to stamp a glittering CV. Brownlee, now 32 and currently #2 in the PTO World Rankings, will line up in a field of more than 100 elite triathletes. Watching Alistair come off Kona about 13 months ago has been amazing. The test has been contested entirely at the Daytona International Speedway circuit where the athletes have completed the following segments: 2.000 meters of swimming, taking 2 laps in the inner circuit lake. Going to America is a hotspot, a lot of athletes can’t travel there or don’t want to travel there.’, But then I thought ‘who am I to pass judgement on anyone? Brownlee is one of the very best swimmers in the sport, has shown real strength aboard a TT bike and running is his speciality. Sebastian should be strong too and will be able to use Lionel as a sounding board and a one way ticket to the front group and beyond, if he can tag the strong man. Alistair Brownlee (GBR): Like Spirig, the elder Brownlee is a master of peaking for that one big race each year. I think it will be a different Brownlee this year as he has learned his lesson from that. Most likely that front group out of the water will include the likes of Alistair, Henri, Vincent, Javier, Tim O’Donnell, Rudy von Berg. Jonny Brownlee joins the all-star cast, that includes his brother Alistair, for the 2020 Championships at Challenge-Daytona and a chance to pursue the landmark $1,000,000 million purse, as the Professional Triathlon Organisation publish the next four wildcard spots.. "I raced smart once again. That was tough. Who am I to deny somebody the chance to work or race or the freedoms to make their own choices. I can’t wait to be a geek and watch it with no expectations other than to enjoy it. I see Nicola Spirig as an Olympic champion giving this a real go and the superb Holly Lawrence dominating. I have to mention that here, as if he brings that sort of power to this race, the damage he can do to everyone will be not only painful for them, but will be incredible to watch. The showdown promises to be unmissable and […] It makes it unpredictable and for athletes that require a series of races to find their run legs and they may miss their timing peak. It absolutely dominates. “I think from the wider perspective I’d really like the PTO to be able to show and demonstrate what a fantastic sport triathlon is to watch and be part of, so fans around the world can see a great race. I would just say that usually at this end of the season we are talking about 70.3 World Championships and Kona and we have had a whole season of racing to judge our parameters, but we are running blind and a lot of the athletes I am talking about are people I have seen race. She is remarkable. I’ve always looked forward and trained hard to the next goal and obviously for a long time during the year they didn’t exist at all.”, Unbreakable: Alistair Brownlee excited for ‘massive deal’ at Daytona, © 2021 Professional Triathletes Organisation, a field of more than 100 elite triathletes. He wants Olympic success and is focused entirely on this, and I think he comes into this race more as a bit of fun and a “let’s see how it goes” attitude with his head still 8 months down the road and built around Tokyo. Holly Lawrence chats with us about being a triplet. Both Iden and Findlay bagged an equal paycheck of $100,000 for the win with Finlay commenting “One of those perfect days that never happens… but it did today”. I am all for an opinion, but having one after consideration and thought is something many people could benefit from today. He’s been the runner-up at the 70.3 world championship each of the past two seasons, and will look to use his speed in the water to get out front early along with some of the other short-course standouts. Daytona's world-famous motor racing circuit provided a COVID-19 bubble-friendly atmosphere with the 2km swim taking place in the lake at the centre of … Unbreakable: Alistair Brownlee excited for ‘massive deal’ at Daytona When Alistair Brownlee lines up for the PTO 2020 Championship at CHALLENGEDAYTONA ®, he knows all eyes will be on him. Heck, even Sebastian Kienle said the two-time Olympic gold medalist was the clear favourite here in Daytona. That is what you’ve trained hard for, it’s what you’ve prepared for, it’s what you’ve made those sacrifices for. He’s fit, confident and seems to have the perfect balance of strength and speed to excel here tomorrow. Alistair is going to want to use the ITU horsepower early to nurse himself through the first 30km-40km, getting those guys to take turns or keep pace knowing that experience shows that after about 50-60km things can start to get very difficult and the ITU athletes may struggle here and he can capitalise on this. For the uninitiated, an Ironman triathlon is one of the most gruelling tests of human endeavour. He gave a fascinating insight into a mindset which has produced enduring greatness as he appeared in the PTO’s ‘Unbreakable’ documentary series, which airs in the countdown to Daytona. These guys are just not experienced enough in this as of yet and will rely on others to establish that pace. He had to eat humble pie after that race. I just think that in this race he will struggle with this TT at the 20m draft. Her run is amazing, and her bike strength has really developed in the past two years. Official 12th Annual 2018/19 Slowtwitch 100/100 Run Challenge Thread; 2018/19 100 Runs in 100 Days Airing of the Grievances Thread “I’m focusing on trying to win the race. He has built his engine during the year having anticipated a big season and been able to nurse his injuries along, and made a step back to short course racing, which I think is a big plus after preparing for Kona. Gustav Iden wins $100.000 dollar at PTO 2020 Championship CHALLENGE Daytona Sunday 06 December 2020 . A triathlon that takes place at the iconic 500-acre motorsports complex Daytona on 6 December will be shown in more than 100 countries globally, following broadcast deals secured by IMG. There he came steaming out of transition, Gustav Iden picked him up and they ran together for 10km before Gustav dropped him. He knows that he and the other Super League athletes could get out of the water three minutes ahead of the long course power bike riders like Lionel Sanders and Sebastian Kienle. So let’s sit back and enjoy the action. Lionel has just done the Canadian hour record, won this race last year, is very strong on this type of course where it’s big gear and relatively flat. His fitness will carry through for 40km but the 20m draft rule is a very fair rule and makes a true emphasis on bike riding and more so an ability to understand your power numbers and your pacing for the length of the bike. Speed / Time. It brings the time nearer to 3 hours and closer to what the ITU athletes are accustomed to. Often that is obscured by the racing that is happening, but when there’s no racing and you follow a few of them you think ‘what world do you live in?’. I think he’s the man. Anne Haug is the Ironman World Champion that everyone seems to forget is the Ironman World Champion, which is bizarre to me. add. It is an interesting media and self prompting world we find ourselves in today, with social media sitting at the forefront of literally every athlete’s “must do list of things in a day” and it has shown the blinkered world in which many athletes exist, but more so this very mindset that enables them to be so successful. Spencer Smith from the UK had a great career. He had to eat humble pie after that race. Alistair Brownlee on Breakfast with Bob at Challenge Daytona I believe Flora Duffy is the best 70.3 athlete on the planet. A dual World Champion. GBR Nationality. We have been robbed of a year of racing. The showdown promises […] https://www.tri247.com/pto/pto-2020-championship-men-start-list But then he went across to Busselton a few weeks later and dropped the third fastest Ironman ever with a 7:45 in a ridiculous display and looked very easy and controlled in his delivery of that performance in 33 degree temperatures. 17116 Bob's Gap Rd, Valyermo, CA 93563-0056 661.944.5239 slowman-AT-slowtwitch-DOT-com It is quite a special moment. While there is always the honour of winning a big race, with not much history this isn’t a title per se, but it will be the race of 2020 so it will be one that is talked about in the COVID year. This is now dulled down with the withdrawals and throws the race wide open in that sense. “The PTO 2020 Championship I think is a massive deal and it’s the most important race in triathlon of any distance in 2020, and it’s great to see in the men’s field, with all the best athletes from pretty much all the different forms of the sport are coming together in one race. When Alistair Brownlee lines up for the PTO 2020 Championship at CHALLENGEDAYTONA®, he knows all eyes will be on him. “It’s a tough sport that requires a lot of training. The PTO 2020 Championship at CHALLENGEDAYTONA includes all the major triathletes, including Alistair and Jonny Brownlee. I am Vincent’s biggest fan. The double Olympic champion expects he will be the man everybody wants to beat in Florida on Sunday December 6. So much will depend on that gap out of the swim and how effectively Alistair can use the others to keep an advantage, and if the overtake does happen when it happens and who can hang on. It’s going to be a fantastic race and I want to try and beat everyone else. “There’s going to be a lot of strong competitors. I hope the swim does not disrupt any of the bike power Lionel comes to town with. The co-favorite in the men’s race has to be the two-time Olympic gold medalist. She’s a phenomenal talent and I think she will win more Ironman World Championships by the time her career finishes. Based on my seedings for Daytona, it’s interesting to have a look at how the race might unfold and what to look for at various points of the coverage. She is finding her way again and had a great 70.3 last year in Bahrain where she finished second to Holly in a very close race. The men’s race As we mentioned in our first preview, all eyes are on Alistair Brownlee this week. Alistair Brownlee: GBR: 00:22:29 : 01:40:58 DNF Andrea Salvisberg: SUI: 00:22:27 DNF Morgan Pearson: USA: 00:22:31 DNF Matthew McElroy: USA: 00:22:34 DNF Daniel Baekkegard: DEN: 00:22:40 DNF Sebastian Kienle: GER: 00:24:51 DNF Tim Don: GBR: 00:24:53 DNF Andi Boecherer: GER: 00:25:00 DNF Interested in my Rating Reports? I think it gives ultra-athletes a bit of a name for being a bit mad sometimes.”. 23:16: 2:17:37: 1:10:43: 3:55:19 : Compare Alistair Brownlee with other athletes! He was right there in Hamburg with Vincent Luis breaking the front group up. I think Alistair Brownlee is going to do a complete and utter number on this field, especially over the 80km bike and 18km run. By that stage we will get a real feel for where the likes of Sebastian and Lionel are and what damage they can do. It is being closed off and almost self absorbed that makes you successful in sports, but when there is no racing happening such as we have seen in 2020, I found it at times quite bizarre to be honest. Britain’s double Olympic gold medallist Alistair Brownlee was forced out due to a calf injury after leading on the run. There was a part of me that questioned whether this event was a good idea, and whether there was a need to have an international race in December 2020. “People really revel in being the person who’s watched and the person who’s under pressure, and I think that for some people that brings the best out of them. Home › Focus Daytona › Unbreakable: Alistair Brownlee excited for ‘massive deal’ at Daytona. A lot of people have reflected on that and having followed athletes on social media it’s been interesting to see the dynamics of how they have handled COVID and, honestly, the narcissistic ways of a lot of them. With two Olympic gold medals, two silvers at the 70.3 worlds and an Ironman best of 7:45:20, the elder Brownlee brother has shown he can compete with the best at all distances. Henri Schoeman too, and Javier Gomez potentially as well. Alistair is a master tactician and I think that will play into his favour. He will also be motivated after getting burned in Nice at the 70.3 World Championship. Thousands of people have downloaded my Kona Rating Reports and … “I’ve had a few struggles this year, mostly in my training, I had actually quite a significant injury that I had to overcome. 2 Brownlee. “Not being able to race and not being able to compete, and having those goals kind of removed from my life, was definitely something I had to think about quite a lot. Alistair Brownlee is an Ironman One of the reasons that Alistair hasn’t qualified for the GB team automatically is his decision to take on Ironman. I remember going from ITU to my first 70.3 and thinking the pace was ridiculously slow, but you just get very tired. When there’s been no racing he has been able to sit down and fix his injuries with nothing tempting him. Though Vincent will likely try and tag Alistair, I think he will find the 80km bike ride in the TT position very tough. It was with that check of my initial emotions that had me sit back and think, ‘why not? This sort of dynamic when you put a group of them in the same race together tends to rip fields apart. Nothing messes up your Friday like realizing it’s only Tuesday. The record Lionel posted on the track is deadset remarkable. He was right there in Valencia and had a sprint with Vincent. The men’s elite race will feature big names from both the ITU and Ironman worlds. This is where they may struggle, especially if the big bike power from behind comes quicker than anticipated. The 2020 triathlon calendar has been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the extra time to think resulted in a positive impact for Alistair. I want to try and beat them anyway. He raced like a total rookie, even by his own admission, and had a run-in with Jan Frodeno at the finish line that was a little blown out of proportion but added to the drama of the transition to longer racing of the sport’s most dominant ITU athlete of all time. It is quite simply the deepest and strongest cast ever assembled, and the British superstar is relishing the challenge. Double Olympic Gold Medalist @alistair.brownlee flying during Challenge Daytona and the PTO World Championships! “The big impact has made me realise how much I love it and, you know, want to keep competing and racing to the best of my ability.”. “And no competitions for a long time. The two athletes created a small gap to the likes of Schoeman, Gomez and Germany’s Florian Agnert who would soon move into 3rd place on lap two of the bike closing the gap to the two and pulling the rest of the field behind him back up. They squeezed themselves in and showcased their passion to compete. 100/100 Run Challenge. Alistair Brownlee (GBR) PTO Ranking: 2nd. If anything it has shown me personally how fickle life really is in the sports world. I am not disputing their bike strength in any capacity. I expect Anne to rip through the field on that run and if she is close enough could be a very dangerous athlete to contend with for all the women. I think Alistair Brownlee is going to do a complete and utter number on this field, especially over the 80km bike and 18km run. “I think one of the big things this year has taught me is how much I love training, and love competing in sport, in triathlon. Alistair has all the artillery to go with anything those guys throw at him, especially knowing his pure run speed will be superior. Hanson’s run was one for the ages tracking down the fastest triathletes on the planet finishing 51 seconds back and in second place. “So that was a bit of a challenge, not training with other people like my brother and my friends that I train with every day. I’m not sure many of the others do. It can be taken from you in an instant. The strongest field in professional triathlon history is finally set for December 6th at the PTO 2020 Championship at CHALLENGEDAYTONA® A galaxy of 100+ of the sport’s elite will assemble on the starting line in Daytona to do battle for a game-changing purse of $1,150,000. That said, Lisa Norden is racing, Amelia Watkinson and Jodie Stimpson is back after a rough year losing her father. She doesn’t really do it yet but when she does it’s game over. I was really looking forward to the women’s race, but then Flora Duffy pulled out, Lucy Charles-Barclay isn’t racing, Daniela Ryf is injured and Jess Learmonth and Georgia Taylor-Brown now also aren’t racing and suddenly the big depth in that field diminished. The Norwegian 24-year-old took control on the 20km run leg as more famous names suffered, including Alistair Brownlee who dropped out with a calf issue, and run to victory with over a minute gap to the chasing pack. A 2.4 mile swim (3.9km), 112 mile bike (180.2km), and then a full 26.2 mile marathon run (42.2km) It was a large statement race in my opinion. While we should also remember that a lot of these Super League and ITU athletes are not 70.3 trained as they are still prepping for an Olympic Games, we are going to see how their raw speed fares against athletes specialising in these distances. What TT over this distance requires from an athlete is sustained power and position which is a lot lower than they are used to holding and the fatigue comes later in the race. Holly Lawrence. They all return to what they are programmed to and dream of doing – racing. With major backing from the Professional Triathletes Organisation, the PTO 2020 Championship at Challenge Daytona will offer a mighty $1,150,000 prize purse. With no Olympics or Kona in 2020, Brownlee has had Dec. 6 circled on his calendar all year long, and that’s bad news for anyone planning to beat the two-time Olympic gold medalist. Who am I to be one of these social media internet tough guys with huge opinions and opinionated substance to their argument.’. It brought a welcome reset in reminding him how much he loves the sport. The biggest name missing for the men’s race in Daytona is Jan Frodeno, who sits atop the PTO men’s standings. In that pack group was George Goodwin, 24, from Rugby, the rising star of middle-distance racing in the UK after a victory over Tim Don at Outlaw X in September, who would … We had so much swimming power in the field in the original start list and more so a group of front racing women who are programmed and almost love to race from the front. The German Olympic and Ironman world champ announced earlier this year that after a bike injury he would be calling it a season. I felt the way she races with that ITU power up front was going to make this a very interesting event. We’re back in Yorkshire to join Alistair at his home during this final weeks of training ahead of flying out to Florida as he prepares to take part in the gruelling 100km race at the Daytona International Speedway® against some of the world’s best athletes. In a race that grew to epic proportions, where favourites dropped out but outsiders in some cases showed unexpected things, there was just one supreme winner at the PTO 2020 Championship: Gustav Iden from Norway. We know one thing, she knows how to win on the biggest stage. That has been a blessing in disguise and looking at him he is lean like he was when he won two Olympic gold medals. I was really keen to see Flora racing. A mix of the pandemic and injury though have caused him to miss the simpler things in 2020. Certain athletes were very eager to race – I think of Kristian Blummenfelt, Vincent Luis and Alistair Brownlee, who didn’t care if the race was a high profile international event or a local race. He has been race active all year and from an outsider’s perspective just looks to have that Alistair healthy body back again, and we know what that does when it’s activated. With early leader and favored Alistair Brownlee of Britain pulling out on the run due to injury, Gustov Iden of Norway moved into the lead about half way through the run and never relinquished it. Alistair Brownlee -Ironman 70.3 WC Nice 2019 Quick facts 2/2/2 All/Gender/AG. “I think almost every other athlete in the field would be aiming for me in the PTO 2020 Championship, and yeah, I mean I’m trying to beat them as well so it’s all fair. Challenge Daytona; Ironman Cozumel; Ironman 70.3 Gulf Coast; Ironman Florida; Ironman 70.3 Turkey; Ironman 70.3 Japan; Ironman Hawaii Qualification. I know that all the athletes on this start line will feel the need to express themselves physically and it is this cocktail of possibility that excites me the most about following this event. That seems to be a reality in today’s world and something I most certainly want to avoid. They will have a ‘sit and wait and follow’ attitude. I’m really excited to see the PTO event at Challenge Daytona, and to be able to watch where long course racing is heading. Watching Alistair come off Kona about 13 months ago has been amazing. Flawless across everything he does, attentive to his competitors and their strengths and patient in his planning for titles. Alistair Brownlee is a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, ... As we head into Challenge Daytona, Joe is hoping to keep his hot streak going. He is the big mover in this field and the defending champion on the course. Everyone who is a fan of triathlon will this weekend not only get to see an exciting race but a snapshot of the evolution of the sport that Super League is delivering. “It seems a bit sad sometimes that I needed reminding of that, but I’ve obviously done triathlon for a long time and that has highs and lows, and I think I’m probably enjoying the sport more than I ever have in lots of ways. PTO 2020 CHAMPIONSHIP LINEUP The wait is over! While excellent in all disciplines, Brownlee… Out of the first transition was Alistair Brownlee who was onto the bike for the first of twenty 4km laps totalling 80km followed closely by Luis. This will include double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee and his brother/2012 ITU world champ Jonny, five-time ITU champ Javier Gomez, … The strongest field in professional triathlon history is finally set for December 6th at the PTO 2020 Championship at CHALLENGEDAYTONA® A galaxy of 100+ of the sport’s elite will assemble on the starting line in Daytona to do battle for a game-changing purse of $1,150,000. His long-time rivalry with Simon Lessing was epic! Let’s just enjoy the beautiful things about this event, and the pent up emotions that many of these athletes will be bringing to the racing circuit’. It is in our DNA and at the core of our being, and that is what was taken this year and that is what this race represents a return to. Alistair has been robbed of much of the last few years by injury woes. I initially felt ‘why not keep the money and provide an environment that everybody could get into in early 2021 as the world starts to open up? The double Olympic champion expects he will be the man everybody wants to beat in Florida on Sunday December 6. 80 kilometers of cycling, where 20 laps of the 4 km of the circuit have been completed. I think the racing is what athletes need to express themselves. Alistair Brownlee, who in addition to his 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medals, has an Ironman 70.3 Worlds podium, two Olympic distance ITU World Championships, two yeo three regular season Ironman wins, and recent podiums at ITU World Cups.