Summer Games Paris 2024

[Coffeeplanter]

Watching a triathlon for the first time in my life now. I don't know much about Blummenfelt other than having read about him briefly, but looking at the Olympic triathlon, he looks chubby even compared to the other competitors. Doesn't have a body type which screams GC potential.

Campenaerts gave an interview recently as he knows Blummenfelt and his trainer, some guy named Olav Aleksander Bu, a little. He said they have almost everything figured out and that the biggest maniac in pro cycling doesn't come close to Blummentfelt's work ethic.

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20240729_96127805

I am not a firm believer, but it will be interesting to follow. The teams that he is rumoured to join (Jayco or UNO-X) don't give me the biggest confidence boost either.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

I'd find it easier to believe if he had stated goals in the northern classics.

 

[Coffeeplanter]

This is also a fun passage from said interview: Hij omschrijft 2025 als het jaar waarin ze de limieten zullen opzoeken. Zo snel mogelijk door een bocht rijden tot Kristian valt, bijvoorbeeld. Om de volgende keer aan dezelfde snelheid door de bocht te gaan zonder te vallen.

Basically, they intend to address the possible problems Blummenfelt will have with riding in a peloton by having him ... crash intentionally.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Just to prove I'm not used to watching triathlon, why do they have bits of string tied to their backs? Is it in fact a quadrathlon of swimming, cycling, running and tag rugby?

 

[Penninepeddler]

nope never have done, nearest track to me must be 70-80 miles away, and Id never get the hang of a single speed anyway.

You must live somewhere very nice for road cycling ahaha.

As pretty much every major conurbation has a track.

 

[Squire]

Campenaerts gave an interview recently as he knows Blummenfelt and his trainer, some guy named Olav Aleksander Bu, a little. He said they have almost everything figured out and that the biggest maniac in pro cycling doesn't come close to Blummentfelt's work ethic.

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20240729_96127805

I am not a firm believer, but it will be interesting to follow. The teams that he is rumoured to join (Jayco or UNO-X) don't give me the biggest confidence boost either.

Yeah, high-level latecomers to cycling is always exciting, so will be interesting to follow if it does indeed happen. But if he's so attentive to detail, it's a bit puzzling how he almost looks like having a 'dad-bod' even compared to his triathlon competitors. But I guess his results show that he knows what's needed. Have to admit that I struggle to see a barrel-shaped guy flying up Tour de France climbs.

He doesn't seem to have it today though. And I gotta say that the cycling part of the triathlon wasn't much of a spectacle. Remember seeing clips of Lance doing triathlons where he time-trialed past everyone on the cycling leg, but I guess the field is on a completely different level here. And there might be different rules regarding drafting, judging from what @Leinster wrote here earlier.

 

[Penninepeddler]

Just to prove I'm not used to watching triathlon, why do they have bits of string tied to their backs? Is it in fact a quadrathlon of swimming, cycling, running and tag rugby?

It is the zip pullcord for your tri suit.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Why does Norway have so many of these insane cardio athletes? You obviously have the cross country skiing guys, but you also have insane runners like Warholt and Ingebrigtsen and this tri-guy. Then you have all the up and coming young norwegians in cycling as well

 

[Penninepeddler]

Yeah, high-level latecomers to cycling is always exciting, so will be interesting to follow if it does indeed happen. But if he's so attentive to detail, it's a bit puzzling how he almost looks like having a 'dad-bod' even compared to his triathlon competitors. But I guess his results show that he knows what's needed. Have to admit that I struggle to see a barrel-shaped guy flying up Tour de France climbs.

He doesn't seem to have it today though. And I gotta say that the cycling part of the triathlon wasn't much of a spectacle. Remember seeing clips of Lance doing triathlons where he time-trialed past everyone on the cycling leg, but I guess the field is on a completely different level here. And there might be different rules regarding drafting, judging from what @Leinster wrote here earlier.

It would guess that it is probably because his swimming always - relatively - poor. He is still a below average top level tri swimmer... and ofc for a 1500m swim? Being more top heavy helps if you dont have great technique.

That is my guess anyway.

But Blummenfeldt also isnt actually the best tri cyclist either aha, albeit very good. His running is usually what wins him things.

 

[Coffeeplanter]

Yeah, high-level latecomers to cycling is always exciting, so will be interesting to follow if it does indeed happen. But if he's so attentive to detail, it's a bit puzzling how he almost looks like having a 'dad-bod' even compared to his triathlon competitors. But I guess his results show that he knows what's needed. Have to admit that I struggle to see a barrel-shaped guy flying up Tour de France climbs.

He doesn't seem to have it today though. And I gotta say that the cycling part of the triathlon wasn't much of a spectacle. Remember seeing clips of Lance doing triathlons where he time-trialed past everyone on the cycling leg, but I guess the field is on a completely different level here. And there might be different rules regarding drafting, judging from what @Leinster wrote here earlier.

This is my first time watching a triathlon as well, so I have zero knowledge. The commentators said that the Olympics, unlike an Iron Man, allow drafting, which completely nullifies the cycling section. In regards to his body, according to Campenaerts it is intentional. I, too, struggle to see how it would work in cycling where every milligram matters, but hey, who wouldn't want to see Alexander Kristoff win a Tour de France.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Shredding 10-15 kg to be even a serious threat is pretty wild, but I have seen some wild transformations from Norwegians, see Abrahamsen

But I guess just stop swimming will at least do a bit and get rid of all that upper body muscle.

 

[Penninepeddler]

Why does Norway have so many of these insane cardio athletes? You obviously have the cross country skiing guys, but you also have insane runners like Warholt and Ingebrigtsen and this tri-guy. Then you have all the up and coming young norwegians in cycling as well

I read years ago there is a few hundred km area of Scandinavia that has a silly high amount of the best ever V02 Max results.

Going back to the 1990s and before.

The highest ever V02 max for a footballer was Håkan Mild from Western Sweden.

But that part of it is simply that sports scientists there have measured it the longest and in turn basically every decent level athlete has had it measured forever aha.

And my guess - working in the physical excercise sector (and therefore looking at things like the Sport Eurobarometer regularly) - is that since the Scandinavian nations are by far the most physically active nations in Europe, and some of the richest, most of the "freaks" there actually end up playing sport as something like 85% of the country does as a child into teen years! AND they identify them as they measure their V02 max etc and direct them into where might suit them.

Whereas in other countries John from the council estate could be an incredible "natural" athlete... but he smokes two packs a day and works as a plasterer.

 

[Didinho]

Just wait 8 years to see Ironman-Remco cycling and running past everyone after being minutes behind in swimming.

The cycling part was just cruising along, would’ve loved it to be non-drafting here.

 

[SafeBet]

Yeah, high-level latecomers to cycling is always exciting, so will be interesting to follow if it does indeed happen. But if he's so attentive to detail, it's a bit puzzling how he almost looks like having a 'dad-bod' even compared to his triathlon competitors. But I guess his results show that he knows what's needed. Have to admit that I struggle to see a barrel-shaped guy flying up Tour de France climbs.

That's one of the main point in Olav's approach to training. Never have an athlete lose weight intentionally. Only raw watts matter.

Clearly this will need to change with stage racing being the primary goal after the switch to cycling.

 

[Tim Cahill]

The Nairo of female BMX! Flying up the ramps.

 

[awavey]

One of them has dropped her chain a couple laps back. What competitor with access to a professional mechanic would be riding with a front derailleur on this course?

A triathlete that's who it's funny I always used to think they were bored cyclists who liked running and swimming, but they're not are they, they're runners who don't mind swimming but for whom cycling is a complete mystery

 

[Penninepeddler]

That's one of the main point in Olav's approach to training. Never have an athlete lose weight intentionally. Only raw watts matter.

Clearly this will need to change with stage racing being the primary goal after the switch to cycling.

I do think he would have had more success if had switched after 2020 Olympics.

has actually not won a top level Tri event since 2021... and not podiumed since 2022.

Like most athletes his peak was aged ~25-28... won 6/10 of the top tier events he entered over that time in Tri.

Ofc his Ironman performances represent pro cycling a bit better... but his Ironman performances are also - over the last ~2 years - not as good as they used to be.

 

[stekelegel]

I also feel the switch comes to late. Adapting his body, learning to ride in peleton, … also the day in, day out nature of cycling vs three completion days per year,,,,Even more to have a real impact, not to just be another contender for 6-10 or super domestique.
I always heard good tri athletes had often a swimming background. That is the most technical of all the sports?

 

[awavey]

You must live somewhere very nice for road cycling ahaha.

As pretty much every major conurbation has a track.

Well I don't live in a major conurbation, not that any major conurbation in East Anglia have one anyway, the nearest to me would be Lee Valley, actually there might even be one or two in Belgium nearer as the crow flies.

That's why I say I don't think the UK has quite adopted velodrome/track cycling as a thing, there are pockets but its not universal, it's similar for things like cyclocross.

And it's not bad for road cycling 90% of the time here, as long as you avoid major conurbation, roads full of tourists and the maniacs on single track roads.

 

[stekelegel]

I read years ago there is a few hundred km area of Scandinavia that has a silly high amount of the best ever V02 Max results.

Going back to the 1990s and before.

The highest ever V02 max for a footballer was Håkan Mild from Western Sweden.

But that part of it is simply that sports scientists there have measured it the longest and in turn basically every decent level athlete has had it measured forever aha.

And my guess - working in the physical excercise sector (and therefore looking at things like the Sport Eurobarometer regularly) - is that since the Scandinavian nations are by far the most physically active nations in Europe, and some of the richest, most of the "freaks" there actually end up playing sport as something like 85% of the country does as a child into teen years! AND they identify them as they measure their V02 max etc and direct them into where might suit them.

Whereas in other countries John from the council estate could be an incredible "natural" athlete... but he smokes two packs a day and works as a plasterer.

Maybe a higher preference for different endurance sports? I am youth football coach here in Belgium at a decent level end it never ceases to amaze me how little attention is being given to athletic development. They take it for granted some players are “fast” vs “slow”, or have some miles on them…

 

[Penninepeddler]

Well I don't live in a major conurbation, not that any major conurbation in East Anglia have one anyway, the nearest to me would be Lee Valley, actually there might even be one or two in Belgium nearer as the crow flies.

That's why I say I don't think the UK has quite adopted velodrome/track cycling as a thing, there are pockets but its not universal, it's similar for things like cyclocross.

And it's not bad for road cycling 90% of the time here, as long as you avoid major conurbation, roads full of tourists and the maniacs on single track roads.

My guess is it is still more per capita as well as distance wise than most places though!

But tbh worldwide I believe there are less than 100 wooden velodromes. And 6 of them are in the UK.

Yeh, cyclocross feels way bigger in the North and Scotland. Just have to look at the top guys in the last 10 or so years:

Pidcock, Turner: Yorkshire
Bibby, Oldham: Lancashire
Craig: Cheshire
Mein: Tyne & Wear
Mason, Ferguson: Scotland

Fletcher, Clarkson: Nottinghamshire
Askey: Staffordshire

Tulett, Blackmore: London


But again... after Belgium and Netherlands who are clearly at the top, and then maybe France and Czechia... the UK is probably one of the biggest ~5 cyclocross nation on earth in terms of number of people who compete.

But overall a lot of the more "niche" cycling disciplines really dont have that many people who do them outside the top couple of countries.

 

[Mayomaniac]

o late. Adapting his body, learning to ride in peleton, … also the day in, day out nature of cycling vs three completion days per year,,,,Even more to have a real impact, not to just be another contender for 6-10 or super domestique.
I always heard good tri athletes had often a swimming background. That is the most technical of all the sports?

Yeah, but you don't find many who are great at both swimming and running. Around here swimming was always the biggest weakness of the local athletes when we send them to the Italian NC (and I'm talking athletes who became junior Duathlon, so no running, world champions and came 5th in the u23 WC).

 

[SafeBet]

I also feel the switch comes to late. Adapting his body, learning to ride in peleton, … also the day in, day out nature of cycling vs three completion days per year,,,,Even more to have a real impact, not to just be another contender for 6-10 or super domestique.
I always heard good tri athletes had often a swimming background. That is the most technical of all the sports?

It is the most technical but it also requires the shortest time to be completed and it comes first. You'd need to swim as fast as, say, Gregorio Paltrinieri to have a consistent enough gap to have a shot at surviving cycling with a big group chasing you. And you'd still have the running part.

 

[Keldergoat]

I read years ago there is a few hundred km area of Scandinavia that has a silly high amount of the best ever V02 Max results.

Going back to the 1990s and before.

The highest ever V02 max for a footballer was Håkan Mild from Western Sweden.

But that part of it is simply that sports scientists there have measured it the longest and in turn basically every decent level athlete has had it measured forever aha.

And my guess - working in the physical excercise sector (and therefore looking at things like the Sport Eurobarometer regularly) - is that since the Scandinavian nations are by far the most physically active nations in Europe, and some of the richest, most of the "freaks" there actually end up playing sport as something like 85% of the country does as a child into teen years! AND they identify them as they measure their V02 max etc and direct them into where might suit them.

Whereas in other countries John from the council estate could be an incredible "natural" athlete... but he smokes two packs a day and works as a plasterer.

Add 'Nils van der Poel' to this list of ultra freaks that you might want to look up on Wikipedia. A Swedish ultra runner that switched to ice skating and suddenly won everything possible in the long distances. Although in this case it's not the Scandinavian genes because, as his surname implies, his parents emigrated from NL.

 

[Penninepeddler]

I also feel the switch comes to late. Adapting his body, learning to ride in peleton, … also the day in, day out nature of cycling vs three completion days per year,,,,Even more to have a real impact, not to just be another contender for 6-10 or super domestique.
I always heard good tri athletes had often a swimming background. That is the most technical of all the sports?

Funnily enough with Blummenfelt... he came from a swimming background but quite frankly is not "that" good a swimmer for a top level triathlete.

BUT he was basically the best junior runners in Norway as a teenager.

Yee comes from a running background first and foremost... and tbh running is probably - in most races - the most important part. You can't win a decent level triathlon in the swim section... even on a brutal course like today where being a good level swimmer mattered more than usual.

Silver medallist Wilde also comes from a running background first and foremost.

If you can be within a minute of the best swimmers off the start, a group comes together in the cycling, and then you are a sub-30-30 minute runner even when tired? You can win any event at top level.

Put it this way... to compete for medals as a top level triathlon you have to be around a:

~18 minute 1500m swimmer in a pool
~30 minute 10km runner

Cycling is less important in Olympics where can draft tbh. Otherwise it would have far more importance.

Now, considering that if you are a ~16 year old swimmer you wont be allowed to enter a top level regional event unless you can swim sub-18...

while 20th overall in the World Championship 10km this year was a 29:03... yeh... it really helps if you are a national level runner... as getting roughly to the swimming and cycling level needed if you are is "possible"... while being able to run a sub 30 10km? Yeh, a lot of people just never will be able to no matter how fit.

Yee ran a 29:12 this year at Cagliari... Wilde ran a 29:13... AFTER the swim and bike. Those times in a straight 10km run would be top 250 in the world this year.

While there are 16 year old kids at your local pool swimming the same times as they are over 1500m.

So while swimming is the most technical event... the level of the tri guys in general swim wise is not as high as the level of running.

Hauser, Schomburg, Crociani and Dévay are maybe the best tri-swimmers out there right now... even in perfect conditions I doubt any of them would break 17 minutes. When to be a national level 1500m swimmer you have to swim ~16:30... and you will be say ~50th fastest in Britain with that time.