The women’s race in Kona saw the return of Caroline Steffen, who with a greatly improved run and in the absence of Chrissie Wellington, was one of the strong favourites to win, but with Britons Leanda Cave and Rachel Joyce in the mix, as well as Australia’s Mirinda Carfrae and the USA’s Mary Beth Ellis, the Swiss athlete would have her work cut out.

For the first time ever, the female race began five minutes after the men’s giving the pro women free reign over the glittering waters of Kailua Bay for what would prove to be one of the most exciting races ever in Kona.

With the speed that’s earned her the reputation of being one of triathlon’s fastest swimmers, the USA’s Amanda Stevens broke away from the rest of the field to secure the day’s fastest swim split of 55:09. The rest of the women started to stream in a minute later with Britain’s Leanda Cave, the USA’s Mary Beth Ellis, Switzerland’s Caroline Steffen and Britain’s Rachel Joyce all within two minutes of one another. Australia’s Mirinda Carfrae, perhaps Ironman’s fastest female runner and 2010 world champion, was another two and a half minutes down, five minutes off the lead and with work to do on the bike.

Cave and Ellis were the first to show their strength on two wheels, pulling away from the rest of the group while Steffen blitzed through her small swim deficit to join them, intent on controlling the race during her strongest discipline.

As well as searing heat and severe crosswinds to contend with, the women’s bike leg had additional drama as first Steffen, then Cave and finally Ellis were all handed four-minute penalties.

Steffen, riding hard in the leading pack early on, was first to receive time in the penalty box after which she charged onwards to return to the head of the race, catching Cave and teamTBB team mate Ellis by the half-way turn around point.

With a tailwind helping to push the leading ladies onwards in the direction of T2, Cave, still riding strongly, was forced to take a four-minute time-out as Steffen and Ellis surged onwards.

Unable to escape Ellis, Steffen pushed on and with around 15km to go, a drafting penalty for Ellis was meted out, which the American would take in T2.

Steffen was first off the bike with a 5:06:49 split – the second fastest of the day – while Ellis, nipping at her heels (in 5:08:06) zipped into the penalty box.

Cave was next to pull on her trainers, getting swiftly out onto the run around three minutes behind Ellis and six-minutes behind Steffen. Behind them all, Carfae’s improved 5:12:18 cycle time, which saw her come off the bike fourth, and the fact the others had each lost four minutes, left the Australian only seven minutes 30 seconds down on the lead.

As Steffen powered on, a picture of composed strength, Cave picked up Ellis, the American struggling to keep with the Brit as heat haze lifted from the asphalt.

Having burst onto the run course, Carfrae was bearing down on all the frontrunners with her ever-impressive speed and by the fabled Energy Lab section at around 16 miles in, the diminutive Aussie had already overhauled Ellis and had Cave ahead of her.

Further back, Germany’s Sonja Tajsich, who began the run nearly 15 minutes back was striding through the field at a pace quicker even than Carfrae.

As Carfrae paced up to Cave’s heels ready to overtake, it was the Brit who proved to be the stronger of the pair, not only holding the Australian off, but actually pulling away from her – and all without a hint of looking under pressure.

Despite improving markedly on her running in 2012, as the run wore on, Steffen seemed to be suffering in the heat, with no amount of ice and water from the aid stations stemming the fatigue that saw her stride noticeably shorten. By comparison, Cave seemed to be getting ever-stronger, the distance between the two ever-narrowing until, around two miles from the finish, Cave took the lead in the world championships.

In contrast to Jacobs, there was no elated mile of honour; Cave ran determinedly on, not grabbing a Union Jack flag until the final few metres of Ali’i Drive to cross the line as the first female – and second athlete ever – to claim the Ironman World Championship as reining 70.3 World Champion. Her 3:03:13 was third fastest on the day and first among the favourites, enough to claim victory in 9:15:54 and continue British dominance in the women’s race at Kona.

Steffen, showing true strength in spite of clear suffering, ran on to hold onto second in 9:16:58. Meanwhile, Carfrae, whose performance had begun to dip following dropping a drinks bottle on the bike course, had to maintain her focus to beat Tajsich, who ran the day’s fastest marathon in 2:59:26. Carfrae stayed strong and closed out the podium in 9:21:41, with Tajsich fourth (9:22:45), and Ellis fifth (9:22:57).

Top 5 Women
Leanda Cave (GBR) 9:15:54
Caroline Steffen (SUI) 9:16:58
Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) 9:21:41
Sonja Tajsich (GER) 9:22:45
Mary Beth Ellis (USA) 9:22:57




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In the men’s race, it was once again an Australian who took home Ironman’s greatest prize, but with Chris McCormack dropping out of the race and defending champion Craig Alexander losing time on the bike to fade out of contention, it was 30 year-old Pete Jacobs – second last year – who clinched the title.

The non-wetsuit swim leg had a predictable victor, with the US’s Andy Potts leading from the clear, salty waters of Kailua Bay in 50:32. Australian contender Pete Jacobs was fourth out of the water in 51:28, in a pack including fellow Aussie and defending champion Craig Alexander (51:35), Belgium’s Frederik Van Lierde (51:36) and Germany’s Faris Al-Sultan (51:39). After a split in the field, other favourites Marino Vanhoenacker of Belgium followed in 52:11, with Australia’s two-time world champion Chris McCormack down at 52:34, while German pairing of Andreas Raelert and Kona first timer, Ironman 70.3 World Champion Sebastian Kienle, were nearly five minutes off the pace, more than 30-men back.

There were plenty of lead changes at the start of the bike, with packs becoming established only to splinter as slower swimmers mixed things up in the growing heat and strengthening wind. Eventually, a non-drafting group stabilised including France’s Romain Guillaume, Luxembourg’s Dirk Bockel, Australia’s Luke McKenzie, Al-Sultan, Vanhoenacker, Van Lierde and Alexander.

After his tumultuous swim, McCormack suffered a flat tyre before half-way, enough for him to pull out of the race, while Kienle, and Raelert behind him, pursued hard.

Kienle, one of the most impressive bikers in the sport, dragged himself to the leaders just before the turn around point, and as the crosswinds really started to hammer the riders, he set off into the distance with Vanhoenacker.

While the pair were making time on the lava-lined and sun-drenched roads, the wind was taking its toll on some of the key contenders, including Alexander, who started to slip backwards through the field.

Jacobs, joined by Bockel and Van Lierde, pushed on through the devastating winds to limit the leaders’ gains which was lengthening beyond five minutes. With around 60km to go, Kienle suffered a flat tire, forcing him to stop on the roadside and undertake a hasty repair and Vanhoenacker to go it alone as the German lost time in his best discipline.

Putting on a show of staggering cycling strength, Vanhoenacker had eked out a lead of nearly nine minutes as he led out onto the run after the day’s fastest bike split – 4:25:49. Looking dominant and in complete control Vanhoenacker began the marathon in search of the world championship.

With a characteristically great swim already behind him and having posted the fastest run splits in the 2010 and 2011 editions of the race, Jacobs was out to prove that he had developed his bike to challenge the best in the Ironman world – and still be able to put in a steaming run. By posting a 4:35:15 bike, fourth fastest on the day, the Australian showed he was on track, coming off the bike in second place, 8 minutes 43 seconds down on Vanhoenacker.

Leaving Bockel and Van Lierde behind, Jacobs paced quickly out onto the blistering run course, looking none the worse for his 112 miles in the saddle. Also in the podium mix were 2005 Champion Al-Sultan, who came in less than a minute behind Jacobs and Kienle, another minute back and who despite having to fix his puncture, went on to post the day’s second fastest bike split.

Taking bigger chunks off his deficit each kilometre, Jacobs continued to look strong, even comfortable, while Vanhoenacker began to suffer. Perhaps paying the price for going it alone at the head of the bike race, Vanhoenacker was visibly weaving going into the mysterious Energy Lab section of the course, where Jacobs overtook as the Belgian slowed, stopped and vomited before finally admitting defeat and dropping out of the race by way of a medical support van.

As Jacobs continued his relentless pace, Van Lierde was forced to contend with a hastening Raelert, who after a negative split on the bike, was thrashing himself over the run course.

With a solid four-minute buffer in the bank and less than two miles to go, Jacobs slowed to take in his moments of glory. With a look of ecstatic happiness and disbelief, the Aussie began to high-five what seemed like every spectator lining the course, an enormous grin on his face. Grabbing an Australian flag in the final few metres of Ali’i Drive, Jacobs, jumping with unbridled joy took the tape, the deafening applause and the Ironman World Championship in 8:18:37 after a 2:48:05 marathon.

Raelert was next to join Jacobs at the finish after putting in the day’s second fastest run (2:47:23) to overtake Van Lierde and claim the podium’s second spot in 8:23:40. Van Lierde held onto third place in 8:24:09, edging out Kienle, whose puncture may well have cost him a podium position in his Kona debut, and Al-Sultan, whose consistency throughout the day earned him a strong fifth place finish.

Top 5 Men
1. Pete Jacobs (AUS) 8:18:37
2. Andreas Raelert (GER) 8:23:40
3. Frederik Van Lierde (BEL) 8:24:09
4. Sebastian Kienle (GER) 8:27:08
5. Faris Al-Sultan (GER) 8:28:33





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In the men’s race, it was once again an Australian who took home Ironman’s greatest prize, but with Chris McCormack dropping out of the race and defending champion Craig Alexander losing time on the bike to fade out of contention, it was 30 year-old Pete Jacobs – second last year – who clinched the title.

With his usual superb swim (51:28) and having posted the fastest run splits in the 2010 and 2011 editions of the race, Jacobs had to prove that he could bike with the best of them – and he did just that.

Off the bike in 4:35:15, Jacobs followed Marino Vanhoenacker, who for a long time looked destined to win this year, onto the hot marathon course. While he didn’t come near his 2:41 marathon of 2011, a 2:48:05 split, which included more than a mile of elated high-fiving secured victory in 8:18:37.

Germany’s Andreas Raelert, who seemed to suffer early in the race came back strong on the run to take second in 8:24:40, while Belgium’s Frederik Van Lierde pushed hard to claim the final podium spot in 8:24:09.

The women’s race was equally thrilling, with Switzerland’s Caroline Steffen dominating much of the world championship, clawing her way to the head of the bike despite a four-minute drafting penalty early on. Fellow favourites Leanda Cave of Britain and Mary Beth Ellis of the USA also had their own penalties to serve, meaning it was all to play for on the run.

Steffen, whose run has been steadily improving, began the marathon in dominant fashion. Behind her, Leanda Cave was running with the tenacity and strength that saw her win Ironman Arizona after Kona last year, even managing to show Australian ‘pocket rocket’ Mirinda Carfrae a clean pair of heels when the Aussie caught up to challenge her.

Steffen seemed to be suffering in the heat, with no amount of ice and water from the aid stations stemming the fatigue that saw her stride noticeably shorten. This left Cave free to overtake and make her bid for Kona glory. In contrast to Jacobs, there was no mile of honour; Cave ran determinedly on, not grabbing a union jack flag until the final few metres to cross the line as the first ever female to claim the Ironman World Championship as reining 70.3 World Champion.

Cave crossed the line in 9:15:54, with Steffen showing true strength to hold onto second in 9:16:58 while Mirinda Carfrae closed out the podium in 9:21:41.

We’ll have a more complete report up on TriRadar.com soon.



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Jozsef has been a fierce competitor for a number of years, finishing 23rd in 2010, 19th in 2011, and has racked up 9 Ironman distance victories including Ironman Arizona and Ironman Hungary. This season he has continued his progression, recently finishing on the podium at the US Ironman Champs in New York back in August.

From his hotel in Hawaii, Jozsef has taken the valuable time to give SwiftCarbon a bit of insider information in the lead up to the biggest race in the triathlon calendar this Saturday.

SC – How have the last few days training gone?

JM – The last few days have gone by really quickly. Over the weekend I did my last long bike and run sessions. I had a good run to the Energy Lab and a nice ride in Hawi. I also had a great long swim in the ocean, it was a little choppy but good practice for the race.

SC – What are your hopes for the race?

JM – I’m really looking forward to it, I’ve trained really hard. With the help of my coach, Sergio Borges, my preparation went well. My swim has also improved this year thanks to some specific work on my technique and input from my functional strength coach, Frank Sole. I’m feeling strong and I trust that the hard work I’ve done is enough. I would like to give it my all and have a great race, and I hope it will be enough to get in the top 10.

SC – What are conditions like out there this year? Is it likely to be as quick as last year?

JM – You never know what to expect in Kona. Last year there was no wind on the bike, in some years we have had brutal conditions. I would be happy with something in the middle, but every year is different.

SC – Tell us a bit about your bike, we see that you’ve already had some success on the Neurogen in the last few weeks.

JM – Thanks to SwiftCarbon I got the new 2013 Neurogen for Kona, and I wanted to build it up with my favourite components: 3T Aerobar, ISM saddle, Rotor crankset and this was the first time I have used the Shimano Di2 electronic shifting. I still can’t believe that this “dream bike” came true!
Three weeks ago I had the chance to race on the new bike at the Nathan Tempe Olympic Distance Triathlon in Arizona. The schedule was tight because it wasn’t ready until the Friday before the race, but everything went well. It was one of those days when you wake up and you know that it is going to be a good day. I wasn’t one hundred percent sure that my legs would feel the same way though since I’d had a very intense four weeks preparing for Kona. But I felt good and I was able to stay at the front and I won the race. I was happy with how comfortable, stiff and light my new bike was and the components worked great as well. I had a few more weeks to train on the new Neurogen, and the more I rode it the more happier I was. It is a great combination of uncompromised aerodynamics and perfect fit. The Neurogen is designed to win! I have no doubt that I’ll have the perfect ride in Kona!

SC – What will your pre race meal be, Lava Java or Billy Bobs?! Maybe something else?

JM – Although both restaurants are fancy and have delicious food, I love Hungarian food the most. It is a tradition that before every big race I eat a large dose of pasta with Hungarian style beef stew. It started 7 years ago when I won my first Ironman Championships title. Since then I had the same pre race meal every year and I won eight more titles!

SC – What music do you have in you ear while out in the Lava fields and on Ali’I drive?

JM – Most of the time I run without music. I like to focus on my running and it’s important to listen to my body, especially here in Kona. There is a special feeling running down on Ali’I Drive and riding on the Queen K, you can feel the rhythm of the Island.

SC – What’s next? Is it end of season for you after this?

JM – After Kona I’m going to do Ironman Arizona in November. I love to race in Arizona because of the wonderful triathlon community, and this is one of my favorite courses as well. I’ve had several top 5 finishes in the past few years and I won IM Arizona in April 2008.
It’s a good way to finish the season, racing together with friends and fellow athletes.

SC – Thanks Jozsef. Have a great race and good luck!

You can follow Jozsef’s progress live by checking out http://kona.ironman.com/index.html He will be wearing bib number 9.



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The countdown to the 2012 World Ironman Championships is almost over. We take a look at some of the highlights from the pro press conference in the build up to one of the biggest races in the triathlon calendar.

Sebastian Kienle: On his recent Ironman 70.3 World Championship victory: What worked in Vegas wouldn’t work here. If I do the same thing here, I think I’d have a nice little walk in the Energy Lab. I’m not here to break the bike record or have the fastest bike split, I just want to have a good finish and do what it takes. If that means being more patient on the bike than I was in Vegas, I hope I could do that.

Jordan Rapp: A newcomer to this race, his thoughts on why he chose to compete this year: More than anything I wanted to come and be respectful of the history of the race, and of the competitors—not just come as sort of a glorified vacation. I wanted to come when I thought I could put down a performance that was worthy of showing up. I thought I had a better run in me than I’d shown, and in Texas I put that down with a 2:46 and I thought OK, I can go and have the race that I know I have in me.

On how he sees the race panning out: I’ll start to think about my finish, in terms of placing, when I have 10K to go. Before that I’m going to worry about just not being that guy that is a 2:46 runner who runs a 4:46 and ends up walking the marathon. I’m focusing on putting together a solid race until I hit the 20 mile mark, then I’ll look at who’s behind me and who might be up the road. It certainly is different being here as an athlete. There’s something pretty magical about this place and I feel privileged to be here.

Andreas Raelert: On whether he thinks having his brother Michael here will help his race at all: It doesn’t make it easier for me, but let’s put it this way, we have 50 professional athletes on the start line, and one of these guys is my friend, my brother. So that helps me. My best guess is we can hold this pressure on four shoulders, not on two.

Pete Jacobs: On what he’s done to take his performance to the next level: The last three years I’ve had injuries, this year earlier in the year. I’ve been building up for this race a lot longer than in previous years. It was great to be back running in April/May. More kilometers in my legs means hopefully I don’t see that pain and that quad shattering I had in the last 10K last year. I’ve had a really good taper and am freshening up really well. A month ago while these guys were racing Vegas I was right on that limit, getting a bit tight, but I moved through that and am really happy with where I’m at for Saturday.

On the duel between Crowie and Macca, and how that sits with him: I look back over the years and say “well, if this or that hadn’t happened on the bike then I could’ve had a lot better result.” Last year I was happy with podium and I got podium. This year I’m a lot more driven to win. Exactly that scenario of getting off the bike and running with Crowie and Macca—I’ve used that in training and in my visualizations. I’m in the best shape I’ve been here in Hawaii.

Craig Alexander: On other athletes building their strategy around him: A lot was made in 2010 about allegiances and this kind of thing. It’s a non-drafting race, and if everyone sticks to the rules it won’t matter. The smartest thing is what Jordan just said. People who do well here race to their own strengths. We’ve all raced each other a lot. You know people’s strengths and weaknesses. If you’re smart, you’re going to race to your own strengths. There is a race going on, but you know your fitness levels, and hopefully you’re prepared to suffer because that’s what it takes. There’s no point in trying to ride with Sebastian. It’s not going to happen.

On being motivated by Lance Armstrong to return to this race, and when his motivation shifted: When I crossed the line last year, in my gut I felt I would come back. It’s inevitable when you’re 38 to have to answer questions about finding a green pasture somewhere and … for me what’s left to do is what there always was to do, becoming a better athlete. Having Lance here was exciting to me. I thought he would bring a level of professionalism we hadn’t seen. I thought what better way? Everyone’s going to have to fine-tune half a percent here and there. That being said he’s not here, and I’m going to have my hands full with the guys who are here. I love this race […] it doesn’t take long to get my juices flowing just thinking about racing here.

Kelly Williamson: On knowing she’s facing a runner like Carfrae: Your guess is as good as mine. I don’t think I’ve run to where I’m capable in an IRONMAN, but I also haven’t really done a lot of them. I feel like I’m a much better athlete now, since my last one 11 months ago. That’s part of the excitement for me, is that I feel like I have a lot of potential that hasn’t been tapped at this distance. Again, for me it’s not just about the run though. If I want to have any hope of being in this race I have to swim and bike well, too.

Rachel Joyce: On her Facebook post earlier this week about not feeling well: I’m feeling much, much better. I’ve had really good preparation coming into this race, until Monday morning. But these things happen, and I’m just grateful that I’ll be able to start. I wouldn’t have chosen to have a bronchial infection, but I’m feeling good, so I’m banking on the work I’ve done over the last 10 weeks.

Leanda Cave: On how much more confidence she has coming into this race after a successful last 12 months: Coming out of Arizona with a sub-3:00 marathon really set the stage for me this year. I feel I can deliver no matter what the temperature and conditions are. I feel I’m ready to race here in much better mental shape than last year for sure.

Mirinda Carfrae: I got hammered early in the year with Caroline and Rachel’s races in Melbourne. These girls are going to be super fast and it’s going to be a great battle. But I’m looking forward to it.

On how she’s been working on her bike: I’m not exactly sure how much better my bike is. Certainly in training the numbers look better, and I’m performing better in similar training sessions as in previous years. While I know I’ve improved, I’m also very realistic, and understand that it doesn’t always scome at six months, t comes at 12 months or a year and a half after working really hard at something. I just hope to continue to have good luck here on the island. I’ve had three really good years here. I don’t think we’ve ever seen Chrissie hurt that way before, and I think the other girls would agree that it’s always good to see Chrissie hurt.

On how she felt last year: I felt a little nervous going into the race last year. Hopping off the bike 20 minutes behind Julie and 14 minutes behind Caroline, when we’d gotten out of the water together, that’s a lot of time to get back on the marathon. Mostly I was focused on Chrissie, but still, Caroline, the girl can run. Anything’s possible in this race and it just shows you have to push until the end.

On how her confidence has been affected by her season so far: I’ve had a quieter year than in the past years, but I’ve made a lot of changes. I think you need to try different things in order to get better, and the result of that has been a bit of mixed bag. I had great races in June and July, but certainly in training is where I draw most of my confidence. Since July I’ve put in a fantastic training block.

Caroline Steffen: On coping with Ironman Melbourne expectations: It doesn’t weigh heavily on me. I felt way more pressure last year because I’d come second the year before.




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The Felt DA1 R. Carfrae rides an off-the-peg 47cm frame with a custom paint job

The Ride: Felt DA1 R

With more than 25 professional triathlon wins under her belt, including the 2010 Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, Australia’s ‘Rinny’ is one of the most successful triathletes of all time.

Her switch from Cannondale to Felt in the winter of 2010 saw her become involved in the development of the new DA bike, particularly the geometry needed to accommodate her petite 1.61m height.

Our experience testing Felt’s tri bikes has always proved their smoothly comfortable and efficient character would favour lighter, lower powered long-distance athletes like Carfrae. When she joined Felt, the team built her a ride to fit using their 50cm frame and 650c wheels. “They took away my bike after Kona, measured it and built me a bike that was exactly the same fit,” she says.

She was involved in the development of the new 650c wheeled 47cm DA frame straight away though. “There was a time when smaller bikes with 650c wheels were more accepted, but that went away; it wasn’t until 2010 that they said, ‘OK, you can’t really ride a 50cm frame’. I’m always seeking out the most comfortable fit on the bike; it’s like a good pair of jeans, your bike fit is very specific to you.”

The new bike has kept the low front end of her original DA, but with a shorter top tube to allow the use of a standard stem. As Felt only provide framesets for Carfrae, her DA is built up with a full suite of Zipp componentry including R2C tip shifters. SRAM provide the Red Black groupset and Zipp 650c wheels although her set-up is definitely distinctive, with a 58/54 tooth chainring up front.

“I tried riding with shorter cranks but that just didn’t suit me,” she says. “I ride with a low cadence in the 70s and low 80s and run a 58-tooth chainring because when you go to 650c wheels you lose gears. It looks weird but when you do the maths it really is the same gearing as a 53-tooth chainring with 700c wheels.” That means a normally climber-specific WiFli long cage mech out back to cope with the extra chain.

Bag the bike

If you’re a pocket rocket planning to copy Rinny’s ride then you can buy the same frameset for £3,500 and go for a dream DIY build-up. Otherwise for a complete bike, the £6,600 Shimano Di2 DA1 and £6,200 DA2 bikes that bracket it will give you all the speed you need (saddleback.co.uk).

The Training

Miranda Carfrae comes from a background of draft-legal triathlon, where solo time trial speed isn’t as vital as it is in Ironman races. So she’s had to work hard on her cycling over the last few years resulting in a 10-minute improvement in her bike split at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii between 2009 and 2010.

With two Kona run course records to her name, Carfrae knows the best route to another world title is on the bike. “The bike for me is where I can make up the most time and it’s something I’ve shifted my focus to this year,” she says. “We’ve changed my position because I’ve never been that aggressive on the bike. And in training, where in the past I would structure my week around two key run sessions, now I’ll still do those runs but might do them on tired legs because my focus is more on key bike sessions.”

As well as putting more into her bike sessions, Carfrae is adding some extra conditioning off the bike to build her pedal power. Although Carfrae admits to being “lazy” when she’s not training, and relies on twice weekly massages rather than hours of stretching to stay in good condition, she has returned to weight training over the last off-season to build her bike strength. “Everybody from Dave Scott to Craig Alexander to Paula Newby-Fraser to Greg Welch recommends weight training!” she says. “I haven’t lifted weights in five or six years, so I’m interested to see what difference that makes. I recognise that I need to ride faster, so we’re taking a few more risks and doing things differently this year

Train Like Mirinda Carfrae

Change your focus

If you’re a strong runner, like Carfrae, it can be easy to assume your bike training will take care of itself, but switch your focus as she did and prioritise two hard bike sessions over everything else each week – even if that means running tired some of the time. Make your long ride and one speed session measurably more intense.

Weight training

As Carfrae says, all the greats of triathlon recommend weight training so if you can fit in even one session per week without losing recovery time you should see the benefit. Classic moves with free weights, such as slow squats and lunges, are a great way to build strength for the bike as well as improving stability for the run.



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Jacobs' rides a Boardman AiR TT 9.8

The Ride: Boardman AIR TT 9.8

If there was one bike that legendary time triallist, track record holder and now bike designer Chris Boardman was bound to receive a lot of attention for it was his dedicated time trial and triathlon bike.

While the Lotus bike that Boardman took to world record, Olympic and Tour de France glory was an ultra radical design, he’s taken a more measured approach for the range of aero bikes he’s put his name to. “I like to think our bikes are elegantly simple and practical to use,” he says. “You can point to any centimetre on any bike we produce and say ‘why is that like that?’ and I’ll be able to give you a proper, provable performance reason why it is that shape, size, or why something exists.”

The front brake is hidden in the back of the fork but there are no chopped tails, extended blade sections or cunning fairings in the shape of integrated bottles or seat packs. Instead, cleanly aero efficient (in headwind or crosswind) frame tubes with carefully thought out and lined internal cabling minimise drag, while oversized chainstays and BB30 bottom bracket and dinner plate crank maximise drive. Boardman’s age-ripened geometry template syncs with super friendly Zipp wheels to create a super surefooted bike that lets Jacobs focus all his attention on the horizon rather than the handling. “I like the fact that it’s simple, light and aerodynamic,” says Jacobs. “It’s just got everything it needs, and nothing that it doesn’t.”

The reversible seatpost makes achieving a run-friendly steep seat angle easy – essential for Jacobs’ sub-2:45 Ironman runs – and position and overall manners are pitch perfect with minimal cockpit tweaking.

Bag the bike

Unlike most tri bike families, the whole four-bike Boardman AiR TT family share the same chassis which makes the £2,000 AiR TT 9.0 a total upgrade value bike. The complete 9.8 as ridden by Jacobs will set you back a relatively reasonable £7,000 (boardmanbikes.com).

The training

Jacobs spends around 16-17 hours of his 20-25-hour weekly training volume on the bike. “I know I’ve got a weakness there; I’m happy to admit that because you’ve got to admit your weaknesses to improve them,” he says.

Jacobs will be heading to the wind tunnel for the first time this year to hone his position. “I think I’m fairly aerodynamic in the position I’ve got, I’ve just chosen it by feel and I’ve never had a problem running off the bike, but there are small changes we can make in the set-up and the equipment.”

Jacobs has also talked about the difference his nutrition made to bring him a second-place Hawaii finish last year. “The biggest difference I made was that I had a solid nutrition plan, more planned and thought out than ever before thanks to the brains behind Shotz Nutrition. [Darryl Griffiths from Shotz] will ring and speak to an age grouper that has questions just the same as he rings and speaks to me about my plan for Kona.

“My plan was a few gels every hour, along with bottles of Shotz Salt Tabs with an extra gel in each. We had planned for the inevitable, which was missing my special needs bag on the bike section. So I was prepared with a concentrated bottle of salt tablets, and plenty of gels. They were packed like sardines into my stem bag, my back pocket and even my tri short legs. Being prepared was the difference this year. Both in the weeks and days leading up to and during the race I was ready early.”

Train Like Pete Jacobs

Nutrition

No matter what you do in training, you still need to get your race-day nutrition right in order to ride a fast Ironman bike leg like Jacobs. You’ll need a litre of liquid every hour (depending on your sweat rate and the conditions) and between 300 and 600 calories of carbohydrate per hour depending on your size and the race intensity. If it’s humid or you’re a salty sweater, you’ll need to consume extra salt too.

It’s not easy to consume carbohydrate during a long-distance race such as an Ironman because the oxygen in your bloodstream gets diverted to your working muscles, and away from your gut. So the more tired you get, the more you’ll struggle to digest gels, bars and sports drinks. This is why Ironman triathletes often feel sick and also why they revert to simple carbohydrates like cola and water, as they provide a quick energy fix the moment they enter your blood stream. Research also shows that you can condition your gut to accept certain types of food and drinks, by always using them in training.

Wind tunnel testing

If you fancy hitting the wind tunnel like Jacobs there are several to choose from in the UK. The main one for public use is the Mercedes-Petronas F1 facility in Northampton. Check out Drag2Zero.co.uk for more information but brace yourself first, because it’ll set you back a cool £900 for two hours.



This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine. Save time and money by having every issue delivered to your door or digital device by subscribing to the print edition or buying digitally through Zinio or Apple Newsstand.

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Joyce rides the bizarrely gorgeous looking Cervelo P5

Cervélo have been the leading brand in the Kona bike count for years so news of the latest evolution of their P-series aero family always creates a lot of excitement. The new P5 certainly follows the distinctively angular family look with an offset, almost vertical seat post and wheelhugger seat tube. The tube shapes are deeper overall though and there are two different fork options too: a shallow one for UCI-sanctioned road events and a deeper, more aerodynamic blade complete with drag reducing brake shroud and stem ‘beard’ for triathletes like Cervélo newcomer Rachel Joyce (racheljoyce.org). The front end is also home of two more really neat design touches. The Cervélo specific 3T Aduro bars have totally internal cable routing for an extremely neat and aerodynamic cockpit.

The most dramatic innovation is the new Magura RT8 TT brakes though. These neatly get round the issue of convoluted, control-reducing cable routing on many “superbike” designs by using a hydraulic caliper driving piston actuated by conventional cable levers. The frame is pre-routed for Di2 electronic gearing, as well as a range of aerodynamic storage options.

Joyce raced on the older P3 in 2011 and says her experience of the bike put Cervélo top of her sponsor wishlist when she took the decision to go solo. Having worked on her bike fit with Matt Steinmetz (formerly of Retul in Boulder, Colorado) on the P3, she’s working to recreate her position on the P5 with some minor adjustments like placement of her hydration systems. Joyce has only just started racing on the P5 – resulting in a PB of 8:46:09 at Ironman Melbourne in March – and has a standard build but should be moving to a new lower front-end model in the next couple of months.

Bag the bike

The P5 follows its predecessors, sitting firmly in the ‘dream bike’ category: the top-end P5 Six frameset will cost you £4,499.99 or you could go for the ‘budget’ P5 Three at £3,499.99 (madison.co.uk).

The Training

A swimmer and runner from an early age, Joyce has had plenty to gain on the bike and found more than 10 minutes on her Ironman Hawaii bike split from 2010 to 2011. “I think the biggest difference was my bike position,” she says. “My training was better too, but much as I’d like to think it was all down to more power through the pedals, the data from both races shows it wasn’t! Kona is the kind of race where position makes a huge difference because you spend so long in the time trial position.”

SRM-sponsored athlete Joyce has been using power-based training for three years now. “It’s an integral part of my training,” she says. “It doesn’t play such a big part in my racing, but I do like to get the data back from a race. It highlights areas I need to improve, so I might see that my power drops during the last 40km of the ride for example.”

Joyce’s coach Matt Dixon (purplepatchfitness.com) sets her training sessions based on power, with target bands to hit in every workout.

Joyce also uses indoor bike training to keep a tough edge to her bike splits. Since early 2009 she’s been using a CompuTrainer for turbo workouts and says it helps to keep a focus to her tougher bike sessions. Her favourite painful sessions include 2x20mins at threshold and a one-hour time trial. “It feels like you’re on the road because you don’t get those dead spots which some turbo trainers have. You’re not stopping for traffic – though sometimes I wish there were some traffic lights on it! There’s no hiding when you’re on the CompuTrainer so you have to keep going, just like in a race. Often in a race your legs are screaming at you to stop but you have to keep going and the CompuTrainer teaches you that.

Train Like Rachel Joyce

 Use a power meter

Power meters measure how hard and fast you pedal, giving you a constantly updating power figure in watts that isn’t affected by external conditions. They also measure your heart rate, cadence, speed and distance, so you get a wealth of information that you can download, analyse and learn from. There is software available (such as WKO+) that helps you study your power files and turn them into in-depth training information, but doing this isn’t for everyone. If you don’t consider yourself very techy you might need to enlist a coach to help you interpret your power files.

Train on the turbo

A brilliant feature on the CompuTrainer is the ability to download specific race courses, like the Ironman UK bike route, and then ride them in training. They also measure your power and show you how efficiently you pedal. Fortunately you can train like Rachel Joyce using just about any turbo trainer, although there are a few things you can do to help:

– Plan your session before you ride

– Set up a fan to keep you cool

– Use a stopwatch and heart-rate monitor

– Watch cycling DVDs for motivation

– Download new music podcasts to keep you entertained



This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine. Save time and money by having every issue delivered to your door or digital device by subscribing to the print edition or buying digitally through Zinio or Apple Newsstand.

You’ll find loads more triathlon news, reviews, training info and insight at triradar.com


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TM01 Time Machine. Raelert runs Shimano deep section wheels and Pro's Missile bars.

Bike introductions don’t get much better than that enjoyed by BMC’s radical TM01 Timemachine. Not only did Andreas Raelert use it for the fastest ever Ironman-distance time at Roth (including a 4:11 bike) it was also the time trial bike of 2011 Tour winner Cadel Evans.

The bike that has entered production is almost identical to the outstandingly successful prototypes. The unique Tri Angle segmented stem gives 30 different potential bar reach/height options. The leading edge fork that blends beautifully into the wheelhugger down tube also has the front brake seamlessly buried in its legs. The four-position 21-21 seatpost top design can be adjusted to relaxed road or far-forward tri angles.

There are subtle component differences between the £8,499 TM01 bike and Raelert’s machine though. While both use Shimano’s Dura Ace Di2 gears and brake levers, Raelert uses a previous generation Dura Ace crank with an SRM power meter. He also runs Shimano deep section wheels, rather than the Zipp 404s of the shop-floor bike, and his bars are Pro’s Missile units rather than the production Profile pieces.

Bag the bike

Having ridden the Shimano 105 equipped, conventionally forked, Timemachine we can confirm that its relaxed character and the obvious aero effect of the carefully sculpted tubes and Trip Wire surface turbulence generators make it a phenomenal speed-sustain bike even in its affordable base-level format (evanscycles.com).

The training

Raelert may hold the world record for the fastest ever Ironman-distance race, but he insists there’s no magic formula to his training. “It’s no big secret. I am sure if someone trained with me they would be in really good physical shape. The key to Ironman is about being mentally strong, as well as fit. I have been working on both. On the physical side I have been working on power training. I am lucky to have one of the best training partners in the world, my brother Michael.”

His emphasis outside training is directed at avoiding stress and promoting recovery. Speaking about his preparation for the 2011 Hawaii Ironman he said: “I will go to Clermont, Florida for a couple of weeks up until a week before and then to Kona. This will minimise jet lag and stress. I am very focused on minimising stress especially in a high-volume, high-intensity training phase which will be three to four weeks out from Kona. When I train at this intensity it always feels as if I am on the edge.”

His attention to detail is just as apparent in his bike set-up, which he continually tweaks. Speaking before Ironman Hawaii 2011 he said: “It’s always just a matter of changing little things over time. I went to the wind tunnel earlier this year to fine tune the position and find the right combination of aerodynamics and comfort.”

He rides his bike in a ‘preying mantis’ position, first brought to attention by the Tour de France winner Floyd Landis (who was later stripped of his title due to a drug offence). His tri-bar extensions point up, so his hands are higher than his elbows. As Raelert explains: “This position helps you keep your head down between your shoulders. But at the end of the day, you have to be comfortable. If you can’t ride a radical position, then don’t do it. The run is key.”

Train Like Andreas Raelert

Avoid stress

Whether you’re suffering from work stress or a heavy training load, the effects on your body are the same. One of your body’s responses is to secrete cortisol. This gives you a burst of energy for survival but it can be activated so often that the body can’t return to normal. To keep cortisol levels under control, the body’s relaxation response needs to be activated immediately after stress. For Raelert this means putting his feet up after a key session. For you, it may mean anything from simply getting out of the office for a walk, to making major lifestyle changes.

Tweak your position

It’s good to experiment with your riding position, but the key is to make small changes over time like Raelert does. This enables you to evaluate the effect it has on your comfort, aerodynamics and power, and means your body can adapt. You should avoid trying radical riding positions without some kind of objective measure of its success.



This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine. Save time and money by having every issue delivered to your door or digital device by subscribing to the print edition or buying digitally through Zinio or Apple Newsstand.

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With a staggeringly talented men’s field at Kona this year, there are plenty of contenders to try and steal the crown from defending champion Craig Alexander. Here are the cream of the crop to look out for.

Craig Alexander riding his Specialized Shiv in Kona last year

Craig Alexander

The Aussie returns to attempt a fourth title win after beating Luc Van Lierde’s 15-year-old course record in Kona last year, proving that at 38, his pro career was far from over. 39 is looking to be a good age for Crowie too. Despite losing his Ironman 70.3 World Championship trophy to Germany’s Sebastian Kienle this year, Alexander won the Ironman Asia Pacific Championships in emphatic style, crossing the line in 7:57:44, and without as busy a racing schedule in 2012, he comes to the race prepared for battle in fantastic form for another victory.

Andreas Raelert

Twice second and twice third at the Ironman World Championships, Germany’s Raelert will finally be looking to lift the tape ahead of the competition this year. 2011 was a spectacular season that saw Raelert set a new iron-distance world record at Challenge Roth, but he’s suffered with a thigh injury this year, meaning he’s coming into the race as something of an unknown quantity. If he is indeed in form, his previous Kona appearances show he’s a man for the big occasion and could well top the podium at last.

McCormack is back after a year away from Kona

Chris McCormack

Now that McCormack’s Olympic odyssey is over, Macca will be returning to the Big Island for the first time since his win in 2010. Though short-course triathlons haven’t afforded him the same build-up to Kona as in previous years, his added speed could prove decisive if he’s at the front of the field in the closing stages. He’s also shown that his endurance hasn’t tapered off, winning the ITU Long Distance World Championships this year. Master of mind games, the Aussie should never be underestimated, and it’s unlikely anyone in the field has written him off.

Sebastian Kienle

Racing in Kona for the first time, Sebastian Kienle has shown a flurry of fantastic performances in the build up to his Hawaii debut. At only 28 years old, the German holds the records for the fastest first-ever iron-distance race after going 7:57:06 at last year’s Challenge Roth (after smashing the rookie record the year before), where he came second to Andreas Raelert. This year he came second at the Ironman European Championships in Frankfurt and went on to beat defending champion Craig Alexander in Las Vegas to claim the 70.3 World Championship. Run speed is perhaps his weakness, but if he can make headway on the bike, a buffer of between five to 10 minutes could spell victory.

Pete Jacobs could make it an all-Aussie podium

Pete Jacobs

Another Australian in the mix, Jacobs surprised many by coming second in Kona last year after eighth and ninth place finishes in 2008 and 2009 respectively. 2:41 and 2:42 marathons back to back in Hawaii proved it wasn’t a fluke though. Jacobs is also one of the sport’s fastest swimmers and has been working with diligent obsession on cycling gains. The Aussie has suffered with injuries in 2012 however, a pinched nerve contributing to a quiet season when the luxury of laying low in Kona is now lost to him. A recent win at Ironman 70.3 Philippines shows he’s recovered well and is likely to be headed to Hawaii well rested and in superb form.

Marino Vanhoenacker

Belgium’s Vanhoenacker is certainly one of the best European Ironman athletes. After a Kona DNF in 2009, Vanhoenacker took two Ironman wins in 2010, topping the season by coming third in Kona. 2011 saw a second place in Abu Dhabi before setting the Ironman world record in Austria. This year he took a strong victory in Frankfurt to claim the European Ironman Championship. Vanhoenacker has yet to show his true potential on the Big Island, but if this year turns out to be his perfect race, he’s a true contender for the crown.

Dirk Bockel

After a fourth place finish at Kona in 2011, Bockel, who hails from Luxembourg, will be looking to step into the podium this year. With McCormack back and such a strong field it’ll be a tough ask, but with sixth place in Abu Dhabi, third at the ITU Long Distance world champs and a win at Ironman Regensburg, Bockel has shown he’s in good form to give it his all in Hawaii.





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