With the Ironman world championships back home on the big island after ‘2 Covidfull years of joy’ our athletes took their chances to smash hard and outperformed in several Ironman, challenge and non-labelled races with as the summit in spring Sam’s 2nd place in the AG Ironman world champs 2021 in Saint-George (USA) and the overall win of Hans in Ironman Vichy (France) at the end of August.
Past season our small squad of athletes realized 12(!) Ironman world championships qualifications. An astonishing result! 6of them took their chance and registered for the Ironman World championships in Kona, Hawaii upcoming week.
A small overview of who they are!
° Tim Fievez (Belgium – living in France) ° AG35 °Strength: Swim – Bike – in a good paced day a consistent run °Mental status: wait and see °Improved a lot on the run with in 2022 2overall podia in 70.3races in the French mountains °Exceptional fact: Only swims 1session/week consistently.
°Vadim Suraev (Canada) °AG50 °Strength: Swim – Beastbiker – off the bike must be patient and look at his watch only. °Mental status: A Rock °Qualified already in November 2019, and only had 2 races in between then and 2022 World Champs. °Exceptional fact: 2weeks after the Ironman World champs 2022 his next Ironman is planned already!
°Steven Debaere (Belgium) °AG40 °Strength: Steady Swim – Bike and proved being able to kill it on the run. °Mental status: Keen on better (than his last visit in Kona) °Made huge steps the past 2seasons and was able to take overall podia in 70.3 races but above all astonish taking the bronze medal in the European Championships Ironman in his AG ° Exceptional fact: Athlete becoming stronger by the age.
°Pieter De Jongh (Belgium) °AG 35 °Strength: Bike – Run, in a good day the swim will not influence his classification. °Mental status: Ready to roll, hungry. °Became stronger, harder and faster and qualified in Ironman Switzerland. °Exceptional fact: A sports teacher who influences in the most positive way by showing life is sports and sports is life :-).
° Javier Cepeda (Colombia) °AG40 °Strength: Swim – bike and steady run °Mental status: Waiting for departure to Kona and keen on the last week. Our last man to arrive in Kona. °Qualified in the tough race of Ironman Lake Placid and is on the island for the 2nd consecutive time! °Exceptional fact: Lives in Bogota on 2000m of altitude. A never-ending altitude camp.
°Jeffrey Sanders (Belgium) °AG25 °Strength: steady swim – strong biker – if pacing well (!) always spot on on the run. °Mental status: Jump in the field, keen on racing among the best of the world. °Qualified strongly in Ironman Frankfurt and had some very good tests and PR’s past season! °Exceptional fact: His last name is being dropped in the newspapers a lot as a future Ironman winner.
The guys are ready, ready to suffer and ready to enjoy! Staying calm and focussed untill D-Day is what must happen now!
Javier, in 2019 you could qualify for Kona. A big dream you chased and realised after putting down your strongest Ironman in Cairns. A big step forward, of course you wanted to continue this step forward in 2020. Untill the lockdown in Colombia came. How did you experience the lockdown and training?
My pre-Covid19 plan was to chase a 2021 Kona Slot in IM Wisconsin (sept 13th) in order to have enough time to recover and prepare well. When the pandemic started I thought my late year race was not in cancellation´s risk. So I had no problems with keep high motivation´ levels. The lock down brought big changes and challenges in my job. The first 3 months were so difficult and needed a big effort to modify the way my team works. Fortunately I could manage and take the control back. The training gave me the mental refresh I needed to keep the calm. The homeworking let me avoid the Bogota´s Traffic jam and save about 90 minutes/day, so I started to sleep and recover better.
In Colombia pools were closed from April to September and now they still aren’t available very often. In Bogota you could only swim in the weekend, and for now all is closed again. You are a steady swimmer. How do you look to this difficulty? I spent my childhood swimming. This background still pays, I remember i raced in IM 70.3 Panama 2016 without any swimming training in more than one year, and survived to 1900 meters in Panama Channel, and achieve a 70.3 World Championship´s slot. This time I tried to save the shape with strength work at least 3 times by week, and did some open waters. When I came back to the pool I still swam relatively good. I could swam about 5 weeks until the Covid´s second wave´s lock down. I´m confident I can swim soon and fastly recover the shape.
Cycling and running outdoors weren’t possible also, which made you train a lot on the treadmill and turbo. This fortunately was something you are quite used to. U managed on doing your running sessions on a 68m parking lot, down at your appartment. Non-sportsmen call that crazy, sportsmen say ‘respect’ to this. How did you experience this?
The running sessions on the parking lot was crazy, I focused on my ipod playlist and not get an ankle´s twist on the thousands of turns that I have to do. I ran in that conditions about 2 months (from march to may), when I came back to street my running shape still was good. And my mental strenght too. My cycling training did not change, before Covid more than 95% of my cycling training was indoor because of time efficiency , bad weather and safety. With the lock down I started to do some sessions on Zwift,… so my lonely cycling sessions started to be more fun
Javier representing Colombia in the Ironman World championships 2019
In 2021 you are racing Ironman70.3 Acapulco, Mexico and Ironman Lake Placid, USA. Training is going fine, without swimming at this point. Performance and consistency are going hand in hand for athletes, past 9 months I never felt any lack of motivation but you always looked at the positive points in this matter. Eyes on what will be, when it will be…and meanwhile you are training smart, to perform better later.
You planned on me a recovery period last September. I could refresh the body and mind, and came back to training in good conditions. I think my shape is coming back and I´m going to be ready and strong for 2021 races. I hope to be able to come back to KONA.
I´m hungry for race again!
Thanx Javier for sharing us your thoughts and onwards to what’s coming next!
While the bottles of champagne are getting uncorked, glasses get filled…it’s time to have a look to what pas season brought to us! Evaluation is key to succces, looking in the mirror and being honest for you and the surrounding people to get to the best results. The hours athletes train must not be occupational therapy but results-oriented. Whether this reflects in personal growth, feeling good as performance wise.
2019 kicked of with victories and podiums in some runningraces in prep or as A-races for our athletes. Also our crossduathletes, mountainbikeriders and cyclocrossriders were under steam from the moment January and February began, victories in both disciplines confirmed this. Of course our annual after NY groupsession also was reflecting on the way our athletes were going to enter spring season.
Klaas winning after a big lead from start untill finishIn Asia Tine could take 3rd in Chiang Mai in January 19
When February came to an end, our road athletes and cyclists could show their power for the first time! With immediately strong results in cycling of Anthony, Dries, Tibo and Svenne who played a role for the podium from day 1 untill 9months later in the last races of the season!
In Triathlon the early season races such as Tenerife (1st AG, 9th Pro incl) gave a good insight in the way our athletes were going to perform later that season. With victories in several crossduathlons an trailruns in the beginning of spring the season couldn’t start better.
Alejandro winning the AG race in Tenerife early in the season, finishing 9th Profield included.Anthony had an excellent season with an early season win in France, but also winning races in Belgium and Germany
From April on all roadcyclists and triathletes were ready to go! With in triathlon Kona qualification in Ironman South Africa, 3rd in place in the duathlon nationals (and 1st master) and winning the regional championships Time Trial our athletes aimed very well towards the first series of championships. In triathlon, podiumplaces in Belgium, The Netherlands and France were earned. In cycling our athletes kept winning and taking podiumplaces, from juniors untill elite riders. For Bram a frustrating period by missing qualification for the Elite world championships mountainbike twice…by 1 spot! But perseverance kept him going and a few months later was capable of taking this qualification with both hands! In junior category Andres takes several podiums in the MTB marathons.
Inge taking 3rd on the nationals duathlon Long distance (1st master)
May traditionally is the launch of the Ironmanraces, with Bert (Pro) and Pirmin (AG) our athletes performed great from the start of the IM season with Pirmin taking the Hawaii slot. An example followed later that month by Javier (IM Cairns), Vadim and Sam (IM Boulder). These athletes, together with Alejandro (2nd AG IM South Africa) were going to race Ironman Hawaii 2019. Pirmin (3rd), Vadim (3rd) and Sam (1st) also could mount the podium in their qualifying races. In Bould it was Cai, getting on the podium but missing her slot by a hair.
But not only the Full distance world championships in Kona were a main goal for our athletes. Hannah and Dave succeeded in qualifying for the Ironman 70.3 worlds in Nice, France by putting down a remarkable race in Staffordshire, UK.
As the season continued and in both cycling and triathlon our athletes kept going strong and win races. Our youngest triathlete Rens mounted on the podium in his first 70.3 race in Lahti, Finland, while our professional triathletes took top 10 in Ironman Vitoria-Gasteiz ( Sergio 9th, Bert 10th).
What a stunning race of Sergio and Bert in Ironman Vitoria, almost side by side they finished 9th and 10th Pro both sub 8h40!
July was a busy racing period in Ironman with many races such as Frankfurt, Klagenfurt, Zürich, Hamburg, Vichy!
In Zürich Steven and Tony put down a smashing result. Tony realised to finish 21st overall in this Ironman classic!
Tony taking 21st overall (4thAG) in Ironman Zürich
Summer also is the moment elite riders take part in several stage races followed by some (pro)kermesse races. Our elite riders could battle within the first places of the peloton in those races.
In the same period Bram finally got himself qualified for the UCI Mountainbike world championships, where he was going to race against the best ever riders such as Nino Schürter.
Bram on recon in the UCI world championships Mountainbike
And what to say about Svenne, taking 3rd in the UCI world championships for Masters after breaking his femoral head. A very tough preparation on the Turbo and off the turbo, with almost no races and a coach saying: ‘Pain is French bread’ but also joining the man in his first race with the healed hip…is not only a physical but also mentally TOPperformance ;-)!
Svenne 5 months after a femoral head fracture, shining strong
Another comeback-man this season was Hans, for most people he never was away…but somewhere he was involved in an ‘impingement’ and had to slowly build his way back. In his first race of the season the performance was already very good…but what he realised furthermore in Jabbeke and in his main goal this season Ironlakes was EXCELLENT! Ironlakes, a full distance triathlon with over 2000D+ on the bike and 380D+ on the run was going the be the race to see if Hans was back already or net yet totally…it seems he was! He won by far in this tough race and also won his 2nd full distance triathlon in his career. Who has?
Hans taking the win in Ironlakes, Belgium
Winning Ironlakes was excellent, the 6th full distance win so far for our athletes…but this inspired with excellent performances in the Ironman70.3 world champs of Hannah And Dave and more 70.3 races in autumn, our athletes kept performing well untill the last 70.3 races of the season in Lanzarote and Turkey! Only 3 weeks after the win of Hans in Belgium, it was Ironman Pro athlete Sergio who took his first full distance win in his career in Guadiana, Spain! This in the same style of Hans, leading and dominating the race!
Sergio winning in Guadiana, full distance!
In Ironman Barcelona our athletes did very well, our agegroupers were all heading towards a PB race and Bert, starting in the Pro race. Was on for his 3rd(!) Ironman this season and how! Another time confirming his place in the mid-field of the prorace with another fast time as result!
Bert puts down a huge season with 3 Ironman race in which he confirmed each time!
Traditionally the Ironman World championships are held only 1 week after Barcelona! Our 5 athletes Pirmin (Swi), Sam (Bel), Javier (Col), Alejandro (Spain) and Vadim (Can) did their best from start untill finish. Going into the race in Kona always brings a bit of stress and uncertain factors. But the results were satisfying with top 10 place for Sam, but also a sick Alejandro who vomited from Km 1 on the bike but maintained and could make the stomach work again at the end of the bike to finish with a 3h15 marathon. Javier learned a lot in his first race in Kona about humidity and travelling. While Pirmin and Vadim, 2 experienced racers had the time of their life and know what their working points are approaching Kona again.
For Vadim this was a seesaw to Kona 2020, because only 6weeks later he realised the impossible by finishing 4th in Ironman Arizona (US) and taking his slot 1 year in front!
In autumn cyclocross restarted, crossduathlons restarted and our athletes took podium in several races such as Wetteren, Damme, Malonne, Maldegem,…
In ‘Hel van Kasterlee’, (15K run – 110K MTB – 30K run) our athletes were alive in the race and at the sideline! We saw Stijn, Bart, Lucian and Hans black and full of mud all day, but at the finishline we could somehow still recognize a big smile 🙂
With the groupsessions of last months we can say 100% sure that in 2020 the motivation, consistency and spirit is burning more than ever! Now it’s up to our athletes to ‘Train smart, perform better’!
Ironman Hawaii, the race all triathletes are or following or
dream about competing in it!
Well for Vadim (Can), Pirmin (Sui), Javier
(Col), Alejandro (Esp) and Sam(Bel) it was hard reality!
4 out of 5 who qualified by geting on the podium
in their qualifying race!
Preparations were going very well, except for
Alejandro who crashed and broke his collarbone but was on his bike after 2days
in recovery.
Only 4 weeks before the race Sam got injured in
the hamstringtendon. First we thought a muscular issue but later it became
clear the tendon was damaged because of the saddle that was slightly too high
on his new fast bike (Ceepo). Above this he got sick 7 days before the race,
but fortunately athletes recover fast. No running untill the last 4 days before
the race, which made it unclear of finishing would be an option.
Our athletes took a good dive in the Ocean and
had good swims: Javier (1h02), Pirmin (1h03), Vadim (1h04), Sam (1h07) and
Alejandro (1h09).
During the bikecourse it was in first place Pirmin (AG45) who moved up very strongly, he was chasing (former) professionals such as Alexandre Vinokourov and Mike Schifferle. Riding in top 10 untill T2. Vadim (AG 45) followed closely behind and positioned 13th before entering T2.
Vadim moving up strongly on the bike with 257NP – a fast first 20K followed by a regular bikesplit.
Earlier in the bikecourse our AG35 athlete Alejandro got sick, immediately on the bike it was impossible to eat and hydrate well. In a world championship in hot conditions that of course has a big impact on your race. But Alejandro kept going and at the end of the bike he started moving up again. Feeling in shape but not being able to eat and drink properly is frustrating of course.
In AG 40 Javier came out of the water first, but fast Sam was once again going fast on the bike. This year Sam suffered from a sudden injury on the hamstring tendon in the last 4 weeks and being insure if running would go a (slightly more) conservative pacing was followed than normal. With 257NP in the first half of the race and 256NP in T2 he did what was planned. And was ready to try running. For Javier Ironman World Championships was a new thing, on the bike first everything seemed to go well but abdominal pains started to play a role.
Sam averaging 256NP during the 180K bike course
On the run course heat appears, and that’s the same for all athletes…every year! It starts around Hawi on the bike and then it never gets cooler again. Pirmin didn’t have his best day with pain in his back, and had to adapt his ambitions today. Or as he describes ‘Fitness was supreme today, and DNF was NEVER an option’! That shows the mental capabilities of an athlete and still finishing in 10h13′!
Pirmin finishing in Kona in 10h13′ after stunning swim and bike performance, but above all mental strength in the run
Vadim, 13th off the bike has the run as his weakest link in triathlon! Warmth and the marathon wasn’t his best friend today but he still manages to finish in 10h40′! Even at age 46 progression is to be made!
Sam (AG40) was uncertain how his hamstring would react on running a bit faster for the first time in a month. Adaptations in planning with a lot of ellipticalsessions and some aquajogging are good of course but never replace the whole run. Sam his plan was to start at 4’35/km and so he did, kilometer by kilometer and he moved up slowly. Halfway he positions himself 18th. but he and Olivier Godart (Lux) were the only 2 athletes not slowing down. The hamstring felt doable and pace was taken to a higher speed. So he moved up, towards 12 and with 5K to go a top 10 didn’t seem impossible. His wife Cai cheered on him and could tell him a top 10 was still in it. Fighting untill the finishline made Sam finish in 9th position! Another top 10 in the World Championships in his 10th year qualifying in a row.
Sam finishing after a 3h15′ marathon, finishing 9th (AG) in Kona
Javier from his side suffered on the runcourse, abdominal pains and hamstring didn’t feel well but he maintained the drive towards the finishline in his first World Championships. In Kona many athletes crack down because of raceday facts, as we saw in the pro field with Lange, Ryf,…but Javier kept going and finishes his first world championships in Kona in 12h! Being there was a real dream for Javier. A dream he made come true!
We are proud to have this motivated Colombian in Kona, a strong season with 12th place in Cairns (Australia) as main dish and Kona as a tasty dessert!
In AG 35 Alejandro, uncapable of eating/drinking properly on the bike, was doubtfull approaching T2. DNF or trying to run and see what happens. We wouldn’t expect anything less than the 2nd idea of course! Alejandro started running a 3hà3h05 time schedule for the marathon. With a little drop of pace in the 2nd half of the race this perseverance was rewarded with a 3h15′ run, finishing in 9h27′!
Alejandro finishing in Kona in 9h27′ after a 3h15′ marathon!
A nice weekend behind us with athletes daring to race hard! Well deserved rest now and loading mind and body for Kona 2020? 🙂
Upcoming saturday, October 12th, our athletes will appear at the starting line of the Ironman World Championships! Getting at this starting line is the silent (or loud :-)) dream of most triathletes! In Kona, the physical format and psyche of the sport was born. Without Kona, there would be no triathlon as we know it today.
To get there once hard work, talent and dedication is key. And even then, there’s no guarantee on success. Our squad of athletes is known as the very best in Belgium, with a large % of athletes being able to qualify and to perform. This season 7 of our athlete qualified for Kona, 3 got very close and one day will get there (again). Perseverance is key in endurance sports. Not 1 of our athletes racing this saturday got it all served on a golden plate!
This year we have a very international group of athletes racing, since we began coaching setting up an international approach has been one of our missions. The composition of this squad confirms we approached that mission.
Our 5 athletes racing on saturday are almost ready to go, motivated and meanwhile tanned. To make sure they don’t burn theirselves raceday may come now 😉
VADIM SURAEV (Canada – AG 45) Qualification: 3rd AG in Ironman Boulder (USA) Strength: Very strong cyclist, mental strength and used to training hours and hours indoor during the tough Canadian winters. Weakness: Perfect months leading up to the race, will be at full force!
JAVIER CEPEDA ( Colombia – AG 35) Qualification: 12th Continental Championships Ironman Cairns (Australia) Strength: Used to train on altitude in Bogota (+2000m) every day! Weakness: Arrived late on tuesday and didn’t have his training equipments untill today! Stressy situation of course. Furthermore perfect prep!SAM GYDE (Belgium – AG 40) Qualification: 1st AG IM Boulder (USA) Strength: 10th time in Kona, former AG winner and podia. Weakness: A perfect summerprep got interrupted by a hamstring injury, did his first run in 4 weeks yesterday…4days before raceday! PIRMIN CHRISTEN (SWITZERLAND – AG 45) Qualification: 2nd AG Ironman Lanzarote Strength: Very good months leading up towards the race with good consistency Is capable of putting down his bike in front of the race and then survive the run! Looks very relaxed! Weakness: Perfect months leading up to the race, af full force! ALEJANDRO CASADO (Spain – AG 35) Qualification: 2nd AG Continental championships Ironman South Africa Strength: Conquered a serious setback after a serious accident with a broken collarbone as result. He can conquer each setback during the race now. Weakness: is turned into strength
We have no glass bowl of course, and I hate pre-race talking about results. Let’s hit the race, be focussed and dig deep! Work is done now and I have full confidence in this strong and motivated squad!
One of the most loaded weekends with Long distance triathlon races of the season! A weekend in which our athletes raced in LD triathlons in France, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, US and Australia! Important weekend also for a couple of our athletes with a World championships dream!
The first to hit the water this weekend was Javier (Colombia), putting huge steps past winter and working very accurate it was clear he was ready to do a personal very good race! There was a Kona dream (haven’t almost all LD triathletes have this…) but also realism. Doing a good race, and see what happens!
A very good swim made him step on the bike after 1h01′! On that bike Javier felt good! Living very high in Bogota, Colombia racing low should do good and it was! During training this sometimes is tough, but if there’s a positive effect on raceday…it’s very much a positive point!
This good swim combined with a fast and very well paced bike made Javier come off the bike within top 10. As Cairns is a continental championship…more slots are to be taken! Top 10 would be a certitude! On the run course Javier had previous bad experiences in IM and wasn’t planning to have this in Cairns! We paced HR wise, which worked out perfectly. The only focus was the focus on himself and a possible place close to IM WC qualification!
Javier running himself towards his first Kona qualification in Cairns!Strong biking of Javier in Cairns normalizing
Doing a good run and being able to keep the pace in it untill the finishline, temperatures above and around 30°C. In Ironman an athletes must keep going, because the end of the race can be astonishing in all ways. 12th place for Javier and a couple of hours of waiting for the final salvation! Kona qualification was a fact! The day started perfect!
Obviously happiness for Javier, a dream coming true!
At the moment Javier’s race finished…our athletes in Ironman70.3 Staffordshire, UK hit the water. Not the best racing conditions, which made it a hard race! Both Hannah and Dave are in shape! Hannah could manage some very nice results in Elite cycling races and triathlons earlier this season, Dave prooved himself in his previous 2 triathlons.
Ready and still loading for a cold swim in UK
A very big step forward was made this year. Balance in training is key, if the balance is not there an athlete falls back to underperformance. Always. Both athletes moved up well during the bikecourse to put down the bike in a position that would be very close to Ironman 70.3 WC qualifcation in Nice, France. And that’s also what happened!
Hannah’s favourite discipline as a former cyclist and pacing towards a good position!
Hannah kept her place within top 10 during the run course and finishes 8th! Dave from his side manages to finish 15th after a stunning race, perfectly paced and strong untill the finishline!
Hannah only 1m away from qualification for Nice!
For both good enough to qualify for their first Ironman 70.3 world championships! A dream coming true! 3 world championships qualifiers on 1 day already? I was not dreaming!
A very happy Dave after his race in Staffordshire, never thought this was possible 1 year ago!
In the Netherlands, 70.3 racing in Terheijden! Tony is in his last trainingperiod towards Ironman Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain), this race would a last test and part of optimalization for him! Tony his weakest spot (if we may say this) is swimming, in Terheijden athletes have to swim 2500m instead of 1900m…perfect in full prep towards his IM.
Tony swam well, and this small ‘recovery’ week dit very well in his current shape! On the bike Tony paces at 320NP within HRzones and puts down the bike at exactly 320NP!
Tony, last year running a very strong marathon off the bike in Kona never disappoints when it comes down to racing!
Tony running himself towards the podium in The Netherlands!
A very tough challenger when you meet him in the end of the race!Running his half marathon at 3’50/km he keeps moving up untill the finishline and takes 3rd!
Tony running at the limit in Terheijden!
In Terheijden also MC takes 6th in the female race, which is very good in her first ever 70.3 race! Our athletes were also involved in 70.3 races in Bonn (Germany), Obernai (France) and Herning (Denmark)!
Dimi going faster, harder and stronger then ever before!
Strong racing of Alex today!
In Herning the athletes had to conquer cold conditions, rain and wind in the face for the first 50K which made several athletes go into hypothermia! But also racing in Belgium (1/4distance Beernem). Alex and Dimi both are in great shape and probably their best shape ever! 2 big boys who get faster and stronger by their age. ON this part they had a perfect example in Beernem…with Steven finishing 2nd (40+) in the masters race!
Terrible cold weather in Denmark, but Kenneth kept racing with a smile! Only question is: ‘what’s the song he was playing?’
Steven taking 2nd (masters) in Beernem!
And then, late in the afternoon (European Time) our athletes in Boulder, USA were on for a tough race! Watertemperature was quite cold but above all altitude was heavy the first days after arrival! Racing at 1600m above sea level is not for everyone. During their first sessions in Boulder their body clearly needed to adapt. Fortunately Cai, Sam and Vadim had a good preparation trainingwise but also altitude wise with periods of training high or sleeping high! The body surely adapted to racing conditions approaching raceday! In contradiction to previous years where very hot temperatures were measured in Boulder today’s race would be very cold. With temperatures below 10°C. Which is cold for triathlon! Fortunately our athletes could directly warm up on the bike, hitting the watts and going in search of the front of their AG! For Vadim, coming out 6th in AG45 pole position was visible very soon in the race! Sam from his side had a 10′ gap on the leader and Cai got on her bike with the same gap!
Once on the bike endurance, strength and globale shape becomes the most important issue! Our athletes moved up quite fast! Vadim got company from Swiss Mike Schifferle (Pro untill 2018), with his registration for the race…only 2slots would be divided between the rest of the athletes! Vadim and Schifferle in the lead, up to the opponents to chase them down. But these positions were held untill T2!
Vadim was in 2nd, but had chasing athletes close to him before the start of the marathon! With one of the fastest AG bikesplits and faster than a few Pro’s this 46year old Canadian prooved he was ready for a big effort!
Vadim taking off a few % too hard in Boulder, difficult to see but this small % can come back to an athlete in the very end of the race! ~ 256NP
Sam was aiming for a ride at 250-260NP , not overdoing it to save energy for the tough run course following! Very soon Sam took his place in the top 5 of his AG, once the athletes passed halfway the bikecourse Sam takes the lead and takes a massive advantage of 15′ when he enters T2!
Sam running towards AG victory in Boulder
His bikesplit was good for the 10th overall bikesplit, Pro field included! Without problems Sam was ready to take his slot and qualify for the 10th time for the Ironman World Champs!
Very constant pacing of Sam, moving up and taking the lead with big dominance
On the bike Cai also did great, the bike discipline is definitely her strongest discipline and it made her move up towards 3rd position! In the first half of the race a couple of othere athletes sticked around her but once got further in the race her advantage on 4th and 5th place become bigger! Big enough to come off the bike with podium ambitions!
Cai riding herself a way towards a possible Ironman podium in Boulder!
3 athletes on the podium at the end of the race? It became a possibility…and this ‘crazy’ weekend definitely gave confidence that all is possible! Sam moved up very strongly on the runcourse, the further the run was the more advantage he took in his AG…but he also moved up towards the Pro athletes and a very good overall position was in it!
Sam going for a 4h31′ bikesplit in Boulder! Good for an overall (pro included) bikesplit
The runcourse was tough, over 300D+ and a lot of turning combined with altitude didn’t make it an easy job. But he manages to become 14th overall and win his AG by far! Kona qualification was a fact! Packing and flying to Kona for the 10th time in October! When all goes as planned…things seem easy! But things aren’t always as they look like! For Sam also a preparation is full of ups and downs, being capable of dealing with small setbacks is what makes the difference between winners and losers…
A tough race course in Boulder (300D+) and the organisers also liked to make the marathon 2km longer
Thumbs up for Sam in Boulder – winning his AG with a big advantage!
For Vadim Schifferle (fastest AG athlete – 13th overall) was out of reach from the beginning of the run course, focus on keepin his top3 spot and Kona qualification! Only 3 slots, so no mistakes to be made! Vadim ran very constantly in the first half of the marathon! But then slowly HR dropped. Not a lot, but by small %. This definitely was caused by his first 40km on the bike, in which he kept a pace slightly to high.
This always comes back to an athlete at a certain point! But, fortunately we are talking about little% and shape, endurance and strength was at 100% before the race. Vadim never dropped a lot of pace keeps fighting untill the finishline, being passed by 1 athlete in the very end he takes podium, 3rd!! What a day! 3athletes qualified for Kona, 2 athletes qualified for Nice…on 1 day! At this point we passed midnight…so maybe I do was dreaming??!
Vadim fighting for the podium, and succeeding! Kona’s calling!
Unfortunately for our sleepquality Cai was in a very close battle for the podium ànd for a slot! Putting down the bike in 3rd position with quite a gap in front of her. Focussing on her own race and not trying to close a 15′ gap was the best she could do! Behind her, a fast running athlete was coming step by step! With only 2,5km to go her advantage dropped to only 1′. Fortunately Sam already recovered a bit and ecouraged her to keep going strong! With success…taking 3rd place and making the race complete! unfortunately only 1slot in this AG which means no qualification but marvellous performance…her name needs to be changed to Le’Suffer’!
Cai on the red carpet in Kona, taking 3rd place!
All 3 athletes on the podium in Boulder, this clearly lead to a party
3times Triathlonfire in their legs: Sam (Bel) 1st – Cai (Bel) 3rd – Vadim (Can) 3rd CU in Kona!
This weekend also means that in Kona we will have ‘thé’ AG squad in the world ready to roll!
Qualifiers for the Ironman World Champs, Hawaii so far:
* Pirmin Christen (Switzerland)
*Alejandro Casado (Spain)
*Javier Cepeda (Colombia)
*Vadim Suraev (Canada)
*Sam Gydé (Belgium)
Working with athletes all around the world remains an eye opener, an experience that’s very unique in the world. Our approach towards training, vision and communication is key! Thanks for all these athletes to give the best of themselves…as we give the best from ourselves!
Straight forward and no-nonsense, at your service!
High performance coaching & Sportsconsultancy Trainingsbegeleiding en coaching Triatlon, Duatlon, Running , Cycling, wielrennen 