New format at Kitzbuhel

joey100

So Kitzbuhel the venue that gave us the race up a mountain is trying something new this year too.

Be a 2 race system, first race will be 2/3 the distance of a sprint and done in a time trial system, people starting 30 seconds apart. Not sure if drafting is allowed on the bike if you catch someone or how they would determine the order. Race 2 is a short 1/3 distance of a sprint race (sounds bit like the relay in Hamburg distances). The top 30 times from the first event qualify for the second event, with the winner of that being the overall winner.

Nice to see them trying something a bit different, enjoyed watching the Kitzbuhel race up the mountain and the relay a Hamburg is always a decent watch.

http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/ITU_introduces_innovative_triathlon_format

iAcesHigh

so 500-14-3 for the first and 250-6-2 for the second race... Don't see that sticking too long as a real competition format, but yeah, sounds like a good craic. IMO definitely worth taking a look

desertcircus

That could make for a cracking spectator sport format. Doing both stages on the same day brings in tactics that make it really interesting - do the big hitters save themselves, at the risk of being dumped out in the morning? Does a lower-tier racer flatten themselves, make it into the final, and draft in the swim and bike in the hope that they can pump out one hard mile on foot? Does a far-out lunatic switch to SPD shoes for the evening, save themselves crucial seconds in T2, and just run as best they can in the SPDs? Does another lunatic switch to toe cages, throw on fairly stiff running shoes and do the reverse? And how do the other competitors deal with it - if the person on your wheel is in running shoes, do you maintain a consistent pace or hammer the pedals to leave them behind? Between the qualifying and the ultra-short closing race, it could be a superb sport to watch.

EC1000

desertcircus wrote: »

run as best they can in the SPDs

Doubt it!

desertcircus

EC1000 wrote: »

Doubt it!

With existing SPDs, admittedly probably not. But a less rigid SPD shoe, or one with slightly softer rubber studs, could be worth trying over such a short distance, especially if it means a few seconds saved in transition.