Prediction..

1. Yee
2. Wilde
3. Vilaca

1. Potter
2. Waugh
3. Coldwell

Start list (@Tuesday 2230CET:
https://wtcs.triathlon.org/...ies_abu_dhabi/627943
From the top 30 WTCS rankings, Hidalgo Geens Studer and Izzard (#30) also absent.
No love for GTB @jackets?

I can see this. Perhaps I’d swap Vilaca with Coninx, but can easily see it the other way.

ProTriNews pod (with Blummenfelt as guest) covers these races @27:45
https://podcasts.apple.com/...ri-news/id1559781865

The racing in Abu Dhabi will commence on Friday March 8 at the Yas Marina Circuit, with the athlete village centred around the famous pit lanes of the venue for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The women’s race will begin at 16:00 local time. This corresponds to 12:00 in the UK, 13:00 in Central Europe and 04:00 for viewers on the West Coast. Two hours later, at 18:00 local time, the men’s race will begin. This corresponds to 14:00 in the UK, 15:00 in Central Europe and 06:00 on the West Coast.
On Saturday March 9, there will be a mixed team relay event, as nation’s battle it out for a chance to race for Olympic glory in Paris this summer. The mixed team relay will begin at 15:00 local time on Saturday, which is 11:00 in the UK, 12:00 in Central Europe and 03:00 on the West Coast.
All the action will be available to watch live via https://www.triathlonlive.tv/

Would not be surprised to see her podium or even win, just with her injury lay off and her slow start to last year, gives me doubts that other girls aren't.

Just the usual coverage in the USA via triathlonlive no other coverage right (i.e., Peacock, Max etc)?

Believe so and note individual events are FRIDAY.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Both are Friday. Women’s at 12:00 UK time and mens at 14:00 UK time.

Not a reply to Doughtie but GTB is clearly in a good place and training has been going well but it is only a couple of weeks ago that she was running with the Alter-G treadmill.

I would never bet against her but on this occasion I probably wouldn’t bet on her either.

I'm glad you made this point as I thought it was Saturday, massive pain in the arse for me, no chance for me to watch this live and no chance for me to avoid spoilers for 24 hours.

Agree entirely, I'll watch it because I will watch any and all triathlon BUT this circuit and others like it are the reason this form of the sport is way less interesting than say SL, T100 or even full distance.

not saying that you are wrong but i would like to point out that miami t100 course this weekend is pretty much the same course than abu dhabi

T100 is non drafting though….makes for a more interesting race IMHO.

Dark horses, male: Thorn, van Riel, Coninx
Dark horses, female: Jorgensen, Coldwell, Taylor-Brown

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"FTP is a bit 2015, don't you think?" - Gustav Iden

The AD course is imo sneakily punchy that I think it’s pretty good course, much better versions of a “road course” than the US track versions that race most on the oval and then use infield track as well. AD has some punchiness although the 1 section that goes into the paddock area I’ve always thought that seemed to be the weird section of course. It’s like they go into the one small fenced entrance to get back around.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Which is the basis of my blasphemous SC improvement idea. Get rid of the drafting. Abu Dhabi would be the perfect "test" event to see how this goes. Keep them all on their road bikes just force them to be separated.

I also watch all formats of racing too but it's disappointing to see our top athletes racing in empty race venues with very obscure race coverage.

You can't choose the current male world champion and runner up in this event last year, dark horses!

I'd also argue against Olympic gold and silver medalists being allowed to be dark horses!.

Agree about AD - there's some elevation and such in it. I would love to see a T100 style race at a place like the Circuit of the Americas (Austin - i think that's what it's called) as there's more features to it - but that would be difficult. Laguna Seca where they have Sea Otter might be a great place too for more of a road feel. But...I'm happy we have a great race coming to Miami - and potentially one of the Middle East races could incorporate an F1 track for sure. I have found AD a fun place to watch WTCS racing for sure.

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DFRU - Detta Family Racing Unit...the kids like it and we all get out and after it...gotta keep the fam involved!

If you're saying a race favorite can't be a dark horse, I'd agree with the theory... but the 5 people I picked for the top 5 in each gender are more likely to be top 5 than my "dark horses". So that's how I label people I don't want to ignore but am not ready to pick for top 5. That's all there is to it :)

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"FTP is a bit 2015, don't you think?" - Gustav Iden

Is Beaugrand not racing? Surprised that she and Lombardi are being so overlooked.

They're both racing, would not be a surprise to see either of them or both on the podium, this is such a stacked field that someone had to be left out.

Jonny Brownlee interview in the Metro said he's racing Abu Dhabi, what happened?

https://metro.co.uk/...JhUH1II5c91jK2pzFL2k

MTR

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I guess it's the best strategy for GB to somehow guarantee Jonny's slot for him to focus exclusively on the MTR. When healthy, he's still their best bet for the MTR next to Alex.

It’s the only strategy especially as they aren’t really all that close to gaining 3 spots. So at this point if your JB less is more. And more importantly if your GB if JB is your mtr guy, you don’t burn him up racing an individual race at this point in his career. His the poster child for vet athlete who’s lost his fastball but can be called upon for 1 key moment. But you don’t want to burn him out before that moment.

He may actually do in Paris what I’ve theorized will eventually happen when mtr + individual rosters are together.. dNs the individual race, especially if your a front pack athlete swimmer your basically only racing against Yee at that point. So unless he’s racing for Yee there is little gain from having him race both events in Paris.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II