The bottom bottle looks empty. He’s using it solely to block the wind from hitting his pelvis area to prevent the air getting trapped there. Similar to why athletes were using the bottle down the shirt as it moved the air so it didn’t get trapped.

It's more concerning that there are "pros" 25 mins down after a 45-50 mins swim. Danielle Lewis was given on the podium or whereabouts by most pundits, 15 mins down on the swim. FIFTEEN!

Wilms yes, but Langridge ran sub-3 in Roth last year and 3:04 in IM WA. She is the favorite to win this race and always was.

---

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

Very annoying these lower level pros effectively blocked Brownlee etc from starting Texas.

There shouldn’t really be pro men 20+ minutes behind at 12 miles in.

also annoying that there are 10 DNF, only 56 started, because IM doesn't apply any penalty to those pros that register to a race and then don't show up.

I agree with that. Dns should be 500 bucks at least.

Rinny showing once again that she's 10 categories better than Belinda in the commentary box. No disrespect to her, but the difference is just shocking.
Only annoying point is that IM doesn't allow them to even pronounce the words PTO or T100 even when they need to mention past results or where they got injured...a tad childish.

Rinny just said, that it’s less important to stay aero with headwind than with tailwind, because with headwind you go slower so you don’t have to worry about aero that much. LOL

I find the IM Texas race broadcast / coverage absolutely boring. Maybe it’s because it’s a full distance race, maybe because we’ve been spoiled with good coverage & emotions during Oceanside and Singapore.

The distance that Kalin and Marquardt have just put on the entire field between miles 61 and 71 is insane.

---

-------------
Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

missing some big names/characters too to light it up a bit more

Just wondering, is it now ok in IM to go across the center line and around the cones delimitating the race track?

All the top pro women doing it :/

I blame the race format. The broadcast is good but it's like watching a 2-hour race at 0.25 the speed.

---

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

Don't think even Lange can run that gap back. Marquardt is a capable runner.

Stage Nielsen lost 2 minutes on the Matthews/McCauley/Berry pack with a dropped chain (we are told). And then Mathews and Stage Nielsen stopped for a 5 min penalty.
Before stop Matthews/McCauley/Berry were 3:34 down on Wilms/Langridge. McCauley/Berry are riding same speed as lead trio: Matthews has lost 5 mins plus but now recovering some of that time, upwind.
Significant amateur rider congestion.
Langridge ran a 1:25 at Oceanside so consistent with a 3:10 estimate (trirating). We'll see.

If Kat is healthy, that's an easy win with those distances. She easily has at least 15 mins, if healthy. All depends on that calf.
I wouldn't discount Lotte Wilms from sticking with Fenella on the run...

It's hard for me not to believe that Marquardt and Kallin are not risking their race with this pace. Skipper started the bike in 42nd, now in 7th, but 12 minutes back from the front! Top two guys have put almost 4 minutes into him on the bike so far.

---

-------------
Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

To anyone, what bike is wilms on

I’d wager Skipper will podium or be very close.

It appears to be a Storck, but I don't know why they put that branding on it.

https://www.storck-bikes.com/...d/tt-triathlon/aero3

---

-------------
Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Thx ed.

I think top 3 is within reach. And if Kallin and Marquardt have.... oh crap. Kallin (Edit to correct) just crashed for no reason. Looks like he might have taken out or almost taken out an age grouper who was behind him. Looks like he just got a bit floppy riding out of the saddle and torqued his foot out of the pedal.

---

-------------
Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Shiat - did you see that Robert Kalinn crash? Unclipped and tarmac struck

From that brief replay it looked like he skipped a gear which pitched him forward a bit while causing him to unclip to balance but it was too late and he fell off.

So when are we gonna see a Mortal Move or other promo about why low calorie stevia drinks are the new rage for endurance sports?

When an athlete bonks is that the Mortal move?

Re: the drafting penalty. Looks like Kat is going for bust. Did they show it on camera? Interesting move with the technology. I wonder if she can demonstrate an margin error in the radar that could undo the penalty if that's why it's called.

I like that she's going for it.

That’s what I thought as well. Hope he can run.

I think it's 4 for the podium: Marquardt, Mignon, Lange and Skipper, with the question mark on Hernandez running his first IM (he's wicked fast in 70.3) and I don't think Kallin is going to be a factor, even less after his fall.