The bike course here in Extremadura is a bit unusual, but its not easy and has some fun sections. (A large part of the bike is between the water and the green/blue pole)
Click here for ITU Cross Tri page from which I borrowed the below piece…
New legends will be made at first ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships
24/04/11 at 8:26 am – Texto en español
A new chapter in ITU history will be written this weekend at the first ITU World Cross Triathlon Championships in Extremadura, Spain.
The inaugural elite world titles consist of a 1km swim, 20km mountain bike and 6km cross-country run, and some of the best triathletes in the world will descend on ‘The Ring’ in to decide the titles.
Spain has assembled an impressive team to lead the charge at home, with over 80 ITU World Cup appearances between the men and women on its roster as well as athletes who specialise in multisport disciplines. But triathletes from South Africa, Canada, Switzerland and the USA are also real contenders to hold one of those two history-making titles aloft come Sunday.
Elite Women
There are a number of women with an elite ITU history in the field, including ITU winter triathlon world champion and European cross triathlon champion Carina Wasle (AUT), former junior women’s world championship winner Marion Lorblanchet (FRA), and 2009 European Cross Triathlon champion Renata Bucher (SUI), but it’s hard to look past the experience of Canadian Melanie McQuaid.
McQuaid has never competed in an ITU race before, but she does have an incredible Xterra triathlon record. Xterra triathlon’s consist of a bike, mountain bike and cross-country run and McQuaid is a three-time World Champion in the discipline. What is even more remarkable is that she has reached the podium four more times, claiming silver medals in 2000, 2004 and 2007 and a bronze in 2009.
McQuaid biggest challenge is sure to come from 2010 Xterra world champion Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) but Lorblanchet, who has also made the podium at the Xterra championships before, Wasle, Bucher and fellow Canadian Christine Jeffrey are also contenders. Jeffrey has competed on the elite ITU World Cup circuit and has finished in the top-10 at the Xterra world titles for the past three years.
There are 26 women and 12 different countries represented in the elite women’s field. Hosts Spain will field the biggest team with five athletes, while Kyrgyzstan will have four on the start line.
Elite Men
The men’s field is full of experienced triathletes but it’s hard to look past two in particular when it comes to favouritism, South African Conrad Stoltz and Spaniard Eneko Llanos.
Both are two-time Olympians, competing in Sydney and Athens, and both came into cross triathlon with an aim to conquer it. So far, they have both done exactly that. Llanos has three Xterra world titles and Stoltz four, including an emotional one in 2007 when he came back from a career threatening bike crash the year before. They are also the two most recent Xterra world champions, Llanos won in 2009 before Stoltz in 2010. Stoltz is surely favourite for the first title, but the battle between these two veterans is set to be thrilling.
But the men’s field is so strong that Stoltz and Llanos can’t expect to have the podium all to themselves. There is one three-time Olympian, Switzerland’s Olivier Marceau, who has also reached an Xterra worlds podium before, while Josiah Middaugh (USA), Paul Embrechts (BEL) and Victor Manuel Del Corral Morales (ESP) could all play a part. Then there is the evergreen 53-year-old Rob Barel (NED). He initially retired after the Sydney Olympics, but made a comeback to triathlon in 2007, winning the European men’s cross triathlon title in the 50-54 age-group. But Barel then stepped up to the elite men’s field in 2008 and won that too, he’s sure to give the race a shake.
There are 35 in the men’s field, with 17 different countries represented. The USA will have the biggest team with six. Spain’s three-time Olympian Ivan Rana was a late withdrawal from the field.The championships will be the first international event at the “The Ring”, in Extremadura, an International Innovation Centre for outdoor sports.
Find more details about this event – 2011 Extremadura ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships
7 XTERRA World titles right there. Chatting with fellow Avia athlete and Spanish ace, Eneko Llanos on the “bike course”
Was great to see the other old timers from my ITU days: Dutch legend Rob Barel, swimming ace Richard Stannard on a fully rigid 29er, and my Sydney Olympics break away buddy and XTERRA podium regular Olivier Marceau.
Stunning backdrop. Wild lavender everywhere and snow on the mountains
Press conference in the Green and Gold of South Africa
More bike course amongst the cork trees. A few tricky turns at speed
Loving the tapas…
Segovia, Spain. Stunning old city. The World Cup Soccer trophy was in town and so was Alberto Contador. I didnt touch the beef there…
Road side picnic…
I did this interview on 12 April with Ruben from www.trisense.tv:
01 | In which state of fit do you reach this Cross Triathlon World Championship and which are your goals?
My preparation has not been very smooth so far this year. In February I was sick with for a month, and missed some big races and training. (DNF at XTERRA South Africa, and I missed African MTB champs and SA MTB champs) We thought it was bronchitis, but after 3 weeks it was diagnosed as a fungus in my lungs, and once i was treated for that, I got better quickly and trained quite well for the USA XTERRAs in April. I know I need more speed work for this event, especially the swim and run, but there was not enough time…
That being said, I always race to win. I have a big match temperament, and will race has hard as I can for a Cross Tri World title to add to my 4 XTERRA World titles.
02 | How are you living the previous weeks to the Championship? Are you training something in special?
It feels like I’m living in an airplane! (I’m writing this in the airplane) April 5 I flew the 32 hrs from South Africa to Las Vegas. I raced in Las Vegas on 10 April, the same day I flew to California to work on the design of the new AVIA Stoltz trail racing shoe. Today is 12 April and I’m flying from California to Texas for the XTERRA on the 17th. The same day I fly to Boulder CO to meet my agent. The 20th I fly to Spain for Cross Tri. I’m living out of a bag all the time. The life of a pro triathlete…
So these 3 weeks are all about recovering after races and getting to the new venue to start learning the new course. XTERRA Waco, Texas is a very technical course and I have to ride it 4 or 5 times to memorize it. ( I won by 6 seconds)
03 | From your point of view as a professional triathlete, what does the celebration of this first Championship mean for the future?
I’m really excited about the ITU’s new off road triathlons. I’m excited about any off road triathlon. The XTERRA racing is the flagship for offroad tri and I fell in love with this kind of racing after I raced the Sydney Olympics in 2000. XTERRA created something beautiful and I hope other off road tris learn from XTERRA- they have 16 years experience and a very strong following. The XTERRA courses are technical and hard, but thats why we like it. It is such a great sport I wont be surprised if more off road triathlon series pop up. (Like Cross Tri)
Personally I hope that Cross Tri is such a success and proves that if done correctly, off road triathlon would make a great Olympic sport.
04 | Triathlon is a lifestyle. According with your experience, what kind of value adds the cross triathlon to this lifestyle?
I love being in nature and the beautiful outdoors. I love being healthy & fit. I love the technical aspect of a difficult route. I love the adrenaline and the lactic acid. They mix really well!
05 | Give me please your favorites in male and female categories.
To be honest, I havent even looked at the start list. But here a lot depends on the course. If the course is technical and hard, I would say Conrad Stoltz and Melanie McQuaid will win! But from what I see on the website, the course is pretty flat and not technical. So the race will be wide open. The ITU road guys will be able to use their speed and drafting may be a factor on the bike. I hope that the courses will become more technical in the future, because not only is it fun and challenging to race, but its great for spectators and TV.
Leave a Reply