Red Zone

There actually is a link to the ITU site triathlon.org in the top right of the CT site, the rules are under the athlete info, so it is there, just really, really badly positioned. These guys do themselves no favours with the way that they present (or dont) critical info, they can learn from WTC and their athlete guides. It is understandable that a few guys are put off by the lack of info, but I am still really excited about this one. By all accounts the ITU events are pretty amazing, the course looks fantastic, I think the crowd support will be good and its going to be a really fast course. I am most of all just looking forward to enjoying my last tri before a relaxing winter.

I think you are 100% right, you also wouldn't want slick tyres, that's for sure, road surface is terrible.

My advise, join a swim squad, makes the sessions much more bearable, never fun, but more bearable

Come on help a brother out, nothing wrong with manufacturing a bit of an advantage for myself

I still have not received a reply to my enquiry re road closure, but I have figured it out by driving around the course on the weekend and looking at the signage. Its a mixed bag with some full closure and some single lane closure. No one seems clear if TT bikes are allowed. After some reading on the interwebs it seems that TT bikes are allowed for age groupers doing the non drafting event, I only looked in respect of the Olympic Distance race I found the competition rules on the ITU website... http://www.triathlon...highlighted.pdf The key rule is 5.1.2 d)(ii) For draft-illegal races, the following rules on handlebars apply:  Only handlebars and clip-on bars not extending beyond the leading edge of the front wheel will be permitted. Clip-on bars in two pieces do not need to be bridged. All tube ends have to be plugged. It also seems that your Tri bike needs to be UCI legal, ie the new Felt DA, P5 (with deep fork and fairing), Shiv with fuselage and a few other bikes are not legal for the race. I take no responsibility if I am wrong. Please make up your own mind, if you want to be 100 % sure then take a road bike, there is not going to be much more than a few minutes difference anyway. Personally I am going to rock my tri bike, still deciding on that aero helmet though.

It depends on the type of bike of bike & riding. Different saddle height for cross country / downhill / road / triathlon.

Looks like partial road closure in parts, full closure in other areas. My coach says tt bikes should be allowed as it is non drafting, but still not 100% sure

No drafting on a 10 km loop, that's just going to be a joke

Agreed, it is pretty poor that there are no rules on the website. I was looking for rules on bikes and aero helmets but nothing on the site, I have emailed the organisers re road closures. I may just take my road bike and my TT bike just in case I can ride the TT rig

Yip, drafting allowed, no TT bikes. But clip on bars that don't project past your brake hoods are allowed

I am doing it, looking forward to it, but a bit worried that there will be some chaos on the bike course with triathletes and their typically bad riding skills. There are apparently going to be a number of start waves, so hopefully the groups aren't too big. I cant imagine that there isnt road closure, they simply cant have a thousand or so riders thrashing around those busy streets without closure.

I wouldn't think that going 2.5 mm shorter is going to make a material difference, perhaps going from 175 to 170 yes, but I'm no fit expert, the science seem to have concluded that shorter cranks are the way to go for optimum fit and performance. So decide if you want to get 100 dialed in. If I was still riding my road bike with clip on bars and some minor adjustments to the saddle I wouldn't fuss with a shorter crank, I have done plenty of tri's like this, no problems at all. Its probably a better return if you spend the cash on an aero lid than a shorter crank in terms of gain.

I ride a 175 on my road and MTB and 172.5 on my TT bike, I didn't notice any difference to my pedal stroke, it feels exactly the same but apparently it does allow for better fit and aero position. I am 1.8 m tall if that helps

What the UCI doing something not in the interests of the sport?.... Never

I bought "The Hour" t yesterday thanks to your tip, its sitting right up there with the best cycling books I have read, although I am only about 15% through it

Supply Chain Management, Municipal Financial Management Act, Procurement Policies etc.... The municipality cant just walk into a shop and buy paint, another shop would complain about preferential treatment, all shops need to be afforded the opportunity to supply. Then there is the dude doing the painting, needs to be a fair process, giving anyone the opportunity to wield the brush. The municipality has little or no discretionary spending except for items which have been approved in the municipal budget which has to be aligned to the Integrated Development Plan. You won't believe what the City outsources, there is even a tender for someone to collect road-kill.

Google, its quite interesting, does someone know if he is the due in the tread article, done 10 epics

Look out for the first ascent suits, I am sure that they are on their website, and available at Sportsmans warehouse. Apparently they are pretty nice

What are most of those cyclists doing out of the bike lane anyway

The tools I use most often are in order Cable Cutters Clam shell chain cleaner Torque wrench Chain whip and cassette tool Chain breaker BB removal tool is the one I think was a waste of money, with 5 bikes with different BB systems, I only got one for the Dura Ace and have used it once in 5 years or so.

If you want to be competitive you need to get yourself to the sport science institute in Newlands, get your VO2 numbers, PPO, etc... then you will know if you are dreaming or not, if you have the genes then you get yourself a good coach and start the long hard slog. It takes years of conditioning to reach competitive level, don't count on making the front next year.

Rules are rules, 5 m today, tomorrow someone takes 50 m then 100 m. Race organisers need to be consistent and penalise an infringement. These boys are professional riders, they know the rules and sign up to ride accordingly. The sanction is normally set up before hand so the organisers are simply playing by the same rule book that the riders have bought into, if they didn't like it they don't have to ride. That's the black and white of it. The other side, the side I have preferred to see is that the second place team sees the infringement, calls KE over and tells him he did wrong. KE explains it was a fun rider in the way or whatever, they shake hands and move on. Sporting like. If, as may be the case (or not) KE overreacted, swore at the second place dude, then sorry for him, bad judgement from KE in which case if I was said second place dude I would lodge the complaint. As soon as there is a complaint the organisers need to act

There fixed it for you

What's an extra 1.8 km between friends?

Well done to Murray, damn well deserved