<?xml version="1.0"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Alpe D'Huez Triathlon - Tri247</title><link>http://www.tri247.com/index.html</link><description>Latest alpe d'huez triathlon articles from Tri247</description><item><title><![CDATA[Alpe entry lists now online]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_9480.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[The organisers of the Alpe D&#039;Huez Triathlon and Duathlon have announced that the entry lists are now available online. Over 500 athletes from France, Germany and England have already registered for the various events. Check out the lists at www.alpetriathlon.com]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[EDF Alpe d’Huez Triathlon launches online store]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_9356.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[If you&#039;re doing the EDF Alpe d&#039;Huez triathlon (or duathlon) next year you can pimp up your training over the Winter with some branded kit from their newly launched online store. There&#039;s even a 10% discount offer valid until December 31st 2011 to add to the temptation. Find out more at www.alpetriathlon.com or www.alpeduathlon.com]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ryton Triathlon Club first club to enrol for EDF Alpe d’Huez Triathlon ]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_9344.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Ryton Triathlon Club in Tyne &amp;amp; Wear was formed in December 2000 by Colin and Sue Gardener and Colin Chapman and consisted of a few friends and family members. It has grown considerably over the years and currently has 105 members, of which 24 are successful Ironman finishers. Their youngest competing member is 15 years old and the eldest is 66.

Fourteen club members are travelling across the channel to race in the Alpe d&rsquo;Huez 2012 long distance course and they will be bringing along family and friends to help them. They have competed in various Ironman races across the world: Lanzarote, Nice, Switzerland, Laguna Phuket and Hawaii, to name just a few.

Find out more about the club: www.ryton-tri.com
Find out more about the EDF Alpe d&rsquo;Huez Triathlon: www.alpetriathlon.com/2012/AN/index.html

]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Race rport: Alpe d'Huez Triathlon]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_8928.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[&ldquo;That was brutal! The most brutal thing I have ever done.&rdquo; Not my words, but those I overheard someone saying on their mobile when leaving the bike park at the end of the race. I may not have spoken them, but the words certainly reflect my feelings! But back to the start...

The Alpe d&rsquo;Huez climb is iconic, having a central role to the story of the Tour de France. Although the climb is open to the public, and is visited by hundreds of cyclists each day, to climb the Alpe as part of a race is a challenge and pleasure that cannot be ignored &ndash; and the Alpe d&rsquo;Huez triathlon provides just such an opportunity. But, even before the race begins, the competitors are faced with the challenge of getting to the start. The event HQ and T2 are at the top of the Alpe. The start of the race and T1 are located some miles away, and significantly lower, so competitors are recommended to cycle from the top of the Alpe down a dedicated route to the start. An alternative for those staying in hotels in the valley at the bottom of the Alpe is to drive the 10-15 mile circuitous route along the main road to the same point. 

The start is in Lake Verney, with a swim of 2.2 kilometres, over two laps with no exit from the water. The lake was (as we were warned) cold, and some comments on its capabilities of shifting the male form were somewhat graphic, involving retraction of key male attributes within the body. But in all honesty, it was no colder than the swim at the 70.3 UK this year &ndash; perhaps even warmer.

The bike stage is where the fun starts. This year, within a few minutes of starting this leg, the rain which was going to be a semi-constant companion of the day began. The first 26 kilometres of this leg are actually gently downhill and largely on main roads, but at my end of the race (sadly, towards the back) the trend was to conserve energy and prepare for the challenge ahead rather than head down flat out. At kilometre 26, the road turns to the right, and the first of the three major climbs on the course begins. The climb up the Col d&rsquo;Alpe de Grande Serre (1,375 metres) is 14 kilometres long. Its steeper than the second climb, but still presents a fairly benign challenge due to its early location in the stage. Then there is a long generally downhill phase, steep at first, then gentle and easy to over halfway round the course.

The second climb, the Col d&rsquo;Ornon (1,371 metres) remains pretty easy. In a car recce the day before, it seemed steeper and the straightness of the road presents long views of the climb to come. But the reality of the day was that the climb was relatively easy &ndash; in fact, surprisingly easy. The descent is a different story. It is 15 kilometres long and is frequently technical and steep with some shear drops at the edge of the road, and there was some concern about descending on wet slippery roads. Most people were more cautious than usual and despite my trepidation (the result of two recent crashes including a collision with a car and a KO), few overtook me, and I even overtook some riders.

The end of the descent takes the riders into the valley and the village of Bourg d&rsquo;Oisons, with a ride of around 2-3 kilometres before the 14 kilometre ascent we all came for &ndash; the Alpe itself. At 1,850 metres, with the famous 21 bends each of which celebrates a winner of a Tour stage completed at the Alpe, climbing was actually a strange sensation, and felt pretty comfortable. Heart rate was pretty modest throughout - but attempts at speeding up were difficult, and no great cheer at the end, mainly because the cost of the climb is to be found at the top of the mountain, when with no flat road to recuperate, competitors are faced with transition and the final 22 kilometre run. 

Still raining, and pretty dark and cloudy, the run is a definite challenge. It takes competitors well beyond the safety of tarmac, and most is on rough paths. Personally I do much of my training off road, and enjoyed this type of running, but not all did, and the paths are quite narrow at times so I can imagine at the more competitive end of the race overtaking would be difficult at times.  The run comprises three roughly 6.5 kilometre loops. One on lap, clay pigeon shooters were firing, with massive echoes down two valleys.  Impressive noise, which kept me amused for at least a few minutes. The end is wonderful! No medal, but a cool t-shirt. 

Overall impressions were good. The race has about 850 starters, and does not have the magnitude or razzamataz of an Ironman race &ndash; and is all the better for it. I am not very fit at present, so comparisons with other races should be made with caution. However, the usual trend is that I finish the swim pretty far down the field, and then make up often hundreds of places on the bike. No  such story this time &ndash; I may even have lost places on the bike. It is a race that clearly attracts serious and fast cyclists. And you need to be to survive.

There is a large British contingent, and despite the fact that many of the organisers speak pretty basic English, they are helpful, and it has a friendly and supportive atmosphere. On the bike and run, the support is fantastic. The race numbers have names and national flags on them, and this allows support to feel a bit more personal. See the same people enough times as they drive along the bike course and you circulate on the run, people begin to feel like old friends &ndash; if any of you read this, thanks.. your support was greatly supported! There are cheap flights from the UK to either Geneva or Grenoble (closer) so logistically it is very &lsquo;doable&rsquo;. Would I do it again. Oh yes... but only if I am a lot fitter!
]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Alpe d'Huez Short Course results and report 2011 [Updated]]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_8890.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[UPDATE - CLICK HERE FOR FULL SHORT COURSE RESULTS 
Tri247&#039;s 2011 Alpe d&#039;Huez Triathlon Coverage:

Alpe d&#039;Huez Long Course results and report 2011
Alpe d&#039;Huez Long Course gallery
Alpe d&#039;Huez Short Course results and report 2011


With blue skies, warm(ish) temperatures and a leisurely 2pm start, today&#039;s EDF Alpe d&#039;Huez Short Course Triathlon almost seemed easy after yesterday&#039;s long course epic! 
I did say almost... 
To be fair, the first half of the race isn&#039;t too difficult. A straightforward rectangular 1.2km swim kicks off proceedings, and a threesome of Cesc Goday (ESP) and Andreas &amp;amp; Florian Salvisberg (SUI) lead out of the water, with Britain&#039;s Tim Don next out only around 20 seconds back. Nicola Spirig headed the ladies field, and nothing changed on that front for the rest of the day.
The first 15km or so of the bike is pretty simple. After a (very brief) climb from T1, the course is flat and fast and made for speed. With 1000+ athletes and only 1.2km swim to split things up, this fast section of racing can and does lead to some &#039;close racing&#039; shall we say, certainly within the Age Group ranks. Not a BIG deal - especially with a BIG climb ahead - but it was quite amusing the see four (ahem) French guys clearly think that the translation of &amp;quot;non-drafting&amp;quot; is &amp;quot;tonight Matthew, we&#039;re going to be the GB Team Pursuit Squad.&amp;quot; Would have been quite interesting to see what would have happened had I been wearing a marshalls jersey as we passed them on the moto... Anyway,that was the hors d&#039;ourve, on to the main course, the climb of Alpe d&#039;Huez!
Up at the front, Nicola Spirig having lead out of the water (in her supposed weakest event) was mixing it with the elite men - and pulling away from the likes of Marcel Zamora, 2010 winner Alberto Casedei and plenty more. Australian Felicity Abram was several minutes back in second, but in turn a long way clear of third.
The men&#039;s race was much closer. Early doors on the 21 hairpins and Tim Don was setting the pace with Cesc Godoy and the Salvisburg&#039;s close, but it was close behind and there was a long way to go - another 20 hairpins in fact.
As the altitude gained the gaps grew and it was Don along with Julien Loy (FRA), the 2007 and 2008 ITU World Long Distance Champion who pulled clear. Aussie David Dellow was racing well too - he lead yesterday&#039;s Long Course race until a mechanical on the first climb, thus deciding to enter today and test out his fitness. Loy was making Don work, but Tim held him and pushed the last half a km into T2 to get away on the run in the lead. Once that was achieved - and he looked in good shape - game over against a long distance specialist.
The ladies race was a one women show and Nicola was running inside the top ten. Abram was a distant second, and finished in that position - to be later disqualified for, we understand, an infringement relating to her race number....

With 10 days to go until the WCS Hyde Park race, Don and Spirig got the strength workouts they were looking for. &amp;quot;Today was about training for me&amp;quot; said Don. As if to prove a point &amp;quot;I did a 5km swim session this morning&amp;quot; Tim told me. On the specificity of the (hilly) Alpe d&#039;Huez with the (flat) Hyde Park Tim said &amp;quot;yes, this is hard and you need to be strong - but ITU racing, while it&#039;s drafting, is still hard. The Brownlee&#039;s race hard, and that&#039;s what I need to do - it doesn&#039;t matter what the course is, you have to ride hard.&amp;quot; Having had a solid period of training in Switzerland and raced Hamburg (seventh) without tapering, he&#039;ll be hoping that the hard speed sessions he has planned will put him in the game in ten days time. 
Provisional Results: Alpe d&#039;Huez Short Course 2011 

  
    Pos
    Men
    Women
  
  
    1st
    Tim Don (GBR) 1:49:41 
    Nicola Spirig (SUI) 1:59:24 
  
  
    2nd
    Julien Loy (FRA) 1:50:54 
    Jeanne Collonge (FRA) 2:10:18 
  
  
    3rd
    Dave Dellow (AUS) 1:55:52 
    Alexandra Louison (FRA) 2:15:13 
  
  
    4th
    Danielo Brustolon (ITA) 1:55:53 
    Juliette Coudrey (FRA) 2:16:20 
  
  
    5th
    Andreas Salvisberg (SUI) 1:56:26 
    Ruth Nivon Machoud (SUI) 2:23:28 
  
  
    6th
    Florian Salvisberg (SUI) 1:57:24 
    Ruth Hutton (GBR) 2:23:28 
  
  
    7th
    J&amp;eacute;r&amp;eacute;my Jurkiewicz (FRA) 1:58:05 
    Veerle D&#039;Haese (BEL) 2:24:55 
  
  
    8th
    Rodolphe Von Berg (ITA) 1:59:18 
    Magalie Satre Buisson (FRA) 2:25:30 
  
  
    9th
    Kristian MacCartney (AUS) 1:59:57 
    Lizette Van Der Vegt (NED) 2:28:48 
  
  
    10th
    Tom Mets (BEL) 1:59:57 
    C&amp;eacute;line Valtat (FRA) 2:28:59 
  

]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Alpe d'Huez Long Course gallery 2011]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_8889.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[UPDATE - CLICK HERE FOR FULL LONG COURSE RESULTS 
Tri247&#039;s 2011 Alpe d&#039;Huez Triathlon Coverage:

Alpe d&#039;Huez Long Course results and report 2011
Alpe d&#039;Huez Long Course gallery
Alpe d&#039;Huez Short Course results and report 2011


Wednesday&#039;s EDF Alpe d&#039;Huez Long Course Triathlon proved to be a real test of character. The event is already a classic, but combine the elements of the course with the worst that the weather can throw at it, and it proved to be one of the ultimate tests of triathlon.
Victor Del Corral (ESP) and Scotland&#039;s Catriona Morrison took fine wins - and you can read the full report HERE. 
Click on the Launch Image Gallery link at the top of the page for a visual representation of the race, which featured several hundred British athletes. 

]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Alpe d'Huez Long Course results and report 2011 [Updated]]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_8880.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[UPDATE - CLICK HERE FOR FULL LONG COURSE RESULTS 
Tri247&#039;s 2011 Alpe d&#039;Huez Triathlon Coverage:

Alpe d&#039;Huez Long Course results and report 2011
Alpe d&#039;Huez Long Course gallery
Alpe d&#039;Huez Short Course results and report 2011


Chapeau! That seems an appropriately French expression - for a 100% French race - to use for anyone, however fast, who managed to conquer both the course and the elements today at the EDF Alpe d&#039;Huez Long Course Triathlon. 
While we&#039;re in French mode, vive la diff&amp;eacute;rence, for this uniquely brilliant but oh so tough event.
An early start? No, 9:30am will do just fine.
  Saturday or Sunday? No, we race on Wednesday.
Standard, Half or Full? No, we&#039;ll have 2.2km / 115km / 22km because....we can.
That said, for the first time, more than 50% of the entries were from outside of France. 
Combine the infamous 21 hairpin turns of Alpe d&#039;Huez as your final 13.8km to bring you to T2 (at 1850m altitude) with a one lap course of stunning beauty, and you - almost - overlook the fact that before you get there you have the scale (and importantly, descend) the Alpe du Grand Serre and the Col d&#039;Ornon too. This certainly isn&#039;t an &#039;a bit longer than a half ironman&#039; race. But it is, rightly, becoming one of the classic events of world triathlon. Oh, and we do it all again tomorrow in &#039;short&#039; version!
(Special request! We&#039;re you one of the many GB supporters on Alpe d&#039;Huez for the Long Course race? If so, perhaps it was you who top GB finisher Sam Gardner passed his gilet and glasses to on the climb?! If so, any chance we could re-unite them! Sam has promised a &#039;reward&#039; if you can... drop me a line via editor@tri247.com and I&#039;ll put you in touch.)
The pro field - ladies especially - was on paper loaded with quality. You won&#039;t find many races boasting the likes of Cat Morrison, Jodie Swallow, Rebekah Keat, Mary Beth Ellis, Amy Marsh and Brit/Irish up-and-comers Tamsin Lewis, Lou Collins, Eimear Mullan and many more.

For the men, defending champion was South African James Cunnama, plus we had former ITU World Champ Olivier Marceau, Reto Hug, Herv&amp;eacute; Faure, Olympic bronze medal winner Jan Rehula and plenty more.
The weather. It was, horrible. Combine this course, with driving rain, cold and at times hailstones and you create perhaps the ultimate triathlon challenge against the course, the conditions, the opposition and in many cases, your own mind. It was really tough - and I had the benefit of a moto taking me round the course. There is absolutely no chance of getting lucky on a day like today.
Scotland&#039;s Catriona Morrison didn&#039;t need luck, she demolished the field finishing, provisionally, 15th overall and over twenty one minutes clear of second place. Spain&#039;s  Victor Del Corral took the men&#039;s title; unexpected, if only because I understood he was doing the shorter distance race tomorrow and hence hadn&#039;t notice the (high) #983... 
Brit&#039;s were at the front out of the swim in the shape of Daniel Halksworth and Jodie Swallow. However, swim position in isolation was of little value today as, quite rightly, there were some extra-long transition times as athletes stopped to dress appropriately for what lay ahead. And those that didn&#039;t, suffered.
Australian Aaron Farlow took the early lead along with Jan Rehula, and there were gaps of minutes in the early miles, though this all sorted itself out up the long climb of the Alpe du Grand Serre. Farlow had only a short lead at the summit, and following was a group including Cunnama, Marceau and others. 
It was a similar story in the ladies race. Cat Morrison started the climb quite close to Mary Beth Ellis and Rebekah Keat, but soon dropped them both like a stone and gained huge time up the climb, such that by the top she had virtually caught Jodie Swallow. Despite later saying to me &amp;quot;my granny would have descended faster than me today&amp;quot;, that, in a competitive sense was pretty much game over. Morrison really is the real deal in long distance racing and Kona deserves to see her racing in a fit and healthy state. Hopefully 2011 will be third time lucky. With the return of Wellington too, it could be an epic October for the British ladies. 
As Morrison pulled away, Swiss pairing of Renata Bucher and C&amp;eacute;line Shaerer managed to make the 2nd-4th positions closely fought, while behind that it was almost a GB &amp;amp; IRL vs. teamTBB with Lewis, Mullan and Collins seeming to get the better, generally, of Ellis, Marsh and Keat.
Fast-forwarding to Alpe d&#039;Huez itself, the mist was so thick and low that you could barely see who was arriving at T2. As last year, James Cunnama pushed the pace on the Alpe and extended a lead of what seemed like a couple of minutes. With a fine running pedigree that would usually be enough, but James has been carrying a running injury (he dropped out in Roth), and also had to serve a five minute penalty in T2; details unknown. Aussie and teamTBB team mate Farlow was next in, but as it turned out it would be Del Corral who would be tearing up the run - and he looked great doing it. Short course specialist Reto Hug came through strongly for second while Cunnama slipped back to sixth. The penalty didn&#039;t help, but today was not his day.

Morrison lead Swallow at T2 by 8:10, and the Cat can certainly run, so there was little danger there. Swallow, who has also had a foot injury this year was moving but didn&#039;t look especially smooth. Still, it was another seven plus minutes before Tamsin Lewis hit the run course just seven weeks after breaking her collar bone. Could this be a fine way to return? Mullan and Collins were also in the mix with the Swiss pairing and Mary Beth Ellis.   
Cat extended the lead through the run and looked brilliant the whole way, while a tearful Swallow was forced to DNF with injury. The battle was then for second, and at the start of the third of three laps Tamsin Lewis was neck-and-neck with Ironman Austria winner Mary Beth Ellis. Ellis looked stronger, and certainly has the better pedigree, but Lewis was digging deep and by the line was less than a minute back in third. In pieces physically and on a real high emotionally it was big result for Tamsin. It must have been, as I was the one who got the tearful hug! Shaerer of Switzerland took fourth, while Collins couldn&#039;t quite catch Mullan who finished fifth.

And if I had a pound for every time I heard most of the above mentioned say &amp;quot;that was the toughest thing I&#039;ve ever done...&amp;quot;
Of course, most of them will be back for more but, let&#039;s hope it stays dry next time. 
Provisional Results 

  
    Pos
    Men
    Women
  
  
    1st
    Victor Del Corral (ESP) 5:50:13 
    Catriona Morrison (GBR) 6:25:00 
  
  
    2nd
    Reto Hug (SUI) 5:56:16 
    Mary Beth Ellis (USA) 6:46:31 
  
  
    3rd
    Aaron Farlow (AUS) 5:59:04 
    Tamsin Lewis (GBR) 6:47:25 
  
  
    4th
    Marcus Ornellas (BRA) 6:01:05 
    C&amp;eacute;line Shaerer (SUI) 6:55:03 
  
  
    5th
    Herv&amp;eacute; Faure (FRA) 6:02:13 
    Eimear Mullan (IRL) 6:57:49 
  
  
    6th
    James Cunnama (RSA) 6:03:02 
    Lou Collins (GBR) 6:58:53 
  
  
    7th
    Matteo Annovazzi (ITA) 6:06:55 
    Coralie Lemaire (FRA) 7:09:55 
  
  
    8th
    Timothy Van Houtem (BEL) 6:07:56 
    St&amp;eacute;phanie Reymond (FRA) 7:12:10 
  
  
    9th
    Olivier Marceau (SUI) 6:08:59 
    Amy Marsh (USA) 7:16:17 
  
  
    10th
    Erik Simon Strijk (NED) 6:10:28 
    Diane Lee (GBR) 7:33:07 
  
  
    11th
    Jan Rehula (CZE) 6:13:34 
    &amp;nbsp;
  
  
    12th
    Brandon Marsh (USA) 6:14:56 
    &amp;nbsp;
  
  
    13th
    C&amp;eacute;dric Lassonde (FRA) 6:18:56 
    &amp;nbsp;
  
  
    14th
    Sam Gardner (GBR) 6:22:40 
    &amp;nbsp;
  
  
    15th
    Giles Reboul (FRA) 6:27:44 
    &amp;nbsp;
  
]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Jodie Swallow interview]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_7321.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Early this year Jodie Swallow made a big decision. In order to enhance her chances of racing the Olympic Games in 2012, she re-located to Switzerland, changed coach, and changed training groups. Having secured her best World Champonship Series result last Saturday in Hyde Park, Jodie continued to show that she can be a force over the longer distances too. Already ITU World Long Distance Champion, and ETU Long Distance silver medal winner, Jodie won the Alpe d&#039;Huez Long Course Triathlon on Wednesday, leading from the very first stroke and crossing the line almost 29 minutes clear of Rebekah Keat.
I spoke to Jodie immediately after her impressive display on the iconic mountain of Tour de France racing.

JL: We spoke on Thursday (pre Hyde Park WCS race), and you said you wanted to get a top-10 there. You did that (7th), and now you have won Alpe d&#039;Huez Long Course. You must be pretty happy with the last four days?!
JS: I think I&#039;ve got to ride home! To be fair, I was thinking about that during the run - my coach was saying &amp;quot;switch off, switch off&amp;quot;, and I thought &amp;quot;I think I might, I&#039;ve got to ride home tomorrow!&amp;quot;
JL: How far is home?
JS: 300km...
JL: Ouch! Does that mean you get away without doing a race at the weekend?
JS: Yeah, I&#039;ve got no racing this weekend and then I&#039;m back into it with the World Cup (Tiszauvaros, Hungary) the following week. The target was the World Series race (London), and so this was just a fitness race really, but I&#039;m good at this type of stuff...
I&#039;m going to Budapest (WCS Grand Final), which is a real target. I&#039;m only apparently 70% fit now...
JL: It was no surprise at all to see you coming out of the swim first, but you also looked really strong on the bike. At the top of the second climb you were 9:30 clear, and by the top of Alpe d&#039;Huez it was 14 minutes. How did it actually feel going up Alpe d&#039;Huez?

JS: I can&#039;t believe that - it felt absolutely awful! It&#039;s a steep climb, but I&#039;ve got this attitude of mind where I don&#039;t give up, and I always think I&#039;m going worse than I am and that I&#039;m hurting more than everyone else, but I&#039;m not. That&#039;s quite encouraging, and when I got to the run I could relax and switch off - it&#039;s a bloody hard course though, really hard!
JL: I know one of the important things for you the last few years, making your way back towards the top of the sport is to really enjoy it and have fun. With a race like this - three random distances, no ITU points, no qualifying, no records or times important - does that help given that you just go out, swim / bike / run and have fun?
JS: Yeah, we&#039;ve come here as a team and obviously James won, Scott (3rd) did well too. One of my best friends is Harry Wiltshire (5th) and it is good to have all of my friends around me. Bek Keat who is finishing second now is probably my best friend, so it&#039;s fun but high performance as well so it is cool to come here, plus it is very close to where we train in Leysin as well. Perfect really!
JL: So, any more long distance racing on the schedule for the rest of the year or is it all back to focus on the build-up to Budapest?
JS: Definitely a focus up to Budapest, but then I&#039;ve also got Clearwater (Ironman 70.3 World Champs) as well. It&#039;s up to my coach what races I do, but I guess I&#039;ll do long distance towards the end of the year. I don&#039;t see a problem in mixing them up. It&#039;s a demonstration from Saturday to Wednesday that I can mix them.
JL: I think you&#039;ve proved that! Well, enjoy your rest - and if you can, the 300km ride home - and enjoy the rest of the year.
JS: Thank you very much, cheers.  
]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[James Cunnama interview]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_7320.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[South African James Cunnama is just 27 years old, and starting to make his name known in the long distance triathlon scene. 2009 was a breakthrough season for the likeable teamTBB athlete, highlighted by a second placed finish at Ironman Austria.
2010 hadn&#039;t seen that progression evidenced - primarily through illness, a bike crash, and then being knocked off his bike - but after having to withdraw from Ironman Austria this year prior to the event, he produced a sixth placed finish (8:18:47) at Challenge Roth, which in his words was &amp;quot;definitely not at full gas&amp;quot;, after his recent problems. In doing so, he was one of the few men not to be &#039;chicked&#039; by Chrissie...
On Wednesday James achieved his first major professional victory at the Alpe d&#039;Huez Long Course Triathlon, and I spoke to him at the finish line. (Check out the race report HERE, and image gallery HERE). 

JL: James, congratulations - you told me when we spoke before the start of the race that you wanted to improve on your third place last year. You did that, you must be very happy?
JC: I&#039;m ecstatic - everything just went fantastic today. The swim was not great initially, it was very cold and to start with I battled to get my breath, but once I warmed up I got into it. Onto the bike, I just felt sublime the who way. Up the first hill I was hardly working at all, and staying with the guys and that is when I knew I had the legs today, and for the rest of the ride they just flowed. Even on to the the run at 1800m, I thought it was going to be tough but I felt strong the whole way. I&#039;m very very ecstatic with my run, it bodes well for the rest of the season.
JL: You came over the top of the second climb (Col d&#039;Ornon) together with Bertrand Biland (FRA), but by the top of Alpe d&#039;Huez you had a massive lead. Did you really put the hammer down on the climb, or was it in the transition between?
JC: I kind of pulled up to him on the climb and sat behind for a little bit. I knew that was the lead and I didn&#039;t want to push too hard too early, but going down the other side of the hill, on a time trial bike - the other guys were on road bikes - I just opened up and pushed the limits and went down the hill hard. I knew that was where my advantage was and I got to the bottom of Alpe d&#039;Huez, knew I had a bit of a lead and I just kept the pressure up all the way to the top and once I was at the top in the lead I was pretty sure it was mine.
JL: How much fun is it do do a race where basically you have three odd distances, no qualifying, no records - it&#039;s back to how triathlon was, on a magnificent course and all you have to do is just race the athletes?
JC: Yes, it certainly takes it back to the roots. There is no pressure, no expectations on time or anything - it&#039;s just mano-a-mano really - you just race against the course and your competitors. It really gives you the freedom to push when you feel good, go easy when you feel bad and opens it up to the strongest competitor on the day rather than opening it up to tactics.
JL: You raced on a time trial bike (Cerv&amp;eacute;lo P3), do you think there is any benefit either way or is that just your preference?
JC: You know, people question racing on a TT bike on a race like Alpe d&#039;Huez - I live on my TT bike. I race on it, I ride on it day in and day out, it is what my legs and body are used to. I descend well on it, climb well on it. I don&#039;t think it makes a massive difference - your body will get used to whatever you are used to riding, and as I&#039;ve shown today, it&#039;s certainly not slower!
JL: Congratulations again James, and have a great rest of season.
JC: Thank you very much.   ]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Alpe d'Huez Short Course results 2010]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_7319.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Following the long distance classic yesterday, today (Thursday) it was the turn of the &#039;short&#039; distance athletes to take on the Alpe d&#039;Huez Triathlon.
The 1.2km / 30km / 7km course doesn&#039;t sound too difficult, but when a European Age Group Champion, Matt Molloy, tells you after the race &amp;quot;that was tougher than a half (ironman)&amp;quot;, then you start to see that this is still a worthy - but slightly more achievable - challenge. Indeed, around 1200 athletes took to the cool but stunning surrounds of Lake Verney, many of whom had travelled from the UK. 
An hour before the race conditions were perfect after early rainfall, but then just 20 minutes before the hooter the rain started to fall again. Thankfully, the course today didn&#039;t feature any significant descents. Racing yesterday in the rain would not have been pretty...
No motorbike for me today, but I did get to watch most of the race up the climb of Alpe d&#039;Huez, which essentially is why almost everyone was here anyway!

Spaniard Francesc Godoy  was the first to reach turn #21 - the first on the climb from Borg d&#039;Oisans - as each hairpin is numbered in descending order until you reach the summit. The French based British Shaw brothers were well up the field in the top six, but missing in action was race #1, Marcel Zamora Perez, the five-time winner of Ironman France. Known for his stunning run speed, the deficit was looking like even he would not make an impression at this stage.

Godoy was joined on the climb by late entrant from Italy, Alberto Casadei, and the pair were locked together through most of the ascent.
Casadei headed out onto the run course at around 1800m altitude just a few strides ahead of Godoy, with Australian David Dellow 1:45 back. And that was how it remained to the finish. An ecstatic Casadei crossed the line clutching a Marco Pantani bandana, pointing to the sky in honour of the Italian cycling legend, and Tour stage winner here in 1995 and 1997. French based athlete Karl Shaw was first Brit across the line in fourth.
Like the men, the ladies finishing positions mirrored the exit of T2. Eva Janssen (NED) defended her 2009 win, ahead of top XTERRA athlete Renata Bucher (SUI), with GB&#039;s double World Junior Duathlon Champion Sophie Coleman in third place. Sophie only entered on Monday, and thoroughly enjoyed the race, despite claiming to be &amp;quot;not that fit&amp;quot; at the moment.
 

  
    Pos
    Men
    Women
  
  
    1st
    Alberto Casadei (ITA) 
    Eva Janssen (NED)
  
  
    2nd
    Francesc Godoy (ESP) 
    Renata Bucher (SUI)
  
  
    3rd
    David Dellow (AUS) 
    Sophie Coleman (GBR) 
  

This is certainly a very popular international race, and it is interesting to note that not one French athlete made the podium.
If you are looking for a tough, but achievable challenge in 2011, then the Alpe d&#039;Huez Short Course race should be on your &#039;to do&#039; list. Easy transport from the UK and, being off-season in this ski resort, plenty of reasonably priced accommodation is available, or indeed camping options should you so choose.]]></description></item></channel></rss>
