Search
shop

Brownlee can still be a danger in St George, if he’s patient – McCormack

Macca preaching patience for two-time Olympic Champion
News Director
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Chris McCormack will not be writing off Alistair Brownlee after that fourth on his return to action in Oceanside, but he does believe a change in strategy would help the two-time Olympic Champion in St George next month.

The 33-year-old Yorkshireman led until the closing stages of an epic race before being caught and passed by eventual winner Jackson Laundry. Then Lionel Sanders and Rudy Von Berg also scorched past as Brownlee missed out on a podium spot.

Two-time Kona king McCormack was pleased with Brownlee’s performance, but believes his aggressive style of racing might not be the best way to win an IRONMAN World Championship on May 7.

Advertisement

Brownlee at Oceanside

He told the MX Endurance Podcast: “He blew some cobwebs out, Alistair hasn’t raced for a long period of time. I thought he was great – I’ve always wondered about his nutrition, he seemed to fall apart nutritionally, he was a mile from home.

“I find Alistair – and there’s no illusions, I’m a huge fan right, he’s entertained me for years and he’s earned my fandom – I think he’s amazing to watch. I find him still relatively immature in the long-course racing.

“He applies that short-course punch to his racing, he’s not as patient as I think he should be. That’s just an outsider’s perspective, I think he’s always forcing the pace – he’s a front runner.”

McCormack said despite the disappointment in many quarters that Brownlee did not produce a winning return to action, an element of realism is required in the aftermath.

“That’s the fastest they’ve ever gone in California. Remember Jan Frodeno’s done that course, people need to come back to that simple fact, that’s the course record that they just did.

Patience can pay off

The way Brownlee ran his race in California was nothing new to McCormack, he’s seen it before. The Aussie believes dialling it back just a little will boost his chances in Utah.

“I just think Ali, reminds me a bit of 70.3 Worlds in South Africa (2018) – bang he applies the pace, straight past. He did it in Nice (2019) – bang, he applies the pace. He’s a very very aggressive racer over the distance and it’s a much longer day and you burn up a lot more, and I think Ironman even more so. I just think it doesn’t need to be that, I think he’s getting caught out a little bit on that too much revs.

“I think he’s walked away a little bit wounded, but I think he can only draw positives from that and he’s got a month to build. 70.3 to Ironman’s a completely different race.”

Now, as he looks ahead to that mouthwatering showdown in St George, Macca has a message for the man he respects so much.

A message for Brownlee

“If you watch any of Alistair Brownlee’s racing as a World Cup athlete, any of his success stories, he’s a front runner – he likes to dictate terms. That’s a very difficult way to race Ironman, it’s extremely difficult.

“I still think Alistair Brownlee’s going to be very very dangerous in St George. I just hope if you’re listening Al, just a little bit more patience.

“You don’t need to win this race until the last 10 metres, any race. No-one cares who led the most, no-one cares about who was on the front the most. It’s about winning across the line.”

Jonathan Turner
Written by
Jonathan Turner
Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, and is accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories and providing unrivalled coverage for endurance sports.  
Discover more
tri-fit vortex tri suit review
TRI-FIT VORTEX tri suit review – race day approved performance
Maja Stage Nielsen Kat Matthews Jocelyn McCauley IRONMAN Texas 2023 podium photo credit IRONMAN
PremiumRacing to keep up: Is social media making us train harder?
Cadomotus chronos aero triathlon cycling shoes
The triathlon cycling shoe that promises a 10-watt saving: Cadomotus Chronos Aero triathlon cycling shoes review
Wahoo ELEMNT RIVAL
PremiumTraining to heart rate vs power on the bike
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumHow to pace a triathlon to leave it all out there WITHOUT blowing up
latest News
Morgan Pearson run T100 San Francisco 2025
Morgan Pearson born to run – ‘maybe I’m the T100 X Factor with a lot to prove’
Georgia Taylor Brown smiles Supertri Toronto 2025
‘It might take a miracle but I’ll give it my best shot’ – can GTB repeat Supertri Chicago win?
Sam Renouf CEO of the PTO
T100 Valencia replacement announced as PTO chief acknowledges “challenges” with 2025 calendar
ironman hamburg 2025 podium laura philipp kat matthews solveig lovseth
Matthews and Løvseth clash again in star-studded IRONMAN 70.3 Zell am See
Jonny Brownlee with bike transition Supertri Toronto 2025
Supertri Chicago 2025: Date, start time, how to watch live and who’s racing
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

All plans include a 7-day free trial

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

All plans include a 7-day free trial

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...