Search
shop

Lionel Sanders reveals why more motos mean triathletes like him are a fading force

'No Limits' fears it could be 'no chance' for athletes like him
News Director
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Lionel Sanders says the growing presence of motos at elite races means it will be difficult for triathletes like him to make an impact in the future.

The topic of motos in the sport hit the headlines in the most tragic of circumstances when an operator died following a horrific collision at IRONMAN Hamburg last month. And there is another reason they are controversial – the impact they can have on race results.

For Sanders that is a major concern, with his relative weakness in the swim meaning he is playing catchup on the bike rather than benefiting from being at the front in the slipstream of those vehicles. As the Canadian explained in an interview with Super League Triathlon, it’s also a complex topic.

Advertisement

Lionel Sanders on impact of motos

“Anyone who can swim can get into triathlon. If you can swim, the Ironman side of things, it’s basically semi draft-legal,” he explained.

“The draft zone hasn’t been changed since like the beginning of our sport for the most part. The speeds have gone up, up, up yet the rules have remained the same. So if you can swim, absolutely.

“Now is the door shutting on guys like me who don’t swim front pack? I’d say we’re getting there, because of media vehicles, the combination of our sport growing and various entities coming in and helping the sport really, which is great for the sport.

“But that may be shutting the door on guys like me. If I was trying to come up now, it would be a lot harder for sure, because there’s really nowhere to cut your teeth. Small races, there’s still media.

“IRONMAN is putting media vehicles and stuff out in a Galveston or Oceanside, there’s gonna be media vehicles there. And they greatly affect the race and the pack dynamics and everything. It just greatly affects the race for better or worse, that’s our sport.”

What it means for weaker swimmers

The way the sport is evolving means only one thing for athletes like Sanders, and the 35-year-old warned up-and-coming hopefuls like him that they should expect a major challenge.

“I can tell you that, if you want to come up as a weaker swimmer like I did, if you think 400 Watts is a lot of wattage, well you’re gonna have to change that, because that’s what is gonna be required to bridge the gap now.

“You’re gonna have to really swim well and continue to improve your swimming, and then push 400-plus Watts until you bridge to the front. There is no other way, there’s none of this ‘ride steady, ride your own power’ – that doesn’t exist any more, not for guys like me.”

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
Challenge The Championship Marjolaine Pieree
How to qualify for Challenge The Championship – and why it should be on your triathlon bucket list
Cadomotus aero triathlon cycling shoes
Can your triathlon cycling shoes make you faster? How shoe choice could speed up your triathlon finish times
French Riviera T100 bike course Esterel
Is this the ultimate middle distance triathlon bike course? We rode the French Riviera T100 bike course and it’s EPIC
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
Challenge St. Pölten 2024 - image credit Jose Luis Hourcade / Challenge Family
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
latest News
Kristian Blummenfelt wins 703 Aix en Provence 2025
Kristian Blummenfelt eyes IRONMAN World Championship 1-2-3 for Norwegians
Kat Matthews vs Laura Philipp
IRONMAN Hamburg pro women’s start list: Laura Philipp vs Kat Matthews in World Championship rematch
Lionel Sanders wins 70.3 St George 2025 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
Triathlon superstar Lionel Sanders says he went to a “dark place” to fuel his latest IRONMAN win
The PTO's CEO Sam Renouf
PTO reveal ambitions of matching Roth and Kona as French Riviera T100 triathlon course details unveiled
Sam Long St George 2024 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
‘No No No’ – Sam Long says he felt ROBBED by swim cancellation at ‘69.1 Chattanooga’
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

Share to...