Search
shop

Sam Long, “pummeled” by a car, hopes to be 100% for St George

'The Big Unit' on that crash, and how it affected his St George build-up - plus Cam Wurf confirms he'll start
News Director
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Sam Long is hoping to be close to 100% for the IRONMAN World Championship in St George on Saturday as he recovers from a collision with a car.

The crash happened 10 days before the big showdown in Utah, while he was out on a training ride in Tucson, Arizona.

At the time he said on his Facebook page: “It’s a reminder that there is no perfect training plan and that things happen. My team and I have modified the plan to make sure the body will be ready.”

But his Strava and social media updates in recent days have underlined the extent of the injury, and the impact it had on him.

Advertisement

‘Pummeled by a car’

The PTO World #5, who has won both his races this season, said: “It’s been a blur after getting pummeled by a car last week. After feeling and seeing peak fitness in my metrics – after months of work, Canceling Christmas and so much focus – I nearly lost it all. I hope to be at 100 percent by Saturday.”

And after arriving in Utah and logging an 83km training ride he added on Strava: “I finally feel like my hip will be better and that I can actually get to the start line.”

Long is just one of a number of big names racing who have had their build-ups severely interrupted.

That list is topped by the two clear favourites for the men’s race, Norwegian duo Kristian Blummenfelt and Gustav Iden, who have both had to shake off bad colds.

The race is already missing defending champion Jan Frodeno and dual winner Patrick Lange through injury while Javier Gomez and Joe Skipper have both been ruled out by COVID.

Strength in numbers

And Long told fellow contender Lionel Sanders‘ YouTube channel that the dynamics of the bike section on Saturday can be pivotal to the result.

He said: “We’ve often seen at Kona that the winners come from the swim group lead pack most years and they stay ahead.

“We particularly saw that in 2019. Both Jan and T.O [Timothy O’Donnell] had the pace honest and hard up front and the main group of cyclists didn’t bridge up enough time to be competitive.

“Obviously I have to have allies and we have to work together.

“I don’t think it’s a surprise that Lionel and I are probably the two strongest guys on the bike in that group, but I really hope it’s not just me and Lionel who are going to have to take that charge and responsibility.”

Wurf the ‘X Factor’

One of the men who could have a huge impact in that is Cameron Wurf, who confirmed to us this week that he will be on the start line.

The Australian helped the INEOS Grenadiers to a famous win at Paris-Roubaix only last month, one of professional cycling’s most iconic and attritional events.

He finished fifth at Kona in 2019 and has twice broken the bike course record there.

He flew in this week, explaining: “I didn’t really decide until Sunday night. I’ve had a busy start to the year and Roubaix took some recovery time, that’s a hard race, also the fact I hadn’t swam or run much obviously. In the end, I love competing.”

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 Sardinia location
Let’s race… Challenge Forte Village Sardinia
Are calf sleeves actually worth it for triathletes? How many watts aero calf compression sleeves could save you
Laura Siddall Patagonman Xtreme Triathlon 2023
PremiumAre we in a triathlon boom, or hurtling towards burnout? Laura Siddall on the growth of the sport
Is sports nutrition bad for you? Ultra-processed foods are under siege, and athletes are caught in the cross fire – but should we be worried?
Challenge Barcelona 2023 - Photo Credit: Jose Luis Hourcade
The ultimate city break triathlon race-cations: from Challenge Barcelona to Singapore T100 these are the best city centre races to combine multisport with sightseeing
latest News
Solveig Lovseth wins IRONMAN World Championship 2025
IRONMAN World Champion Solveig Løvseth seals new kit deal – and joins fellow Norwegian stars at Swiss brand ON
Lea Houart wins junior women title World Championships Wollongong 2025
French double in junior races as Houart and Douche grab the world titles in Wollongong
Elite Women Abu Dhabi 2025
World Triathlon unveil 10-race WTCS schedule for 2026 – including Samarkand and Quiberon
Hayden Wilde wins Spain T100 2025
PTO announce major changes to T100 – forward momentum or losing ground?
Dave Ellis / Luke Pollard - World Para Triathlon Championships Pontevedra 2023
Para Triathlon World Championships 2025: Legend Dave Ellis hungry for more as he seeks fifth title in a row
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
247 Endurance

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...