It seems secondary when you are an Olympic champion, but you finally get your first world title… I suspect that it was important to win it before going to Kona and got the revenge on Gomez? By the way, Emma (Snowsill) still has two more world titles than you…
Emma (Frodeno) is still a few titles up but I’m still really happy to shorten the deficit. Honestly the result didn’t change much for my Kona prep- of course it’s nice to have the last weeks on a positive mindset though! As for Gomez- it’s always great to get a chance to race him, even more so if I can beat him. It makes a World title so much more valuable!
If I say that you are the Alistair Brownlee of long distance… that you are dictating the race from the gun. Would you say I am correct?
Well, I don’t like being compared to Alistair but he is a very good athlete. I think I have finally found a good way to be consistent and stay at the top of my level. This gives me the ability to be more aggressive or really have a lot of options as to how to go about the race. It’s nice to have an element of surprise but also to have the confidence to go off the front early.
What’s your opinion on the course, it seems it was impossible to hide and that it created a fairer race.
It was a great course indeed. Fast, technical, spectator friendly… To be honest the only time I saw the guys behind, there was a group anyways- there will always be guys playing it tactical.
At several moments, like when Bocherer and Dreitz were dropping in the decent, Michael Raelert cameback, and then you were victim of cramps after avoiding a bike crash, did you feel the win was in danger, or everything was in control?
Well, the biggest danger was crashing after hitting a pothole and I lost control of the bike for a second. The reaction was to tense up and when you’re at the limit, this can be a cramp. The most danger I felt on the run- it was horrible. I felt weak and out of breath and was just fighting for any rhythm. I knew I was tired from some big training but the combination of a really hard ride made for some struggle.
Can you tell us more about your bike pacing, is it really a steady effort or you were bluffing at the start?
I’m not sure what coverage you saw, but I broke off the front, with only Andy B staying with me. We then rode into the climb together, and if I’m pushing 500W and getting passed, I have no choice but to wish good luck. The tactic came on the descent because this is one of my strengths… From there on, it was really number orientated…
Can we say that the Frodeno 2015 version is stronger or wiser for long distance?
Maybe the strongest I have ever been.
You are now the favorite for Kona, even if the actual world champion, Sebastian Kienle is still showing great progress. Winning is your only option?
It’s the only goal!