{"id":25360,"date":"2023-09-07T11:00:22","date_gmt":"2023-09-07T09:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.220triathlon.com\/?p=148090"},"modified":"2023-09-07T11:46:03","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T09:46:03","slug":"kristian-blummenfelt-sits-out-nice-but-picks-surprise-potential-winner","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/rss_feed\/kristian-blummenfelt-sits-out-nice-but-picks-surprise-potential-winner\/","title":{"rendered":"Kristian Blummenfelt sits out Nice but picks surprise potential winner"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Olympic gold medallist confirmed he wouldn\u2019t be starting Sunday\u2019s Ironman World Championship, but believes a veteran Aussie can pull off a shock <\/p>

By Tim Heming\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 07 September 2023 at 09:00 AM<\/p>

\n\n

With the hectic race schedule Kristian Blummenfelt<\/a> has set for himself in 2023, there was always a slim possibility that he wouldn\u2019t be able to resist a shot at reclaiming his Ironman world title in Nice.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But having raced two PTO Open events, the Paris test event<\/a><\/strong>, the Ironman 70.3 World Championship<\/a><\/strong> and even Super League Triathlon in Toulouse<\/a><\/strong> within the past month \u2013 and despite the Norwegian travelling to Nice \u2013 he once and for all ruled out racing on the French Riviera on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the amount of preparation I\u2019ve done, I know I can\u2019t do it,\u201d the 29-year-old PTO-ranked No 1 said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a very challenging bike course and very different to Kona, I can\u2019t just turn up here and race, I need two or three months to dial in because I want to know the course inside out.\u201d<\/p>\n

An unlikely winner?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Without Blummenfelt or his compatriot and reigning champion Gustav Iden<\/a><\/strong> in attendance, returning three-time winner Jan Frodeno<\/a><\/strong>, two-time victor Patrick Lange<\/a><\/strong> and new Challenge Roth course record-holder Magnus Ditlev<\/a><\/strong> are taking top billing.<\/p>\n

However, Blummenfelt believes that Australian Cameron Wurf<\/a><\/strong>, the former rower turned Ironman triathlete who now rides for pro cycling team INESO Grenadiers \u2013 and who turned 40 last month \u2013 could be the man to beat.<\/p>\n

\u201cCam Wurf is looking like a strong contender. If he\u2019s going to be on the podium in any world championship it should be this one,\u201d Blummenfelt said.<\/p>\n

Wurf, who lives and trains in Andorra and spends the bulk of his time training in the Pyrenees, is a former bike course record holder in Hawaii, where his best result was finishing fifth in 2019.<\/p>\n

Having turned to long-course triathlon in 2016, he\u2019s been renowned for competing in multiple events each year as well as combining it with his pro cycling duties.<\/p>\n

This year, though, despite still competing in four Ironmans, Wurf hasn\u2019t raced since June \u2013 a fourth place in Ironman France on much of the same terrain as will be ridden on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Kristian on Lange and Frodeno\u2019s chances<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Frodeno\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
L-R: Jason West (silver), Jan Frodeno (gold) and Kristian Blummenfelt (bronze) share a podium at the 2023 PTO US Open. (Credit: That Cameraman\/PTO)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Blummenfelt is also in agreement with Iden that Lange has a strong chance of success.<\/p>\n

\u201cApparently he is a good descender, and is light so will have weight on his side as well,\u201d he added. \u201cHe didn\u2019t perform too well over the 70.3 distance here in 2019, so it will be interesting to see if he can pull it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s less convinced about the chances of Frodeno \u2013 another Andorra resident, like Wurf \u2013 who has said that Sunday will be his last race<\/a><\/strong> whatever the result.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Jan wins it will surprise me. He got dropped on the hills on the bike by Jonas Schomberg in Andorra [70.3] and I guess there will be more guys being more aggressive on this course than Andorra, and he won\u2019t be able to catch up on the descending.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he\u2019s been in form and he smashed me in the US Open. It would be impressive if he takes that win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eager for a return<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While Blummenfelt might be taking a rare weekend off racing as he flies to Spain ahead of the World Triathlon season finale in Pontevedra<\/a><\/strong>, being in Nice has whetted his appetite for when the Ironman World Championship returns in 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking at the course, with the memories from 2019 [the Ironman 70.3 worlds where Blummenfelt finished fourth<\/a><\/strong>], it\u2019s definitely given me motivation,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s race will be the first time an Ironman World Championship has been contested outside North America following the organisation\u2019s decision to split the men\u2019s and women\u2019s venues<\/a><\/strong> between Hawaii and France \u2013 at least for the next four years.<\/p>\n

\u201cLong term I think it\u2019s great to have different venues. The only thing is whether it\u2019s good or bad to split the women and men, and so we will see this year how sustainable it will be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blummenfelt and Iden were speaking at the launch of a short new anime-style film released from shoe sponsors On.<\/p>\n

Kristian the Unstoppable<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Called Tri-Kings, it re-envisions Gustav the Great and Kristian the Unstoppable as they\u2019re turned into Viking warriors of old and take on gods, giants, and monsters in the Japanese animation style.<\/p>\n