Seems like the whole world is rounding on Challenge Budva for DQing Ditlev after cut the run short by 400m, he followed the lead bike, which made a wrong turn. He beat Lange by 8mins, so cutting the course made not materal difference.
I have massive sympathy for Ditlev, I am sure I would have done the same (not that I will ever be in that position). However, all the other athletes managed to run the right course, so I assume that it was correctly marked. A couple of times I have been on my own on the bike/run course, without the aid of a lead vehicle, and somehow manage to follow the course. I do feel that a DQ was harsh, maybe a time penalty would have been appropriate
This always gets trotted out but really? You’re leading a race (time for some suspension of disbelief ) and you’re behind the lead bike - do you follow the lead bike or go where you think the course should be going
The penalty for cutting the course is a DQ, not sure there is any discretion on the officials to do anything else.
What would I do in that hypothetical position? Given it’s the end of an IM, probably not thinking too straight anyway, I’d try and question it if I realised what was happening, but in the end, if an official directs you off course, I think you have to follow. You don’t know if they have had to make a change due to an issue ahead.
A young women in the GB AG team missed a corner and thus missed a short section of the bike course…she was leading her cat and possibly would have won anyway…but she had the cajones to speak with me and the TD seconds before the presentation and accept a DQ that not only meant she would she lose a gold, but also her PQ and any chance to race next year…
Harsh, possibly but you must have strict liability in cases like this or you could end up with all sorts of excuses and long drawn out results processes
It is unfortunate, I’m not sure a lead bike has the same authority as a course Marshall though so I dont think you can directly compare.
The official should be penalised in some way perhaps or Ditlev compensated for the misdirection.
I didn’t see what happened though so…
I did see something similar almost happen, I think at the FPro European champs - there was a moment where the pro was following the moto with the camera stopped herself and ran on a slightly different but parallel path the camera couldn’t go. Seemed like she had nearly been diverted off course.
As in the races I’ve seen televised, the lead bike often cuts off to some weird enclosure for the final few hundred metres - to a kilometre, depending on the race.
This is @Poet , he would have studied every inch of the course for 12 months prior to the race and probably even counted every piece of gravel along the route.
Marcel Hug has just missed the final turn in the Boston Marathon because he was following a car/truck rather than the blue line, ended up costing him a course record.
He cut the course, so a penalty has to be given. If there is no scope in the rules for a time penalty and a DQ is the only option, then there should be no debate
Its a shame that the organisers are receiving so much shit, I don’t see that they had an option
) and you’re behind the lead bike - do you follow the lead bike or go where you think the course should be going 
