Just spotted it was on when the odds appeared on Bet365, a very clear favourite team
Shame no-one told the people of Montreal that it was on
Indeed. Close to 0 spectators.
GTB’s kit looks a bit, err, awkward, not quite see-through but not entirely a solid fabric appearance
Qualification sorted then
GTB was incredible. Sophie Coldwell looked a bit off from her best.
We could really do with a second male who’s good enough. With Brownlee out it makes our male lineup look a bit underpowered.
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I guess the fact GB only qualified 2 men for the Olympics kind of confirms there is a lack of depth. Unlike the women…
Coldwell was unfortunate none of the others would work with her on the bike, had a chance to keep USA out of sight but France were always going to be favourites.
Commonwealths could be interesting if Brownlee doesn’t make it back. Aussies off form, Kiwis 1 or 2 people short of a top team, England must still be favourites.
Her luggage is still in Heathrow so maybe it was a bit last minute.
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Yeah, Flora Duffy, too 
She got to Mont Tremblant without her bike and gear.
Rocks up to qualify for 70.3 champs, can’t race, having not done the WTCS race in Montreal for it.
Absolute sucker.
But, it also seems odd that someone like her couldn’t have borrowed a bike and clothing from someone?
Or her sponsor get her something temporary sorted?
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Something popped up on my Twitter feed saying something like GB World Champs with a short video showing the team stepping on (to what I thought was) a podium. I cursed, closed Twitter for soilers, and fired up iPlayer, selected watch from beginning and watched the whole race thinking GB had won. Even at the end I was expecting a post race France DQ or something. Very confused I had to load up Twitter again, I think it was a pre-race clip introducing the team at the start of the race as the reigning champions. Doh!
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It wasnt until Leeds last year that people even thought Alex was a competitor. Many saying he couldnt swim or ride a bike, now he’s the number 1 choice. Still some of us knew he would always end up at the very top, and at 23 still has minimum of 2, maybe 3 Olympics in him also. Hopefully he’s not as delicate as AB was and he also isn’t surrounded by “Yes men” and a toxic culture as he’s such a decent young man with great parents. Moving to Luffbra seemed to have a good effect but shame he doesnt get to be coached by Russ Barber as swim wise the BTF pulled a master stroke getting him in and I recon he would do wonders with Alex.
Ben Dijkstra was always the BTF main hope at a young age, he’d just not managed to take that step up yet. As a youngster he ran as quick as Alex, but they bulked him up to “sort out his swim” and his run just seemed to drop off. Sam Dickinson also looks to be a future talent, so Hopefully both of them find the form to compete at the top level going forwards.
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Ben’s also been hit by a number of injuries in recent years and I think missed one whole season, and has only recently re-appeared on the circuit but I fear the injuries have set him back too far now. Sam is still on an upward path but he’s no Yee yet although a cracking biker.
There are a couple of other good juniors around who might develop into something - Daniel Dixon being one.
The girls however are looking strong for the future with some excellent youngsters. Beth Cook just came 9th in the Montreal Junior Worlds and I think is on the younger side of that age group so room to grow. Having Glenn Cook and Sarah Coope as parents has probably helped her - they run Bodyworks and SE Academy!
But watch the French - they have some cracking youngsters coming through. The World Junior boys champ from Montreal has just turned 17!
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GTB had multiple (I think?) years out with injury so it’s not necessarily a deal breaker
Yeah just checked and there is nothing in her World Triathlon results for 2014 and 2015
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Alex’s issue previously is that WTS was a warmup then a footrace. He kept missing the front bike pack because swim was relatively weak and so never got to run for the win.
He’s improved swim enough and has company like Hayden to close the gap to front bike. Great to see the progression but can’t be complacent. Luis has shown that incredible form is hard to maintain for consecutive seasons.
The men’s race is currently dominated by the bike/runners - Blum/Yee/Wilde and the uber swimmers can’t or aren’t prepared to bury themselves on the bike to stay away. Luis is probably the biggest danger to that, especially if the French adopt some team tactics.
The women’s has gone the opposite way, with the lead swimmers prepared to work hard to stay away. Duffy/Learmonth/GTB/Knibb want to put distance into the less confident bikers like Baugrand and Rappapour
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Speaking of Rappaport, it amused me on Saturday when the commentators were pointing out that she hadn’t taken a turn int he chase group of 4. FFS have they not seen her race before, that is her default position dangling off the back of whatever group she is in because she can’t ride a bike!
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Nothing wrong with that my good man. Someone once described my cycling ability like a self aware robot discovering a new skill.
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This is brilliant. I don’t know if the guy was a troll, or just a completely idiotic Sam Long fan boy! 
(who is actually growing on me, despite his awful Americanisms, he does seem like a decent guy doing his thing and wants to inspire the next generation etc. Just in a shouty yanky way).
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Yeah, not sure about the over racing the social media stars do recently.
Taking a shot at Stadler is one of those stories you’d like to wake up to with a massive hangover…”I posted what…?” 
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I love Stadler. Whenever I get a puncture I put on my best German accent and shout “another flat f**cking tyre!”.
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“For you it is time to go to bed” 
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Only sounds good in a German accent. Anything else, and it’s just rubbish!
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