The pros are just like the rest of us. Age groupers and pros alike dread the dreaded mechanical problem on the bike portion of an IRONMAN race. Depending on the severity of the mechanical issue, in the worst case scenario, it could delay the race a little, or it could completely ruin it.
Last year, Dutch cyclist Els Visser came close to losing his entire pedal with just a few miles left on the bike course at the Ironman World Championships in Kona. The pedal was still clipped into the cleat, but Visser’s pedal had come off, and he had been racing towards the front of the pack, but ended up sliding into the middle of the pack.
Visser ended up finishing 15th that day, but has made a brave return to the racing scene with great success this year, finishing in the top five in all but one of the Ironman races she has competed in. Can she continue this streak with a podium finish in Nice?
Els Visser ready for Nice match
ST: How is this season going so far? How do you feel about it so far?
EV: It’s the best season of my life so far. I’m in the best shape I’ve had since I started my career and I’ve had some great results. Coming third in Roth and setting a new Dutch women’s Ironman record was awesome. I’ve been racing a lot too. I think IMWC Nice will be my 13th race of the year and my 5th full distance Ironman of the year.
I’m really happy with the consistency I’ve been able to show this season, the way I’ve recovered from each race and how the season has progressed.
ST: You bounced back really well from your bike failure in Kona last year. Can you recall what exactly happened there?
EV: After the turnaround in Hawi, I was riding with Anne Haug. She was setting the pace, but I was able to keep up with her. We were about 6th and 7th. With about 35km (about 22 miles) to go, my left pedal broke. It was still lodged under my bike shoe. It literally just snapped off the pedal shaft.
At first I stopped and got off my bike, but it was clear it couldn’t be fixed and I couldn’t see a mechanic coming, so I thought, ‘Right, all I can do now is get back on my bike and ride the last 35km on one leg’.
I was in a good position when I was running with Anne (Haug) but in the last kilometres a lot of girls passed me from behind, which was very frustrating.
At the start of the marathon, I had to reset my mind and try to run a good marathon. It took me almost 10km before I stopped feeling sorry for myself. I ended up finishing in 15th place.
Considering the circumstances I think it was still a really good performance and of course it would have been better if I hadn’t lost the pedal, but I think it’s part of the sport and it’s also a question of how you deal with it, how you overcome the obstacles and still be able to perform well.
ST: What do you think about the IM Pro Series, you’ve been on the pro triathlon circuit for a long time, do you think the Pro Series is ultimately a good thing for pros?
EV: At the beginning of the year I didn’t really focus on the IM Pro Series, but then I did a few races in the series and continued on that path. Maybe I would have been better off picking the right races within the series. I’m currently fourth in the series.
Next year, if the Pro Series remains the same, I will definitely focus on the Pro Series and train specifically for the Pro Series races and try to get as many points as possible. I think the Pro Series is a great opportunity for us athletes to be rewarded. If you are a consistent athlete and perform well in multiple races, it’s good to get a financial bonus for that.
I think it’s great that Ironman runs the Pro Series on a points system where every second counts and at the end of the day the Pro Series is all about bringing out the best in yourself.
ST: What do you think of the new Ironman World Championship venue in Nice?
EV: At the end of the day, I think Kona is still the race that everyone really wants to win compared to Nice, but I also think that’s because Nice is still very new as a venue for the IM World Championships, so it might take some time for people to really appreciate the race.
There is no doubt that Nice is a course that will ultimately be won by the best overall athlete. It is a very demanding course that requires a good swim, a great bike and a good running performance.
I also like that Nice is close by for those of us based in Europe. In Kona, most of the pros do their pre-camp and have to travel to Kona a month before. This year, I don’t get to Nice until Tuesday of race week. I can drive there, and since I’ve raced a lot this year and traveled a lot, it’s convenient to have Nice close by. I feel like the “World Championships” hype has worn off a little bit, but that could be because it’s so close to where I live.
ST: You’re a very strong cyclist, what do you think about the dynamic bike course in Nice and how do you think it will affect the final outcome of the race?
EV: In this race, it doesn’t matter if you have a great bike but you push it too hard and can’t run the marathon well. You need to pace yourself on the bike so that you can run the marathon well. I think in this race it’s going to be about having the right combination of being strong on the bike and running fast, but not pushing the bike too hard.
I think the swim is less important in Nice, I don’t think there will be as many groups on the bike because there are a lot of climbs, the bike is very honest and demands individual effort.
My advice would be to pace yourself well, treat the race as your own race, compete with yourself, have a good fuelling plan and not get too excited for the first hour on the bike.
ST: Who are your sponsors this year?
EV: Red Bull, Breitling Netherlands, Jelenew and private sponsor Lion Capital Group.
Photo: Eric Alonso, Alexander Corner/Getty Images, IRONMAN
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Ironman Pro Series Ironman World Championships Nice
