Best Images of 09 – The Bike
There were several landmarks in the realm of the triathlon bike in 2009. Chrissie Wellington blasted the women’s Iron-distance mark with a 4:40 at Roth. Normann Stadler just missed a similar record by a few seconds there as well. Julie Dibens used the bike to crush the field at Clearwater and to whip good friend Chrissie Wellington in Boulder. Chris Lieto almost reversed the famous title of Lance Armstrong’s first book. It would have been about the bike – if only he has been able to follow his 4:25 at Kona with a sub-three hour run. As always cyclists showed a lot of grit – just look at the pictures of West Point Triathlon competitor Rob Sherry, of the strain on the face of New York Triathlon winner Rebeccah Wassner. There was beauty on two wheels – just check out Charlotte Kolters immaculate white and gold outfit and bike, or Matty Reed’s laser focus look at Clearwater. And there was a thin line between a legal margin between bikes and a four minute penalty, as many at Clearwater found out. Bikes looked good in the countryside of Boulder and on the ultra urban Lakeshore Drive in Chi-town, or in the tropical tree canopies of Hawaii at Ultraman.
Photographs ® by Timothy Carlson
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Timothy Carlson's best swim pics of 09
Timothy Carlson's best run pics of 09
Rebeccah Wassner went flat out to win in New York
West Point Cadet Rob Sherry’s tongue was out as he went all out on a sub-freezing training ride along the Hudson River roads.
Age group star Diana Hassel climbs Lee Hill Road in Boulder.
Diana Hassel rides Superior, Colorado time trial under threatening skies.
Emmas Snowsill and Moffat chase the leader riding past the Washington Monument.
High adrenaline is inevitable as a pro rider ascends Solarerberg through a tunnel of roaring fans.
David Thompson in a radically aero tuck position.
Chrissie Wellington chasing Julie Dibens at Boulder 5430 long course.
Matt Chrabot broke through with a big win at the USA Triathlon elite nationals. But he had to be satisfied with second at Chicago.
Belinda Granger overcame injuries and a rough crash just before Roth to post some of the fastest bike splits of the year. Here she trains in Boulder.
Lucie Zelenkova of the Czech Republic posted the fastest women’s swim split at Kona and kept that lead and the media attention until Mile 20 of the bike when CW took over.
Charlotte Kolters sported the most exquisite tri outfit and bike combination –it would have been at home on the Paris fashion runways.
Coming and going on the rolling hills leading to Hawi — at the Ford Ironman World Championship.
Chris Lieto earned the title of best Ironman biker of 2009 – and he almost took a Kona win.
Matt Reed was the best Olympic distance non drafting tri in 2009. He won the Life Time Fitness – Toyota Challenge Series. And he was in contention for a rookie win at Clearwater but fell to third on the run.
Michellie Jones out of the saddle climbing the causeway at Clearwater.
Riders did the best they could to stay legal at pancake flat Clearwater.
But many penalties were inevitable.
Slovenia’s Miro Kregar stayed within striking distance on the bike – watched here by a Hawaiian longhorn – and then attacked on the run for his second 2nd place finish at Ultraman.
Leaders rider under tropical canopies on Day 2 of Ultraman.
