Brownlee, Gentile Among Favorites at PTO Tour US Open
The Quick Details
PTO US Open
September 17 Women – September 18 – Men
100 km total distance: 2 km swim / 80 km bike / 18 km run
$1 million total prize purse
Race Overview
Here comes the second race of the Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) Tour. Just as it did in the PTO Canadian Open earlier this year, this contest, held in Dallas, is conducted at the 100-kilometer distance – 2km swim, 80km bike 18 km run. It is slightly under the 70.3 distance and thus should slightly favor the Olympic distance stars.
One big draw is a $1 million purse with $100,000 each going to the men's and women’s champions, $70,000 to the runners-up and $50,000 to the third-place finishers. Even those who finish 40th or later take home $2,000.
Although there are age groupers racing, headlining this event are the professional men’s and women’s fields which have undergone significant changes from Edmonton to Dallas. The most exciting finish was the men’s contest in which Gustav Iden of Norway held off a nerve-wracking furious late race charge by countryman and Olympic champion, ITU World Champion and recent world-best Ironman time-setter Kristian Blummenfelt. This time around, the two top Norwegians will be missing.
By contrast, the women’s field is bolstered by four new superstars missing from the Edmonton clash. Starting with Olympic gold medalist and World Triathlon Olympic-distance World Champ Flora Duffy of Bermuda. Next in line is Lucy Charles-Barclay of Great Britain, fully recovered from lingering injuries, and coming off a win at the World Triathlon’s Long Distance World Championships last month in Samorin. Equally threatening is Olympic mixed relay silver medalist and World 70.3 World Championship bronze medalist Taylor Knibb. Not least of this all-star quintet is Kat Matthews of Great Britain, who earned a silver at the recent Ironman World Championship in St. George, was a Sub8 Ironman Distance Project winner, and Team Europe Collins Cup stage winner.
Men's Field Overview
Out
Kristian Blummenfelt NOR
Gustav Iden NOR
While missing the almighty Norwegians, there are plenty of likely successors to the PTO US Pro Dallas throne.
Newbies – Bolstering the men’s field
Magnus Ditlev, DEN: Ranked #3 by the PTO
Sam Long, silver medalist at Ironman 70.3 World Championship
Daniel Baekkegard, DEN: PTO #6
Florian Angert, GER: PTO #7
Strong contenders from 2022 PTO Canadian Open
Aaron Royle 3rd at 2022 PTO Canadian Open
Sam Laidlow 4th at 2022 PTO Canadian Open
Lionel Sanders PTO #4, 7th at 2022 PTO Canadian Open
Fred Funk 5th at 2022 PTO Canadian Open
Alistair Brownlee –Early lead at Canadian Open, fell off with abdominal injury. Otherwise, All Time Hall of Famer.
Quality Long Shots
Florian Angert GER
Matt Hanson USA
Ben Kanute USA
Miki Taagholt DEN
Sebastian Kienle GER
Thor Madsen DEN
Mika Noodt GER
Andrew Starykowicz USA
Kyle Buckingham RSA
Kristian Hogenhaug DEN
Pablo Dapena Gonzalez ESP
Josh Amberger AUS
Slowtwitch Prediction
Given the shorter distance, you have to give the edge to those who have Olympic-distance race pedigree and/or blistering fast times at the 70.3 distance. As such, the edge has to go to Alistair Brownlee if he's healthy. As for the silver and bronze predictions, we think that will come from some combination of Long, Ditlev, Royle, Kanute, or Hanson — they have the speed and heat tolerance (expected temperatures on race day will be in the mid 90s) to be able to withstand the pressure. We'll take Long and Hanson due to the home soil.
Women's Field
While the PTO Canadian Open Championship men's race was closer,
the women's contest was plenty good as Ashleigh Gentle took quite a while to run down home country favorite Paula Findlay. Both are in the field this weekend, but the final podium finisher from Edmonton, Chelsea Sodaro, will not.
Out
Nicola Spirig, 10th at Canadian Open
Laura Philipp 4th at Canadian Open
Emma Pallant-Brown withdrew after flat tire in Canadian Open
Chelsea Sodaro 3rd at Canadian Open
Additions
Kat Matthews – PTO #4
Lucy Charles-Barclay – PTO #5
Taylor Knibb – PTO #7
Holly Lawrence – PTO #11
Fenella Langridge – PTO #13
Canadian Open Stars
Ashleigh Gentle – Winner Canadian Open
Paula Findlay 2nd at Canadian Open
Holly Lawrence 6th at Canadian Open
Ellie Salthouse 8th at Canadian Open
Quality Long Shots
Flora Duffy BER
Jackie Hering USA
Jocelyn McCauley USA
Lisa Norden SWE
Lotte Wilms NED
Rach McBride CAN
Ruth Astle GBR
Imogen Simmonds SUI
Sophie Watts USA
Slowtwitch Prediction
It's awfully odd to be putting Flora Duffy down as a long shot. However, she did not excel at the Collins Cup over this distance whatsoever. Was that down to format, or to form? That question mark makes her a dark horse candidate for the podium here.
Given the toss-up nature of the fitness of many of the contenders here, we'd be remiss not to expect the top two finishers from the Canadian Open to finish well here. The edge goes to Gentle and her history of performance in warm weather. We'll bump Findlay down a spot on the podium, leaving second place open for what we think will be a return to form for Charles-Barclay.
