ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships Preview

This Sunday August 1^st, the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships will be contested in Immenstadt, Germany.

Competitors will begin with a 1 lap 4 km swim, complete 2 laps (84 and 46 km) on the 130 km bike, and finish with 3 laps on the 30 km run that is a mix of 40% pavement and 60% gravel.

With the location in the rugged Allgäu Alps, the cycling course from Immenstadt to Oberstaufen and back is sure to be one of the most difficult bike courses in the world. On the 130 kilometre ride, athletes will be forced to ride up inclines of up to 18 percent. The bike course has over 2,000 metres of vertical gain. Organizers estimate that 20,000 to 25,000 spectators will line the course to cheer on the competitors.

American Tim O´Donnell returns to defend his title, he will be challenged by Martin Jensen and Jimmy Johnson of Denmark, Jonas Djurback from Sweden, Matteo Annovazzi of Italy, and Pedro Gomes from Portugal. For the women, look for Yvonne van Vlerken (NED), Caroline Steffen (SUI), Samantha Warriner (NZL), and Erika Csomor (HUN) to battle for the title.

The event schedule is here. The race begins at 7 am local time (CEST). 1 am EST.