Clermont CC - March 3

MEN

Startlist can be found here

Strong field here again for Clermont as the first race in N.America takes off for 2012. Headliners for this field include Jones (CAN), Shoemaker (USA), Hosada (JPN), Bowden (GBR), and Kerr (AUS). For Jones and Shoemaker the tilt is going off in their backyard, an advantage for sure over international travel and athletes coming off a hard/hot race in Lima last wkd.

Unfortunately the swim for this one is not really a swim. More like a water run with 300m of kiddie pool / waterpolo tactics. Like last year swim will be a large group led by a strong swimmer with athletic entry/exit skills. Take beachboy Wilson (BAR) on this one.

With a tight, narrow bike route the pack will get strung out quite long over the 20k but should stay together with enough athletes to fill and cover any gaps that should form.

5k will decide this if not a quick and smooth T2. On the run the pace should be layed out pretty hot by Hosada. It really is a tough call for this podium but I see it as:

Nicholls (GBR), Shoemaker (USA), Jones (CAN)

Darkhorse: Yorke (CAN), VanOrt (USA)
New Flag Watch: Wilson (BAR), Quinchara (COL)[PATCO]

WOMEN

Startlist can be found here

Another strong field of women here for Clermont. International talent combined with strong CAN/USA athletes should make for a very exciting race.

Unlike the men's race though this one may have some seperation out of the water. McClarty and Haskins (USA) will surely look to break this field up with runners such as Jorgensen (USA), Campbell (CAN) and Ueda (JPN) to deal with.

Out of the water we could see a smallish group of 5 or 6 with the aforementioned Americans, Kaye (USA), Lang (GBR), Harrison (FRA) and a few others redlining to make this break.

McClarty will lead us up to T1 where Haskins may look to jump on with McClarty for a two-horse show to get out of town. Really there is a lot of different dynamics that could go on with this one with strong riders such as Sweetland (CAN) and Peon (FRA) perhaps dragging a few others up.

I would see this bike forming two groups initially. The front dozen or so and a larger chase of 15. But by 20k we should see a merge and a large group of women coming off at T2 for the 5k run.

Over the 5k Jorgensen should prove to be strongest while the other podium spots will be tightly contested.

Take the podium as: Jorgensen (USA), Peon (FRA), Campbell (CAN)

Darkhorse: Vodickova (CZE), Widney (CAN)
New Flag Watch: None