Let’s rock Challenge St. Pölten

Michi is ready for the start line again just one week after competing at the North American Championships in Tulsa at the long distance - this time with home advantage!

On Monday, Michi swam and ran out in Tulsa before the 24-hour travel day back home started on Tuesday. Directly from the runway in Vienna-Schwechat, it was off to the ocean in Guntramsdorf for a regeneration session in the water. The pond proved to be the optimal tune-up for St. Pölten, as it had the same temperature of 15 degrees as the lakes in St. Pölten. On Wednesday, massage was on the agenda before he already got back on the bike and slipped into his running shoes on Thursday.

 

Temperatures will be decisive for the race

At the press conference on Friday, sweater weather prevailed in the Lower Austrian capital. 
The ratio of the water temperature to the outside temperature becomes an influential factor already during the swim. Per colder degree outside temperature the water temperature will be adjusted down by 0.5 degrees. The fact does not exclude a shortening of the swimming distance according to the current status. With the quantity of starters, there will be a water start instead of the common jump from the jetty.

On the bike it will be windy (forecast: north wind, so headwind on the usual high-speed passage on the S33)! With a temperature of eight degrees in the morning at the start, the announcement to the competition is doubly interpreted: "Dress warmly!"

 

Conditions benefit Michi

Extra clothing on the bike will be necessary, especially on body parts you don't actively move, like hands and feet. This brings back memories for Michi of 70.3 Texas 2018, where he could barely put on his running shoes due to numbness.

A huge starting field with over 100 professionals promises a real fight! The general conditions, such as prize money and the number of race judges remain the same, which does not make the situation easy for the organizer. Christoph and Petra Schwarz from Best-Zeit have the COVID-19 situation very well under control and there is a professional bubble. One support person per athlete is allowed, each of whom must be tested, recovered or vaccinated.


The pro field is led by world champion Sebastian Kienle as well as numerous 70.3 specialists like Maurice Clavel, Frederic Funk, Pablo Dapena, Thomas Steger and SchullerProTriTeam teammate Paul Ruttmann.

Michi will definitely call up everything on race day! He knows the conditions and the course by heart at his eighth start in St. Pölten. He has achieved everything from first to fourth place in this race and sees the Top5 as feasible this time as well. He feels at home here and knows the groove. After Tulsa, the hunger for a sense of achievement is bigger than before! 

 

Race start: Sunday, May 30, 2021, 06:30AM, from 06:20AM live-coverage on ORF Sport+.