Challenge Roth

This is an excerpt from my “2018 Roth Rating Report”. You can download your copy here.

Daniela is the only German woman on the Pro startlist, so she carries the hopes for the first home country win since Nicole Leder in 2004. That goal is likely a bit too hard to achieve, so maybe a better goal is to be the first German lady on the podium since Anja Beranek in 2015.

Based on the previous results, Dani should be slightly behind the big four that will think about the win (Lucy, Kaisa, Laura, and Yvonne). While her swim and bike are strong enough to keep her with these, the marathons she’s been running were a bit slower than for example Kaisa. But Dani will have higher goals than riding with the others and then seeing them run away from her. She should swim a bit faster than the others (except for Lucy), and I’m looking forward to see her extend that gap on the bike, maybe even reducing the gap to Lucy. She has shown in Hamburg that her run is improving, and another step forward could see her run a sub-3:05 marathon. If she’s able to do that, a podium finish would be within reach, and a new IM-distance PR as well.

Thorsten: After your results in the last years, you can probably have a different target than when you raced in Roth in your earlier years. What have you learned in your earlier races in Roth?

Daniela: Of course every Pro athlete targets to finish as far forward as possible and dreams about winning races. I have worked hard in the last years and have been steadily improving. I’m sure that I haven’t shown my best yet. I’m well prepared this year and my build races at the Ironman 70.3s in Marbella and Kraichgau show that I should be on the list of those to watch.
DATEV Challenge Roth is a highlight of every triathlon season and a race with a long history. The atmosphere is very special and every year the race attracts a strong field. I’m going to focus on my own race and we’ll have to see at the end of the day what that’s going to be worth. Other than knowing the course and knowing a lot of people along the course, I don’t have any advantages over the “Roth rookies” .. but maybe these will make a difference 😉

T: Do you mainly have time-based goals or are you looking to place well?

D: One thing implies the other. It’ll be hard to place well without a fast time. I’m targeting a new PR [currently 8:55:11 from Barcelona 2017] and if everything goes right, I’d love to set a new German record [currently 8:47:26 by Sandra Wallenhorst from Austria 2008]. But I will mainly focus on my own strengths.

T: Behind Lucy there could be a larger group of strong bikers. Do you see yourself riding in that group?

D: I don’t plan my race by looking at others, and I don’t plan to ride in a group. I have worked hard on my swim and want to minimize the time I lose to the front. I have also made progress in the run and was able to show that on the half distance races this year. Of course I want to prove that in the marathon and I’m optimistic to run faster than last year [she won IM Hamburg with a 3:08 run split], but it’s going to be a long day and a lot can happen …

T: Just four weeks after Roth you want to defend your title at IM Hamburg. Is that going to be on your mind when racing in Roth?

D: When I do my best to prepare for Roth then that will also help for Hamburg, so it’s been some extra motivation. But I’m always focused on the next race, Roth comes first and for now I’m 100% focused on Roth.

(Photo: Dani winning IM Hamburg. Credit: TriRating)

This is an excerpt from my “2018 Roth Rating Report”. You can download your copy here.

Sebi is one of the biggest names in long-distance triathlon and he has always been great in his summer IMs, winning three of the last four IM Germany’s in Frankfurt and improving his run PR down to a 2:44:12. He has developed into a superb marathon runner that can play more cards than just his fantastic bike leg.

While he is still looking to regain the winning formula in Kona, it’s hard to see him not win in the milder environment of summer Germany. It can be hot on race day, but the humidity and relentless sun in Kona are another level. The wetsuit swim in Roth should help to minimize the time he has to make up in the first part of the bike, there won’t be a huge group just “waiting” for the bike superpowers to show up. In Roth only Cam Wurf might be able to match him on the bike (and maybe Andi Dreitz), and with the rolling course it’s unlikely that someone else manages to stick with him when he moves through the field. And he has shown in Frankfurt that by now he is also able to win races on the run, even against athletes running well. So unless some unforeseen drama occurs, Sebi has the best chances to win Roth 2018.

(Photo: Sebi on the bike at Challenge Samorin. The image is property of James Mitchell. Prior permission must be sought before usage, please contact james@jamesmitchell.eu.)

Thorsten: You’ve raced Roth twice to kick off your long-distance racing career in 2010 and 2011. What impression has Roth made on you?

Sebastian: These are special memories, especially since those were my first two long races. Long-distance racing is always intense, all the spectators in Roth, and the first sub-8 of an Iron-rookie .. that was craziness. Roth ticks all the boxes, it has been able to keep a “family feeling” while being very professional.

T: By racing and winning Cozumel in November you would have been able to completely change your summer schedule and your lead up into Kona. But it seems you haven’t changed all that much, only racing Roth instead of Frankfurt?

S: Of course we discussed not doing an IM in the summer but it’s always been working well for me. We will make some changes mainly after Roth. Currently I plan not to race 70.3 Championships. In the past it wasn’t a problem leading into Kona, but with the race in South Africa it’s logistically a lot more complicated, and I want to be in Kona five weeks before the race. Maybe I’ll do 70.3 Santa Cruz on the way to Kona.

T: How did the MTB race in South Africa [Cape Epic, a seven-day world class MTB event] fit your prep?

S: It was a risk, and maybe one I shouldn’t have taken looking back. But it fit the training schedule, especially for the strength on the bike. In the end there are some decisions you have to make with your heart, and after a decade of racing professionally I wanted to do a race just because I would enjoy it.

T: You’ve finished second in your half-distance races this year, both times you were beaten by Lionel Sanders.

S: I was okay with St. George, looking at the results I’m still getting better and also in relation to Lionel. Samorin was different, when you’re so close to winning the race you want to wrap things up. I was well prepared and there are certainly positive takeaways, but to be honest the main thing I’ll remember is being “#2” in the results.

T: What’s the goal for Roth? Are you looking for records or mainly winning the race?

S: I want to take the win, but to do so in Roth you will need a quick time. But I don’t think a world record will be needed.

T: It seems that IM Frankfurt one week after Roth will be a big “German showdown” with Patrick Lange, Jan Frodeno and Andi Böcherer. Would you like to have been there as well?

S: Of course I’m really sad, but there will be another chance in October. I’ll be in Frankfurt as the “expert” doing commentary for German television and really looking forward to that. The female field in Frankfurt is also excellent this year.