Ironman 70.3 Panama

Ironman 70.3 Panama went off with a bang this past weekend! I woke up on Sunday to a “live internet feed” (of course NO TV coverage) of a close race between Bevan Docherty and none other than Lance Armstrong in his 70.3 debut. So I sat on my couch and “watched” messages appear from ironman.com detailing how close the race had become between Armstrong and Docherty, who caught Armstrong in the final miles of the run to win the race.  SO what did Lance have to say about his Ironman 70.3 debut and second place podium finish….

https://twitter.com/#!/lancearmstrong/status/168744876308041728

To begin with, Lance Armstrong made headlines last week with his announcement that he will be racing in a few triathlons this year to qualify for a coveted spot in Kona. Besides Panama, Lance will be racing Memorial Hermann Ironman 70.3 Texas, Ironman 70.3 Florida, Ironman 70.3 Hawaii and Ironman France. I will be racing with Lance at Ironman 70.3 Florida in Haines City.

Lance had his reasons to celebrate in Panama…mainly though, in the beginning of February, federal authorities decided to close a two year investigation into Lance Armstrong based on allegations that he systematically used performance-enhancing drugs in cycling. Lance must have been relieved to hear this news. We all know, the thought of looming bad news causes way too much worry and stress.

Lance was obviously ready to go for his debut race. And for the One Million dollar question….alright more like the $20,000 question, what bike was Lance riding ?

Lance Armstrong's bike (Photo via http://www.everymantri.com)

Make: Trek

Frame: Speed Concept 9 series

Front Wheel: Bontrager Aeolus D3 7

Back Wheel: Lightweight Disc

Saddle: Bontrager Hilo (triathlon prototype)

More details: visit this article on Triathlete.com

What do other triathletes have to say about Lance’s debut in Panama?

https://twitter.com/#!/CrowieAlexander/status/167793759470354434

https://twitter.com/#!/bevanjdocherty/status/168451833738698752

https://twitter.com/#!/rasmushenning/status/168782732858638337

https://twitter.com/#!/chrissiesmiles/status/169060187896942592

https://twitter.com/#!/GregBennett1/status/168792480840548353

I wonder what this means for coverage of triathlon moving forward… Lance Armstrong is a household name across the world, not just for his accomplishments in sport, but also for his fight against cancer, both personally and professionally, through Livestrong.

In today’s Lance Armstrong news, the media and other people are wondering if Armstrong purposefully snubbed Docherty at the finish line by not shaking his hand or offering congratulations. From what i have seen, professionals usually congratulate each other at the finish line, especially the podium finishers who finish within seconds and minutes of each other. Even ESPN got in on the mix today….Wrongly stating that the run portion of the half-ironman is 16.5 miles. LOL! Docherty tweeted to clear up the situation that he was snubbed by Lance…

https://twitter.com/#!/bevanjdocherty/status/169140331110084609

The only thing I have to add to this “Lance Armstrong to triathlon” frenzy is……..WOW ! Cannot wait to see what he does next.