🍺 Jack Moody knows he’s going to need a day of days to make the podium at Challenge Roth on Sunday and perhaps even chug on the giant stein of bier reserved for the champion. He also knows bucket list dreams are only possible if you can imagine them and, yes, he quietly believes.
After a solid training block in Auckland and a 10-day finishing camp at Hotel Jakob on Lake Fuschlee in Austria, Moody is primed for his debut at the 226km race which is oft trumpeted as the “Tour de France of triathlon”.
The PTO World No.75 won’t exactly go into the Bavarian classic under the radar, not after winning the Challenge Family season title last year. But there’s understandably more pre-race mail on 2023 Ironman World Championship winner Sam Laidlow (FRA), late entry Joe Skipper and fellow Brit Tom Bishop, runner-up to Dane Magnus Ditlev who isn’t back to defend his title.
Moody joins American Matt Hanson, four time Ironman winner Denis Chevrot (FRA) and Dutchman Menno Koolhaas as Roth debutants. Add in long distance first-timers Vincent Luis (FRA), Aaron Royle (AUS) and Henri Schoeman (RSA) and the field looks wide open.
“In terms of my expectations? I don’t know, is it too ambitious to say I’m here to do well, that I’d love to win?” Moody told SBR-Tri.com
“I think you’ve got to train with that sort of visualisation and that dream of winning any race you put yourself out in because it helps fill the bucket, helps make every one of those sessions a little bit more enjoyable.
“Going to need an amazing day to snake the top step but you got to do crazy stuff if you want crazy things. Can’t wait for the cannon to go off 6:30 Sunday morning [4.30pm Sunday NZ Time].”
Moody has loved the build-up to a race famous for the Tour de France-Esque crowds that line the fabled Solar Berg climb on the bike and the square, horse-shoed finishing chute packed with equally noisy fans.
“We’ve moved into Roth and the town’s definitely getting pretty exciting. We’re staying with an awesome homestay family, which is one of the unique parts as a professional for Roth.
“The homestay experience really gives you a sense of how proud the town is to have the triathlon here and walking around the expo today, and doing the ‘Breakfast with Bob’, you realise just how important this race is not only to the fans but, competitors alike.
“It’s absolutely enormous. I think it kind of feels like the biggest triathlon I’ve certainly been to and our homestay say they expect 250,000 odd people out there on the course each year as spectators, which is just ridiculous.
“So, I’m excited to see how the town just explodes over the coming days. All to play for come Sunday.”
It’s been “toasty” in German, as it has been across Europe, so Moody is hoping the slight dip in temperature forecast for Sunday eventuates. He won’t be the only one.
A key for the Kiwi will be staying in touch during what is always a slick 3.8km swim.
“I think there’s so many different competitors out there [but] not too many standout allrounders other than maybe Sam Laidlow who we know has had a bit of a tough year this year,” Moody said.
“We’ve just had [Germany’s] Jonas Schomburg join the [start] list and he obviously had great success at South Africa early this year… otherwise we’ve got a bunch of guys stepping up to the distance with Freddie Funk, Aaron Royale, Vincent Louis, who are all sort of household names over that middle distance and Olympic distance, even Henry Schoeman, actually.
“So we know how fast that swim is going to be and I’ve been working my ass off just trying to get some speed up. I’ve got to be realistic, I won’t be swimming with those guys…I’ve just got to make sure I’m in that next pack and then sort of do my thing, keep my head up high, well low [aero] on the bike, but mentally high and then sort of unleash on that run.”
The run is where Moody, 3rd at Ironman NZ in March and second at the Challenge Taiwan Half in his last start in late April, will hope to make his move.
“It looks like an awesome run course. [A] flat, fast, beautiful trail and then hopefully that crowd will just drive us home over that last 5k as we start coming towards Roth. So, yeah, definitely lots to look forward to.
“Plenty of opportunity out there and something I’ll be looking to make the most of come race day. It’s just sort of soaking in that pre-race nerves and using it as energy and fuel for the fire to give it a good hit out come Sunday.”
