The siesta time by Felipe Gutiérrez: No agreement ... couplings yes or no

The modification in the ITU regulation of the use of Triathlon Couplings in age groups each day gives more to talk about. Felipe Gutiérrez has conducted a survey on its use

 

 

A tricky subject of the couplings and that generate controversy in each test, it is also true that they are the first of the year. Personally to me if I like the couplings and I do not think they are so dangerous, I do not know if there is a statistic for falls in age groups to be coupled but it is possible that the dangers come more in very crowded races or dangerous circuits, but that is another thing.

It's Wednesday, I think I could ask some people about their opinion and I'll do it, surely there will be different approaches to the topic and I'm sure they end up "giving me the tabarra with the topic".

 

Let's see what 11 people say that we have chosen to give us their opinion, obviously some preferred to use the "do not know, do not answer or do not care", there is everything, that if we complain later.

 

Jorge Garcia

Fetri Competition Director and member of the ITU Technical Committee, tells us: "Why did the ITU Technical Committee study the withdrawal of the coupling in the competitions of age groups?

Given the growth of participation in triathlon competitions, where in many cases very large groups are formed, in circuits in many cases of round trip, and therefore narrow; greater scenarios of probability of falls are given. Withdrawing the coupling, we believe that there is a greater safety factor during the cycling segment, and the impact of possible falls will be minimized "

Pepe Navarro Cases

General Manager Hedcycling International Europe SL. www.hedcycling.com

“We have been very surprised by the prohibition of the use of couplings for popular triathletes in the new regulations and I do not know what is the argument for a decision like this. For manufacturers it is a problem that these things are decided so happily without thinking about the industry that has dedicated itself for years to develop and perfect these products, adapting them to the regulations in force at all times. 

It happens that some elite athletes (they can use the couplings) ask us for help to be able to compete in their tests since the federation cannot help them and it turns out that the brands that represent some of them now have limited products to market to popular or non-elite triathletes. 

The other harmed ones are the establishments / triathlon stores that have a very popular product that they will stop selling and / or stocks of those products that will hardly sell.

For several brands (not only HED) this was a product with a lot of turnover and sales in Spain and we will only have to dedicate our efforts in non-restrictive markets and countries with brands that support this sport in different ways "

Alberto Velasco

Triathlete and coach says: "I do not agree with the prohibition of couplings, if they justify the measure, as a safety issue, I think it is not the right measure, there are more accidents in the big squads of age groups because of the over-saturation of the circuits, and the lack of suitability conditions of these, that by the use of couplings Although we are not elite, we have enough head to know when you can use a couple or not. Personally it hurts because it is one of our hallmarks of a lifetime, and in my opinion the federation and organizers have not known how to look at the navel. "

César Pereira

Triathlete, coach, and member of the board of directors of the FMTRI as a representative of triathletes "I think this rule is exclusively for safety, but safety should start from the technical basis, and obviously from the obviousness of the triathlete, that is, inside a peloton, obviously you can not go coupled, as you can not go loose of hands, and that's not why we're going to prohibit releasing the handles during the entire race ...

It is true that with the triathlon boom, and the "No limits" many people without bike experience gets into triathlon and competes very soon, with its consequent imprudence for folly, but because of that nonsense of the new wave of triathletes are disadvantaging the triathletes that have been in this for many years, looking for their escapades, their strategies, etc ... I also think that many brands of couplings will not do any fun, as well as those that already have couplings, that we will eat them with potatoes. It seems that instead of investing in "education" or training, they prefer the prohibition ... "

Victor Dobaño

Triathlete and coach he tells us: "In my opinion, the prohibition to circulate with couplings in races in which drafting is allowed, is an adequate preventive measure. There is more and more evidence and more participation. Many people without proper cycling education, which endangers the rest of participants with their driving. Facilitate these people to put their hands on a few couplings, instead of the brake levers in large groups that exceed the 40 km / h and in which pedaling to the limit of physical and mental capabilities, generates a risk that with this measure, it mitigates a little.

Regarding that it is exclusive of non-elite tests, I also think it is appropriate, since eliminating them, would detract potential from those seeking the group's getaway, and thus generate a little more uncertainty than there are when there are always favorites, demolitionists in the running race. "

Jaime Menéndez de Luarca

trainer and triathlete With many years already in this world he tells us: "My opinion is that it seems to me to be a regulation facility. It seems to me, however, a loss of identity and I do not understand that it can be used in elite tests and not in groups. "

David Callejón

Organizer and triathlete He says: "A priori, as an organizer, I consider that this measure can have a positive impact from the point of view of reducing accident risks during the cycling segment.

I understand that the federal motivation in this regard should also go in this line, if this is so I think it should be corroborated, that is, make a comparative and impact assessment to check with data that the implementation of this new standard is being effective. The use of the safety belt in the car was preceded by studies and the subsequent data confirm the effectiveness to save lives, but in the case of triathlon, has the subject been studied? There are known data on the percentage of GE triathletes that fit in the tests, or even that wearing it later, or on the impact that the couplings have on the severity of the injuries in case of fall, there is some serious report ... There are many starting points that should be known in depth with data obtained through rigorous studies before regulating so exhaustively.

It seems drastic that the coupling ban can increase the safety of the bike sector in age groups in increasingly crowded triathlons, with participants of very different levels and experience and where their use of the coupling could sometimes be considered as a reckless behavior, but I also think that a less radical measure could have been adopted, and that it does not negatively affect the interests of brands and companies in the sector, such as being able to wear couplings to be used at times when the triathlete goes alone and forbidding them to use them in the moment that it circulates in platoon, giving power to the judges to sanction this behavior, defining it in the rules of competition as an infraction.

I understand that brands and companies in the sector are very dissatisfied with the measure "

Juan Carlos Ibáñez Gracia

Triathlete and Officer Level 4 tells us: "The new norm on the prohibition of couplings in Age Group competitions, in my opinion, is a correct measure. The overcrowding in Age Group competitions where it is no longer rare to see platoons of 50 to 100 triathletes or Massive outings of 1.000 athletes, forces to take security measures. That extra second it takes to remove the forearm from the coupling and bring it to the brake lever, can make the difference between a montonera or just a scare. Particularly, both of Triathlete as an Officer, I tremble when I see groups of athletes in a coupling within the peloton or when they happily take their hands off the handlebars to discuss swimming with a partner. What gain do they have when you go "tailgating"? " 

Patricia Galán Tejeda

triathlete and official tells us: “Given the recent publication of the new Triathlon Regulation 2015, the controversy arises over the prohibition of couplings for GE in drafting tests.

I suppose this prohibition is determined by security issues but it is somewhat paradoxical that it applies to GE and is not done in Elite categories. This sporting discipline is the same for everyone and that is why we should all participate under a single regulation.

I think that Cycling and the cycling segment of the triathlon should comply with the same regulations (at least as far as the material is concerned) and in this sense the cycling experience makes us assume the risk of pedaling coupled in a peloton. (In cycling, the use of couplings is not allowed in drafting events).

The controversy should not lie in couplings if or couplings but why for some yes and no others ".

Rubén del Nido

triathlete gives us his opinion: "To me that I have had the opportunity to compete in both groups and elite, it seems good to me to take as a measure the suppression of coupling in tri with drafting to try to take risks, but I believe that any measure taken it has to be the same for all the elite or groups, the risk of falling or snag can be both elite and in groups "

Luis Manzano

Coach He tells us: "The truth is that I have not heard the version of the federation justifying the reason why they prohibit couplings in the age groups, and allow them in elite. Reflecting personally, I try to argue safety reasons. I can not think of anything else. But I already tell you that I am not very aware of whether there has been any kind of statement explaining the situation. In my opinion, there is no reason to think that elite is less dangerous than in age groups. In fact, brutal packets that are formed in elite can be potentially more dangerous because of the speed they develop. And I would not dare say that in general, an elite controls the bicycle better than a GE. If anything, he knows how to take her faster by his physical level. In the skills I do not think there is a noticeable difference. I think the regulations should have been applied in both cases, or none. " 

After reading these opinions and rereading them I come to a conclusion: there is no agreement and I still like the couplings, although at the moment they are forbidden and nuanced that they were also banned and returned to the scene.

Will companies and their marketing have strength to get the couplings back? At the moment ITU 1- 0 Companies.

Felipe Gutiérrez

Photo: Triathlon.de