Broken wheel: Tölz professional triathlete Markus Hörmann gives up at Ironman Klagenfurt 21 kilometers from the finish
Klagenfurt / Greiling - Those who climb high can fall deep.
Markus Hörmann had an ideal starting position at the Ironman Klagenfurt.
Had the best swim of his career, got out of the water of the Wörthersee and the Lend Canal after 3.8 kilometers and 48:57 minutes, was within striking distance of the leading group.
And on the bike, too, things went optimally at first, he even took the lead, then drove on with a small group at high speed - up to a cobblestone passage, after which it literally slowed him down.
Aborted race instead of top position
Despite enormous effort, he kept falling behind, on the running track he gave up after half of the race, shaken by cramps.
As it turned out later, the disc on his rear wheel had been damaged by the cobblestones.
This greatly reduced stability and propulsion.
“Mega annoying,” says the Greilingen triathlon professional.
Mainly because I was in this top starting position and it wasn't my fault, but the material. ”He rode 150 of the 180 kilometers on the bike with extra resistance and didn't know what was holding him back.
"Light and shadow are sometimes very close together." A break in the race instead of a possible podium place or a top five result, that is of course great disappointment, admits Hörmann.
Long distance without pain is not possible
It was clear to him in advance that he would have to push his limits in order to get into the top group. "There is no longer a long-distance race without pain at the finish," says the 31-year-old. “In the meantime, in an Ironman, like in the past, you go to a middle distance,” says Hörmann and is pleased that he was able to keep up with the horrific pace even in the water. There was a time when swimming wasn't his favorite discipline. “You can see a brutal development, that makes me proud.” Because this time he was at the forefront.
In the transition area - a one kilometer long section - he gave full throttle and actually took the lead on the bike. After four kilometers, the South African Matt Trautmann caught up, as did the Belgian Wouter Monchy and the later runner-up Rasmus Svenningsson. Hörmann took some pressure off the pedals, then drove with Michael Weiß and reached the refreshment point and the fateful cobblestone section with the Austrian. “I was amazed that from then on I couldn't move, that more and more competitors caught up with me.” His performance values were right, only they weren't reflected in the time. No wonder with a broken rim. “But I didn't know where it came from.” He checked for plates, but didn't discover the crack in the wheel until the next day. "I'm still happythat nothing worse happened, that it didn't dismantle my rear wheel at 87 kilometers an hour on the descent. "
Crack in the rim: no chance to keep up
In any case, with the handicap, Hörmann had no chance of competing in the world-class field of over 1,500 meters in altitude.
Lots of medium-length, crisp hills, sometimes it was really steep.
After 4:33:19 hours, the Greilinger switched to running shoes - far from the top, but still within reach of the top ten.
But after the extra effort on the bike it came as no surprise: The first 15 kilometers of running were quite good, "but it was tough".
Then there were cramps in his thighs, Hörmann slowed down and stopped halfway, stretching, massaging, none of which helped.
He left.
"I didn't want to torture myself another 20 kilometers just to somehow still run to the finish."
His only, albeit weak, consolation for the deletion result: It was the first time that the material slowed him down.
"After all, I've been spared such problems so far."