TSP22: The 1993 Bordeaux Indoor Triathlon

·56 min·5 clips

Mike Pig crashed in the semifinals, leaving him with spectacular board burns and disgruntled.

This episode of The Streak Triathlon Podcast features hosts Ross and Luc analyzing the 1993 Bordeaux Indoor Triathlon, an experimental event hailed by TED magazine as a historic turning point for the sport. Ross and Luc are dedicated triathlon historians who provide detailed "watch-along" commentary of classic races. The event was held over two days in February 1993 at the Bordeaux velodrome, a venue later used for Chris Boardman's Hour Record attempt. The format featured a 400m swim in a temporary pool, a 10k bike on the track, and a 3k run on an indoor track, with athletes required to towel off for 15 seconds in transition. Prize money was unequal, with the men's winner receiving 7,500 euros and a Renault Clio, while the women's winner received 2,300 euros and no car. Qualifying heats included a French women's championship, an "up-and-comer" race, and a Spanish men's championship, with athletes like Benjamin Sanson and Eduardo Berget advancing. The men's semifinals saw crashes involving athletes like Mike Pigg and Philippe Métion, with Pigg suffering notable road rash. Simon Lessing won the first semi, while Brad Bevan won the second after a fast swim. The final featured a stacked field including Lessing, Mark Allen, and Bevan, who employed a strategy to gain a lap early on the bike. Commentary during the broadcast speculated on triathlon's Olympic future, with co-commentator Eric Blanton, who finished 12th at Kona in 1989, suggesting golf and waterskiing as other candidate sports. A surprising insight was that some athletes, like Mark Allen, were reportedly nervous about riding their tri bikes on the steep banking of the velodrome. The broadcast's slow-motion replays, like one of Garrett McCarthy's saddle breaking, sometimes caused viewers to miss key race moments. Post-race, athlete Thomas Hellriegel summarized the event with the word "danger," while Rob Barel suggested the indoor format could solve drafting issues for the Olympics. The event was criticized for confusing lap scoring, with even athletes sometimes unsure of their position, despite the venue having a scoreboard used for six-day races. The hosts note the prominent use of Reebok kit by athletes like Brad Bevan and Suzanne Nielsen, highlighting the brand's then-significant presence in triathlon. The discussion reveals the format was a precursor to draft-legal racing, emphasizing swim-bike prowess, though the women's winner, Suzanne Nielsen, ultimately won on the run. The tone is conversational and deeply nostalgic, blending historical facts with personal anecdotes about vintage gear like Swans goggles. The style is educational but informal, structured as a detailed play-by-play analysis between two knowledgeable enthusiasts. This episode would delight triathlon history buffs, fans of 1990s racing, and listeners interested in the sport's experimental formats and iconic athletes. It might be less engaging for those seeking coverage of modern triathlon or listeners unfamiliar with the era's key figures.

As heard by us

A detailed, low-key look at Bordeaux 1993 and the mechanics of early triathlon coverage.

The episode uses the 1993 Bordeaux Indoor Triathlon as a clean entry point into a narrow slice of sports memory. It moves from race history and live coverage to the equipment details and brand names that give the day a more lived-in feel, while still keeping the focus on the…

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Want a front-row seat to Bordeaux's first indoor triathlon world championship, with the old-school race detail left intact?

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