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Stories about the final preparation for the world’s most famous triathlon
INTO THE HINTERLANDS
Many age group athletes don’t spend enough time on the Big Island riding routes other than the actual bike course. Some might get the impression that Kona doesn’t offer more than a busy, windy and hot highway where you have to be careful not to be blown into the lava fields. Many pro athletes arrive in Kona a couple of weeks before the race in order to do their final preparation on the island. Athletes like Sebastian Kienle often choose a normal roadbike over a triathlon bike for training and are eager to discover the variety of riding possibilities on the island. We’ve followed Sebastian on one of his rides that took him to the hinterlands of Kona. We discovered streets with little to no traffic, challenging uphills, technical downhills and breathtaking landscapes.
Most athletes stay in Kailua-Kona during their time on the island. If they don’t take the car to start their training outside of the village, this is the starting point of every ride.
The road takes Sebastian out of town towards the Captain Cook Memorial and to the southern end of Big Island.
The road is going slightly uphill and soon offers a stunning view on the pacific ocean.
The loop Sebastian chose is peppered with some steep climbs. No wonder the reigning World Champion went for the lightweight SCOTT Addict this time.
“Drivers can be pretty aggressive here,” says Sebastian, but he adds “one major reason is that some athletes simply do stupid things on the road.” It’s all about respecting the others.
Athletes fly to Kona from beautiful places all over the world, but Hawaii offers an incredible number of picturesque spots that simply make you stop and marvel at the beauty of this place.
No cars to worry about on this road. It’s all about you and the moment.
Practicing rolling hills doesn’t necessarily need to happen on the Queen-K.
You come across interesting places outside the touristic hot spots. Gold or silver are words that potentially go through Sebastian’s mind often these days.
The farther the road goes up, the greener the vegetation becomes on the side of the road.
What goes up, must come down.
Sebastian’s super aero downhill position is well-practiced on the roadbike, too.
As the sun sets, it’s time to head back home. With the last rays of sunshine, Sebastian rolls back into town on Ali’i Drive.
