In September, Andrew Talansky (Cannondale-Drapac) announced that he was retiring from professional cycling after nine years with Slipstream Sports. One month later, he announced his intention to compete in professional triathlon, specifically at the Ironman distance. This past weekend, he showed his venture was serious, dominating the small Marin County Triathlon's Olympic distance event, winning by more than 10 minutes over his next competitor.
Cyclingnews chatted with the American to find out what prompted his decision, what drew him to Ironman, and how he planned to apply his elite-level physique to the new discipline.
Cyclingnews: You've been 10th in the Tour de France, fifth in the Vuelta a Espana, and won the Criterium du Dauphine, with so much potential in cycling, what made you suddenly quit to take up triathlon?
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Andrew Talansky: I can see how from the outside that the decision seemed abrupt, but it was actually something I've been working on quietly for a while now. Even from last winter, we knew it was time for a change. I didn't necessarily know it would be going into pro Ironman, but my priorities in life were shifting.
I was questioning whether cycling is 100 per cent what I wanted to be doing. It's such a demanding sport from the risk, the race days and travel, setting up your life in Europe for half the year, every year. Cycling wasn't pushing me to develop as a human being, related to business and life in general, it wasn't pushing me outside of my comfort zone. Also athletically.
When I looked at my life in the world of endurance sports, you have a limited time to be at the elite level. I asked myself is professional cycling what I do for the next six or seven years - maybe try to achieve some more results? Or is it time to tear up the script and do something a little different.
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