QR DEMO BIKES TO THE RESCUE AT THE IRONMAN 70.3 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
The IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella felt very different from Nice and Kona. Something about the 70.3 distance and the beautiful Mediterranean location seemed to make athletes feel less tense. That is, until their bikes didn’t arrive…
Marbella is a tiny town, and airlines struggled to handle the sudden influx of thousands of triathletes. Soon after we set up the Quintana Roo booth in the IRONMAN Village, we started hearing about bikes getting stuck at layover destinations. Countless athletes realized their bikes wouldn’t arrive in time for the race, and a scramble for bikes began.
A local rental shop stocked full of Quintana Roo X-PRs got cleaned out. Desperate athletes came to the Quintana Roo booth for help, so our team on the ground did what they do best—they got them to the start line! Nearly every demo bike and display bike we had on hand ended up on the race course. Jennifer Emick shares the story of how we got her on a demo bike in time for her biggest race.
Jennifer Emick’s Marbella Bike Saga
The QR ground team got Emick fitted on a V-PRi demo bike in time for bike drop off!
My bike was unrideable—literally the last thing you want to hear before the biggest race of your career
Emick’s Quintana Roo X-PR actually arrived in Marbella on time, but her situation ended up being just as dire as losing a bike. Her frame had been damaged in transit! She discovered a large crack in the drive-side seatstay just before going out on a ride with her teammates.
“This was one of several unfortunate things that ‘didn't go to plan’ on the lead up to my first World Championship—including getting a bad chest cold during race week (courtesy of my two kiddos), encountering race registration issues, getting delayed in Paris for 10 hours, and discovering a big split seam on my wetsuit when I was suiting up for a practice ocean swim,” Emick explained. “I started telling people that Murphy's Law was in full effect!
“Because so many athletes' bikes were stuck in airports around the world, there were extremely limited options for rentals, and women had begun asking to borrow bikes from the men who were racing on Sunday. Craziness.
“I immediately went to the QR tent. I've worked with the guys at past races (such as Wildflower this year) when I needed help (tires, bent derailleur, etc.). They looked at the crack, and I could tell it wasn't looking good for me. They told me to go for a swim and come back in an hour to talk about options.
“The post-swim debrief was that my bike was unrideable—literally the last thing you want to hear before the biggest race of your career to date. But we immediately went into problem-solving mode. We tried to overnight a new bike from QR headquarters in the States, but the earliest it'd arrive would be too late for the women's race.”
Enter Murph the V-PRi
I decided to see what the bike could do on the course, and we flew! I didn't get passed by a single lady on the downhills
“We discussed my setup and determined that one of the QR V-PRi demo bikes was the upgraded version of my bike—and it was the right size,” Emick said. “To keep myself in the game, I decided to raid my kids' college fund and upgrade to the new bike :]
“The guys quickly went to work getting it dialed in for me so I could get on it for a quick spin before race day. This meant I was racing my first Worlds on a bike I'd never ridden… but she looked fast! I went from a stealth black-on-black setup to a bright yellow bike, which my family appreciated since it matched their crew shirts and made me easier to spot.
“On top of getting me dialed in with the new bike, the QR team also hooked me up with one of their extra EVOC cases since I was scared to fly my new bike home in my [original] bag. In addition, they flew my old bike to Tennessee to repair the frame. They helped pack up both bikes for their journey home post-race. Talk about excellent service! I owe them all a bottle of something tasty.”
“Despite being tested mentally, physically, and financially, the race went great,” Emick said. “I decided to see what the bike could do on the course, and we flew! I didn't get passed by a single lady on the downhills and clocked 47 mph on one of the descents. The bike was also super easy to find in T1, which probably saved me a few seconds.
“I ended up finishing 40th in my AG, top 10 American in AG in the world. So I'm very happy with the results. Fun fact: the guys asked me what my old bike's name was, and I said it didn't have one. However, the new bike was immediately named Murph (for Murphy's Law) when I decided to buy it. The entire race, Murph and I bonded.”
What It Means To Be True to Tri
Our QR mechanics, Justin, Mike, and Chris, worked non-stop all week to get athletes on bikes. Here, they packed Murph away safely in a new EVOC bike bag.
You guys went above and beyond to help me feel confident
For us, doing everything possible to help athletes succeed, especially when disaster strikes, is what defines the Quintana Roo ethos. We’re triathletes too, and we know how much you sacrifice to chase your dreams. That’s why we provide free onsite services and an unmatched level of personalized support, so you can focus on performing, because your success is ours!
“My coach has helped me focus on controlling the controllable, and this race really tested my ability to do just that,” Emick said. “The new bike was a familiar setup, so I trusted it on the course. It was so much fun to ride. Can't wait to test it out on a flatter course!
“In a fitting closing to this trip, my old bike safely arrived at QR headquarters with the team; however, Murph remains in Malaga due to issues with the airport processing so many bikes. I’m hoping it makes it home soon!
“I want to give a huge shout-out to the entire QR crew that was onsite in Marbella. You guys took such good care of me, along with my teammate and a bunch of other athletes. This lead up to Worlds had its fair share of drama, but you guys went above and beyond to help me feel confident that I wouldn't miss the start line due to a broken bike.”
Photos courtesy of Jennifer Emick.
