{"id":12719,"date":"2025-07-21T10:38:08","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T10:38:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/12719\/"},"modified":"2025-07-21T10:38:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T10:38:08","slug":"sam-long-on-an-old-school-hire-bike-but-happy-to-be-back-riding-again-in-build-up-to-nice-elite-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/12719\/","title":{"rendered":"Sam Long on an ‘old school’ hire bike but happy to be back riding again in build up to Nice – Elite News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sam Long<\/a>\u2019s preparations for the IRONMAN World Championship<\/a> in Nice have suffered a minor setback after his specialist bike was delayed in transit as he travelled with his family from their home in Arizona to a training camp in Italy.<\/p>\n

The 29-year-old American has swapped the blistering heat of Tucson for two months in the mountainous region of the Julian Alps on the border with Slovenia as he prepares for a shot at winning the season\u2019s showcase event on September 14.<\/p>\n

With two IRONMAN 70.3 wins already achieved this season \u2013 at Eagleman in June and in Chattanooga in May \u2013 he believes a temporary move across to Europe will help him acclimatise to the weather and conditions he can expect in the south of France.<\/p>\n

Circuitous route<\/p>\n

However, his best-laid plans have hit a snag with his bike taking a more circuitous route to its final destination, and Long needing to find an alternative to maintain his cycling schedule.<\/p>\n

Posting a picture of himself in cycling gear on his Instagram account<\/a>, he revealed that while he continues to wait for his bike to arrive, he has been forced to hire one\u2026 which isn\u2019t quite up to the standard that he is used to.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cStill dealing with my bike but at least on a rental\u2026 The bike is old school, heavy as \ud83d\udca9, and no power meter. I\u2019m just happy to be back on the bike.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday I did hill repeats on perceived exertion level HARD! 16\u2019 and then 3\u00d710\u2019 slight descending. It\u2019s great to see based on time \u2013 with a standard start and end point \u2013 that I was able to descend the pace. It takes me back to the roots of my beginning riding a bike. Can\u2019t wait to keep working!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SamSam Long<\/a> on the bike leg at 70.3 St. George [Photo credit: Sean M. Haffey \/ Getty Images for IRONMAN]<\/p>\n

An earlier post explained the issue with the bike as he explained how he thought it had now arrived in Venice, but still needed to be shuttled to where he was staying with his young family.<\/p>\n

Italian job<\/p>\n

Long is also posting a regular YouTube VLOG charting his preparations for the World Championships, with the first episode explaining why he chose to move out to Italy with fellow endurance athlete wife, Lara, and their two-year-old son, Leo.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to show you how we, as a family, pack for two months abroad with the toddler in preparation for the IRONMAN World Championships,\u201d he says. \u201cWe\u2019re going to Italy, where Lara has family, and we\u2019re going to spend about eight weeks there. That\u2019s where I\u2019m going to do my final preparation for the World Champs in Nice.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s on the border of Slovenia there, so I\u2019ve got very technical hilly riding, I\u2019ve got open water swimming, I\u2019ve got a great 50 metre and 25 metre pool options and some great hilly running as well. Plus, we have Lara\u2019s lovely Nona there, who helps keep me fed with all the Italian goodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having finished 12th in the World Championships in 2023, Long failed to qualify for the event last year, choosing instead to focus on the T100 Tour rather than pursuing qualification for Kona.<\/p>\n

\t\t