Kiwis Bevan Docherty, Tony Dodds and Clark Ellice race in the Kitzbuhel round of the ITU Dextro Energy Triathlon World Champs Series this weekend, with Docherty having learned the lessons of last season when by his own admission he was 'fried' after training himself into a hole, one he couldn't climb out of.
This year things have been different however, Docherty has taken a much lower key approach to the first half of the year, having been sighted just once for 18th place at the opening WCS round in Sydney back in April.
The two time Olympic medallist says he is in a much better place now though and is ready to check that strong form against the best in the world this weekend in round three of the World Champs Series.
"After peaking too early and burning out last year, this year I've tried to hold back a little," said the Santa Cruz based triathlete.
"Now I'm starting to come into some really good form and looking forward to the next few months. I've been lucky enough to have my coach Mark Elliott over for the last few weeks, for a little fine-tuning in my training. It's been great as we've both learnt a lot and I think it's going to show in my results."
Docherty says that while the focus for most triathletes this season is to race well at the London round in August, a race that for many national teams will double as their 2012 Olympic qualifying race, he expects a number to be well primed in the early hours of Sunday morning New Zealand time.
"Kitzbuhel is going to be an interesting race, I know for a lot of guys London is the key Olympic qualifying race; however some of us are going to use this as marker to see where we're at. I really enjoy the course in Kitzbuhel, it reminds me of some of the races back home in New Zealand, and as in New Zealand the weather could play a big part in the race."
If the weather is cool and the water temperature subsequently low, Docherty will have an advantage of sorts having raced well at Alcatraz two weeks ago in conditions that prompted one of the more famous tweets from the Taupo native when he posted: 'my nuts aren't looking forward to the icy cold water'. Clearly Docherty must have coped okay as he finished a strong second to American Andy Potts before boarding a plane this week for Austria.
Docherty will be joined by Tony Dodds (Wanaka) and Clark Ellice (New Plymouth) in the elite men's race. Dodds backs up after Madrid and will race with a different attitude to two weeks ago when he took a conservative approach after missing the lead bike group.
"I am looking forward to this weekend after putting in a good solid block of training after Madrid and reassessed things, Madrid was an okay race but I missed the lead pack by only a couple seconds which pissed me off," said Dodds from Europe.
"I'm where I need to be at this time in the year and feel as strong as I ever have, the running is going to come but I am working on that over the next 8 weeks to peak for London. Saturday though (Sunday morning NZT) I have to race more aggressively, go and give it everything at that moment, I held back a bit in Madrid trying to pace myself, so this time it's 'harden up' to see what I've got."
Ellice will drive the two hours from his current training base in Italy for the race on the weekend.
"Italy has been an amazing place to train the past week and a half. I've been spending most of my time up the mountains on the bike preparing for the hilly and demanding bike of Kitzbuhel.
"The location, mountains and proximity to Kitzbuhel has proven this to be an ideal training base and being with my French Mulhouse club team mate Daniel Hofer has made for a good vibe and spirit heading into Kitzbuhel. I'm really looking forward to a big one this weekend to get into that next level of results in time for London."
