The anticipation was so great. On the way to the long-awaited comeback, star triathlete Jan Frodeno was once again stopped. No injury this time – small consolation.
The comeback planned for Saturday by triathlon star Jan Frodeno has burst. The 41-year-old three-time Ironman World Champion was stopped by a virus.
“Some may already have an inkling of what is to come”said Frodeno in a video of about one and a half minutes on Instagram and had to laugh shaking his head himself.
“Can’t believe it myself”
“It’s one of those weeks, I honestly can’t believe it myself.” But doctors diagnosed a virus after he felt listless and unwell: “The doctors didn’t give me the green light to race.”
Next Saturday Frodeno wanted to compete in the 70.3 over 1.9 kilometers swimming, 90 kilometers cycling and 21.1 kilometers running in Oceanside, California. He has already won the race three times, most recently in 2018.
“I love racing at Oceanside”said Frodeno. “It’s annoying, it’s annoying”he commented on the renewed setback after the injuries last year. “I know it’s just a virus and I’ll be back soon.”
Next race attempt in early May on Ibiza
Frodeno only said at the beginning of the week: “What I’m looking forward to the most this year is to make it to as many starting lines as possible and once again use my maximum potential and bring the many hours of training to bear.” He wanted to enjoy the whole thing again to the fullest. Right at the start he now experiences the next setback in his last career year at the top level.
Last year, a partial tear in the Achilles tendon and a hip injury in the second half of the year stopped him. At the Challenge Roth in July, he had to drop out after switching to the running track.
Frodeno is now planning his next race attempt at the European Open (2/80/18) in Ibiza at the beginning of May, before starting June at the Ironman in Hamburg over 3.86 kilometers of swimming, 180.2 kilometers of cycling and 42.2 kilometers of running want. After a race in the USA in August, the Ironman World Championships are due in Nice in September.