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Uplace Pro Team Set Sights On IRONMAN Wins

  • By Paul Moore
  • Published February 8, 2012

Brussels, Belgium, 7 February 2012: Bart Aernouts to race first full Ironman, to focus on long distance.

Tine Deckers, Sofie Goos, Bart Aernouts, Bert Jammaer, Bruno Clerbout and Axel Zeebroek have set ambitious targets for 2012. The athletes of the Belgian Uplace Pro Triathlon Team shared their 2012 goals during the annual team presentation. This year, they are going for Ironman victories. Team manager Ben De Wolf, “We wrapped up 2011 with seven Ironman podium finishes and four victories in the half Ironman. In 2012, we are going for Ironman wins.” Bart Aernouts announced that in March he will compete in his first full Ironman as part of his transition from Olympic Distance to Ironman racing.

Team manager Ben De Wolf looked back on the ups and downs of 2011: “Last spring left us dealing with Bert Jammaer’s and Rutger Beke’s health issues. In May, Rutger announced his retirement from the sport. Of course we would have loved to see him stay. In July, Sofie Goos and Bart Aernouts won the half Ironman of Antwerp, with Axel finishing a strong second. That turned out to be the turning point. Bart won two more half Ironman races in late summer and fall and there were Ironman podium finishes for Tine, Bert, Bruno and Sofie. But the most important race of the season was naturally the Ironman Hawaii. The good news was that we had four athletes competing; the actual race results were a little less stellar. Bert and Sofie were forced to retire. Axel finished 28th. Tine, on the other hand, ran a beautiful race. She finished twelfth; no Belgian woman has ever done better in Kona.” In terms of visibility, 2011 was a great success. “It wasn’t long before ‘the green team’ was an established, recognizable presence in international Ironman. Everyone noticed our bright green outfits and bikes. The feedback was huge,” said De Wolf.

De Wolf has set ambitious goals for his team in 2012: “Eleven Ironman podium finishes, including four wins, really isn’t bad. But I also feel like we missed too many races in 2011. This year, each of our athletes should be able to win an Ironman race. There is so much potential in this team that didn’t show itself in last year’s results. And if we can do better, we simply should do better. Especially in Hawaii. I want the whole team represented this year. Sofie and Tine should be able to finish in the top ten in Kona, which would be a Belgian first.”

Bart Aernouts

Bart Aernouts announced that his main focus is now the long distance. This year, he will compete in his first full Ironman. “I have gradually moved on to long distance triathlon. Of course I will still compete in Olympic Distance races, especially in Belgium. But my main goal is a spot in the top three in Ironman 70.3 races, especially in the World Championships Ironman 70.3 in Las Vegas. In March, I am racing the Ironman Melbourne. It’s my first taste of a full Ironman; I am eager to find out whether I will like it,” said Aernouts.

In early 2011, Bart left for Australia to start training with top coach Darren Smith: “I had a really hard time adjusting. My swimming got worse, until all the pieces started to fit together and my swimming finally improved. That evolution generated good results in the second half of the season. I won three Ironman 70.3 races and the three big Olympic Distance triathlons in Belgium.” Bart returned to Canberra at the end of last year and in early 2012. “It took a while for my work with Darren to pay off. It just wouldn’t be smart to prematurely cut off that growth curve.”

Tine Deckers

Tine Deckers can look back on a good 2011 with a few strong showings in tough races. She started the year with a second place in the Ironman 70.3 South Africa, finished second in the Ironman Lake Placid and wrapped up the year with an excellent Ironman Hawaii. No female Belgian triathlete has ever done better than Tine’s twelfth place: “Hawaii was a really good race for me. I was finally able to run a good marathon in Kona. I am ready to do even better in 2012.”

For Tine, the 2012 season started on 22 January with a podium spot in the Ironman 70.3 South Africa. Her goals for 2012 are substantial: “I want another Ironman win in 2012. My target race is the Ironman Nice, which I won in 2009 and 2010. The other big one is Kona, of course. A spot in the top ten is the goal.”

Sofie Goos

Sofie Goos swam, biked and ran herself onto an Ironman podium three times in 2011. She won the half Ironman of Antwerp for the third year in a row. She also finished third in the Ironman races of Texas and Florida. In both American races, Sofie had to fight back from a losing position in the marathon. Her fighting spirit couldn’t save her in Hawaii, where back problems forced her to retire from the race for the second year. During the winter, a lot of hard work went into Sofie’s back. “After Hawaii, I underwent a bunch of tests to determine the cause of this back ache. I am now working on a program developed by my physical therapist and the team’s strength, stabilization and injury prevention support staff to strengthen the weak spots in my back,” said Sofie.

In 2012, Sofie is looking to make her mark in the Ironman Frankfurt and in Hawaii: “This year, I am trading in my beloved Ironman 70.3 Antwerp for the tougher competitive field of the Ironman Frankfurt. I really want to do well there. And then there is Hawaii. If my body holds up, a top ten finish should be possible.”

Bert Jammaer

Bert Jammaer saw his 2011 marked by a bout of mononucleosis. After mandatory rest in March and April, the remainder of his season was one big question mark. But by August, Bert was back on top. He ran to a third place finish in the Ironman Canada, which earned him a last-minute ticket to Kona. However, Hawaii turned out to be one Ironman too many. Bert had to retire from the race during the bike leg.

For Bert, 2012 is all about the big races on his two favorite volcanic islands: Lanzarote and Hawaii. “My heart is in Lanzarote. I won the Ironman Lanzarote twice and finished second in 2010. Last year, I missed the race, so going back is a big deal. But of course Kona is The One. I would happily trade another Ironman win for a top ten spot in Kona.” Either way, Bert is ready: “I am coming off a good winter. I am ready for the first race of the year. I feel good.”

Axel Zeebroek

With a solid second place finish in the Ironman 70.3 Antwerp, Axel Zeebroek recorded his best result of 2011 in his home country. At the same time, 2011 was also about getting the necessary tri conditions lined up and squared away. “My bike positioning was corrected, which meant I felt better on the bike. I have always had quite a bit of trouble with nutrition during races, but we found the right combination by the time Ironman Cozumel came around. Unfortunately, I was still not able to run a marathon in under three hours,” said Axel.

Axel’s goal for 2012 is a podium spot in a half or full Ironman. He zeroed in on the Ironman 70.3 San Juan and Texas and the Ironman races in Utah and Nice. “In 2012, I want to be one of the guys making the race and competing for the top three.”

Bruno Clerbout

2011 brought Bruno Clerbout’s first Ironman podium finish. But there were also a few missed races, causing Bruno to conjure up boxing imagery to summarize his season, “2011 left me in the ropes a few times. The fact that I always got back up and came out stronger in the end was probably my biggest victory. Wales was good, but I know I can do better. That motivates me, as does my love for the sport.

Thus, Bruno begins the year with great determination: “2011 served up a reminder that in Ironman ‘Anything is possible.’ That is my motto for 2012. I am really focused and have ambitious goals for both 2012 and 2013. But this year, I want my results to do the talking for me.”

Season start

February 12 unofficially kicks off the Uplace Pro Triathlon Team’s 2012 season. That day, Sofie, Tine and Bert are competing in the Ironman 70.3 Panama City. Axel starts his season with the half Ironman San Juan. 25 March is the next big date for the team. Bart Aernouts makes his Ironman debut in Melbourne, a race in which he will meet his teammates Bert, Sofie and Tine. Bruno Clerbout jumpstarts his 2012 on 22 April with the Ironman South Africa.

Professional support

The Uplace Pro Triathlon Team athletes are all professional athletes. They are backed by comprehensive athletic, medical and logistical support under the supervision of team manager Ben De Wolf, supported by trainers Pieter Timmermans and Bart Decru. Swim Academy oversees the team’s swim training. Maarten Thysen is responsible for strength, stabilization and injury prevention. Topsport ABC is the team’s sports physiology partner. Vincent Vanbelle is the team doctor.

Bioracer is the new Uplace Pro Triathlon Team partner for race and training outfits. It created a dedicated line of triathlon outfits in the eye-catching ‘Uplace green.’ Additional support comes from BlueSeventy (wetsuits), Zeb (leisure clothing), Adidas Eyewear (sunglasses), Ridley (bikes), Shimano (bike parts and materials), Easton (wheels and handlebars), Tacx (bike training), Athlete Fitting (bike positioning), SportsControl (nutritional supplements), Topsport ABC (sports physiology), Compex (electrostimulation), Sportoase (sports facilities), Best Swim Centre (training camps), BMW (cars) and Assumax (insurance broker).

More information:

Team web site: www.UplaceTriathlon.eu

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Uplacetriathlon

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/uplacetriathlon

Twitter: www.twitter.com/uplacetriathlon – /tinedeckers – /sofiegoos – /axelzeebroek – /bartaernouts – /bertjammaer – /brunoclerbout

About the Uplace Pro Triathlon Team

The Uplace Pro Triathlon Team is the only Belgian professional triathlon team. The team consists of six Belgian top triathletes: Tine Deckers, Sofie Goos, Bert Jammaer, Axel Zeebroek, Bart Aernouts and Bruno Clerbout. Lifestyle-real estate group Uplace is the main sponsor. Additional support comes from Bioracer (race and training clothing), BlueSeventy (wetsuits), Zeb (leisure clothing), Adidas Eyewear (sunglasses), Ridley (bikes), Shimano (bike parts and materials), Easton (wheels and handlebars), Tacx (bike training), Athlete Fitting (bike positioning), SportsControl (nutritional supplements), Topsport ABC (sports physiology), Compex (electrostimulation), Sportoase (sports facilities), Best Swim Centre (training camps), BMW (cars) and Assumax (insurance broker).

All photos: Kramon.


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Paul Moore

Paul Moore

Paul Moore is the Online Editor for Triathlete Europe. When not glued to a computer he can be found writing books - most recently Ultimate Triathlon: A complete training guide for long-distance triathletes which you can buy on Amazon