Luc Van Lierde: Colnago’s winning bet

His most important feat was undoubtedly his victory in the 1996 Hawaii Ironman. An achievement that propelled him into the Olympus of triathlon greats. A native of Bruges (Belgium), Luc Van Lierde was the first European triathlete to break the dominance of American athletes on the big day in Kona, the world's biggest and best-known Ironman. It is a true World Championship competition for the discipline that is organized by a private entity (Ironman) and not a federation.

An incredible spectacle, this massive triathlon is the embodiment of the myth of the Man of Steel, organized around the majestic beauty of the unique Hawaiian island. The event entails the best professional athletes racing for practically eight constant hours in conditions of extreme heat and humidity. This makes the competition, already outrageous in every way, even more difficult.

It comprises a 3.8 km swim, followed with 180 km of cycling, and finishes with a full marathon; distances that shape the Ironman, the strongest of sportsmen. Add the fact that Van Lierde was a “rookie” when he won this title, takes his performance to an entirely new level. But that's not all, the Belgian smashed the clock with a final time of 8:04:08, beating the record set by American Mark Allen in 1993 by three minutes. Allen was, and still is, a legend of the sport, particularly in Kona, a race he won six times! 

1995 was a decisive year for Van Lierde, as he came second at the ITU World Triathlon Championships in Nice, as well as at the European Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships. This was the ideal preparation in 1996, when he won the European Championships and finished second at the Olympic Distance Triathlon World Championships in Cleveland, USA; he also won the Nice Triathlon and finished second at the ITU Long Distance Triathlon Championships.

Colnago heard of Van Lierde through a Belgian friend who had praised him as a phenomenal athlete on the rise in an increasingly popular sport, especially among Americans. That made him an ideal all-rounder to approach the American market of wealthy triathletes. Van Lierde received two bikes, one for training and one for racing. At the time, there was no difference between a “triathlon” bike and a traditional bike, so the Belgian champion received an Oval CX developed thanks to Rominger's success on the road and track.

It had a steel frame with a 26“ front wheel and a 28” rear wheel, a Shimano Dura Ace group except for the shifters (GripShift) on the top of aerodynamic handlebars, and Corima wheels to complete the build. It was an exceptional, lightweight and comfortable bike (made of steel rather than carbon) capable of supporting Van Lierde through the very long cycling section of the Ironman as it enabled him to start racing with a relatively rested back. For training, Van Lierde rode a Bititan, another frame in vogue thanks to the performances of Swiss champion Tony Rominger.

Van Lierde’s victory in Kona, as a newcomer to the sport, remains his greatest achievement. He doubled in 1999, followed by setting the Ironman distance record in 1997, with a time of 07:50:27 in Roth, Germany.