TIMO BRACHT RIDES GIANT TO FRANKFURT IRONMAN RECORD!

(July 5, 2009) - Riding the hyper-engineered prototype Giant composite Tri/TT bicycle, German triathlete Timo Bracht won the 2009 Ironman European Championships in Frankfurt, Germany.
Bracht completed the men's 3.8km (2.36 mile) swim, 180km (112 mile) cycle and 42.195km (26.2 mile) run in a new course record of 7 hours 59 minutes and 15 seconds - shaving 39 seconds off the previous mark set by Australian Chris McCormack one year ago.
"A huge thanks to the crowds," Bracht said enduring 86-degree (F) heat to win. "Without them I couldn't have done it."
In the highly competitive field, Spaniard Eneko Llanos took second with 8:00:05, while McCormack, the favorite and last year's winner, finished in 8:02:49.
Bracht partnered with Giant in April of this year, choosing to train and compete on the prototype composite Tri/TT bike. “I am really proud to be working with Giant,” Bracht said. “It’s a great company with a huge influence in the bike industry. I’m looking forward to improving my bike splits and having Giant help me push my limits.”
Bracht has previously won Ironman events in Florida, South Africa, France and Germany, and has six other top-three Ironman finishes in the past five years. The 33-year-old has also won multiple German national championship titles in both middle- and long-distance events. In 2008, Bracht finished third in the Frankfurt IM, posting his personal best time of eight hours, four minutes.
This latest victory in Frankfurt this year was one of his top goals for the 2009 season. “This year my main goal is to advance my performance,” Bracht said in April. “I think—or better yet I know—that I can win Ironman Frankfurt. I won it in 2007 with a time of 8:09, so the race is getting faster and this year I’ll be prepared.”