After cracking the top 10 at last year’s event, Cameron Wurf is eyeing a greater prize in 2019

A background as a professional cyclist helped Cameron Wurf blitz the field on the bike leg at the World Ironman Championships. Now he can produce marathon times with the best, and will have his opponents on edge.

Cameron Wurf celebrates winning the IRONMAN Emilia-Romagna on September 21. Picture: Jan Hetfleisch/Getty Images for IRONMAN

LEADING the most gruelling sports event on the planet will not be an unexpected experience for former Olympic rower and professional cyclist Cameron Wurf.

But when he most likely exits the bike leg at this weekend’s Ironman World Championship event in Kona in front, the 36-year-old has the belief — and more importantly the results — to prove he can be a legitimate podium threat.

In his first two appearances, the Tasmanian has scorched the Hawaiian terrain on his bike to smash the cycle leg race record, lowering his own mark to 4:09:06 last year.

It enabled him to finish 17th on debut in 2017, before he was the first Australian home 12 months ago in ninth.

Cameron Wurf competes in the bike leg during the Ironman Emilia-Romagna in Cervia, Italy, last month. Picture: Jan Hetfleisch/Getty Images for IRONMAN

Now armed with an improved marathon time, Wurf is bristling with confidence leading into the 2019 edition.

He dominated Ironman Emilia-Romagna in Italy just three weeks ago, finishing in a blazing overall course record of 7:46:54, which included a course-best 2hr45min run.

PREPARATIONS ON TRACK FOR WURF

“I don’t have to go out there and do anything that I haven’t already done and I haven’t trained to do. That gives me a lot of confidence knowing that I don’t have to wake up and have some sort of magical day,” Wurf told the Mercury.

“I feel like my base level now is as close to or as good as the top guys and on any day I can be competitive.

“I don’t expect to have as big an advantage on the bike. Having said that I’ve been able to ride at that level for 10-plus years, and it’s one thing to have that resilience in your body and it’s another thing for these guys [his opponents] to think that they can do that because it’s very opposite to the way they’ve been racing for a very, very long time.

“In some ways obviously that takes away a strength of mine, that they have all improved on the bike, but then I also see it as an advantage because I know that they are going to pay for that on the run, and my run is now a hell of a lot more resilient than it used to be.

“I’ve led the race the last two years, so I expect if I do lead the race the advantage might not be as comfortable as it was in the past, but as I said the dynamic of the race should still mean that I’m capable of finishing the race off.”

Cameron Wurf begins his bike leg during the IRONMAN Emilia-Romagna. Picture: Jan Hetfleisch/Getty Images for IRONMAN

Wurf credits his improved marathon leg — and consistent swim — to a carefully managed program that has been targeted specifically for Kona.

CHANGE OF TACT FOR TASMANIAN STAR

Knowing he had his spot secured last December allowed him to choose both races and training blocks, including the decision to compete just three weeks out from the World Championships where many of his rivals were tapering their preparations.

“To go better than the ninth last year is no easy task but having said that, I think I said last year it’s sort of the best opportunity I’ve ever had to prepare for a significant sporting event as far as long-range preparation.

“You fast forward 12 months, we’ve had an even better opportunity.

“I knew I was qualified back in December, so we’ve had a long time to specifically target this race and it’s certainly the first time I’ve felt leading into the race that I don’t need to force anything.

“I’ve done the work that I wanted to do and I’m at the level that I felt like I could reach in the last 12 months.

“I’m just excited to get out there on Saturday and see where that puts me.”

WURF KEEPS RIVALS GUESSING