Mechanical failures on the bike in his last two races as a professional triathlete could have potentially saved the life of two time Ironman World Champion Normann Stadler.
An abnormal thickening of the artery led to an operation on July 4th to repair a failing heart valve and nearby aortic aneurysm and at the beginning of August he announced his retirement.
“At Challenge Kraichgau a tire blew on my wheel and a week later in Spain (at the TriGrandPrix Basque Country) the gears broke. Those two misfortunes saved my life," Stadler told news magazine Focus.
“The main artery to my heart could have burst at any time. The aorta was seven inches thick. Four is normal, five is life threatening. In the hospital the doctors told me I was lucky to be alive," he added.
Stadler first noticed problems at a training camp in Eberbach during a swim pace test.
"I floated like a beginner and after 50 meters had to hold on to the pool edge.”
Doctors first thought it was an iron deficiency but later diagnosed a heart problem.
However the cause of the condition are still unclear.
“At my last medical all was well, the doctors don’t know exactly what caused it. It may have to do with my accident in the spring on Majorca. There I went off the road and over the guard rail and landed on my chest. I may have contracted a viral disease.”
Stadler once again ruled out that he would ever compete in Ironman again.
“I know I won’t be able to do it at a world class level, for now I will work towards cycling round Neckar Valley (in Germany) once a week," Stadler said.
* Our British bureau chief Danny Ward brought you this story.
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