Inside an extreme triathletes cycling journey : Tommaso Boffi – Le Col

Inside an extreme triathlete's cycling journey Tommaso Boffi

Lessons, Intentions and Resilience

Tommaso is a triathlete based in Pescara, a coastal city in Abruzzo, Italy that has shaped both his lifestyle and his approach to sport. Born there, he later spent several years living and working in Rome before finally returning home a place he describes as having “everything,” and once the host of Ironman 70.3.

His journey into triathlon began long before he raced his first event. Cycling was his first passion, inherited from his father, and he spent years riding as an amateur. While living in Rome, a spontaneous track session at the Stadio dei Marmi revealed a natural ability for running he didn’t know he had. That moment sparked the belief that he could take on triathlon seriously. From there, steady training, patience, and the guidance of his coach, former professional cyclist and Ironman winner Francesco Masciarelli, helped turn a long-held dream into a committed athletic path.

This Q+A explores how Tommaso trains across disciplines, manages race preparation, stays mentally resilient, and is committed to setting purposeful intentions every time he steps up to the start line.

Bike Training as a Triathlete:

What do you enjoy most about cycling specifically, compared to running / swimming?

Cycling has always been part of my life. My dad is a cyclist; he has cycled all his life and passed this passion on to me. I associate cycling with home and freedom, which is why it is the discipline that puts me at peace with myself.

How do you structure your cycling training across the week to balance the demands of swim, bike, and run?

It is essential to rely on the right, qualified trainer.The risk of doing it yourself is that you could injure yourself and fail to achieve the right results in terms of performance.

What are your core bike sessions that you do as a triathlete (long endurance rides, threshold intervals)?

During the week, training sessions are mostly specific, either on rollers or on the road with medium-high pace repetitions. Training that does not physically ‘wipe you out’ is preferred because there is so much else to do the next day.The threshold is trained relatively little, and only at certain times of the year (for example, close to competitions).

Then, at the weekend, there are long slow/medium bike rides.

What’s one cycling mistake you see many triathletes make early on?

Always go out at full speed, short runs all above the threshold, looking only at the average and not listening to your body.

Tommasso paused on his bike in Le Col kit, a howling wolf statue behind.

Tommasso cycling on a country road with hills and autumn trees behind.

Racing Triathlons

You did the EaglexMan Extreme race this year. Have you ever competed in anything like this before? How was it different to the Vietnam 70.3?

The Eagle X is part of the extreme triathlon circuit, extreme in terms of conditions and elevation gain on both the run and bike legs.The race had more than 2k on the bike and 18km on the run with 600 metres of elevation gain, and the last 6km were with 1000d+, a real climb more akin to trail running than road running.

In Vietnam, on the other hand, it was an Ironman circuit race, so let's say standard, but for us Europeans, competing there is really tough because of the scorching climate and the wind that slowly wore me down.

Out of all the races you’ve done, which has been the most memorable?

Definitely Porec (Croatia) and Cervia (Italy) Ironman 70.3.

I achieved my best times in absolute terms according to the course.

bike selfie cycling along a river in a town.

Mental Resilience

What motivates you more, discovering new terrain and testing your limits, or returning to a course you know well to see if you can break a previous time?

These are two things that motivate me.It's often not easy mentally to return to the same race, especially if you did well the year before.

Let's say that every race is different; there are too many variables involved in the competition, but obviously knowing the route helps. Discovering new race landscapes is always exciting and gives you that extra bit of adrenaline.

You seem headstrong and that you are confident within your body and mind. How have you got to this place?

I fell many times, I failed at what I had in mind so many times, I became passionate, I was patient and in the end I always fight until the end.As a professional cyclist told me while I was competing in Cervia on the running section, ‘Go now, everything until the line,’ that's my only thought.

Do you find that you are still learning new things about yourself and your mental / physical capabilities after each race?

Those who stop or cease learning are lost and will never improve.Always gain experience, strive to refine what can be refined, and always be ready to do better!

Tommasso cycling on a country road with autumn trees behind.

Race Preparations as a Triathlete

How do you prepare the day before a race? What do you eat?

Let's say that I start loading up on a few more carbohydrates for glycogen reserves a week before the race, obviously without overdoing it and in accordance with what my body can take.

I often see 300-gram plates of pasta being eaten by non-elite athletes, perhaps with a reduced capacity for assimilation. This definitely has the opposite effect and floods the engine.So, carbohydrates, a few vegetables and the right amount of protein.

Some races require long-distance travel. How do you manage logistics like sleep, meals, and keeping your body ready when a flight or long drive disrupts your normal routine?

This is the hardest part, especially when you travel for many hours. I usually try to fly at least a week in advance, but it's never enough.

As for food, it's difficult for us Italians to find something that fully satisfies us, so I try to cook as much as possible, always choosing rooms/houses with kitchenettes.

Do you have any fuelling tips and does your fuelling strategy change depending on the discipline?

Obviously, it changes and varies depending on training, which is fundamental.

Let me explain:

An average athlete can easily consume 60-70 grams of carbohydrates per hour. The challenge is to try to increase this threshold during the preparation period and assimilate it and transform it into energy. It is a difficult process, but it is essential to make the switch. I have reached 90-100 grams per hour and I feel good.

To sum up, I take a carbohydrate gel before swimming, then I have water bottles of carbohydrates on my bike and a few gels/bars (solid food is personal, I need it to lay a foundation) and then on the run I take 2/3 gels of 30g of carbohydrates and at the refreshment points I only drink water.

Tommasso cycling round a country road bend.

Enjoying Cycling as a Triathlete

Do you ever ride for fun when you’re not training for a specific race or event? If so, what is your favourite local route?

I love the Dolomites and parts of the Spanish mountains such as Tenerife and Lanzarote.

This year I'm going to Livigno to try out the world's most difficult race route, which I'll be doing on 4 September, the Icon X.

Finally, what’s your mid-ride cafe stop order?

Coffee or, on cold days in the mountains, tea with lemon, strictly!