The team yes. Macca is a calculated athlete. Nothing he does is spur of the moment or done off the cuff. Whether it was himself or his 'people' Macca, not unlike Lance Armstrong, would not have pulled the trigger on this move if he wasn't sure it would pay off. And just like Lance who couched his comeback under the auspices of spreading the global message of cancer, so too has Macca given himself an 'out clause' by saying that he is there to HELP the team and go to an Olympics. Did Lance think he could win another Tour? You would think so. So what is that saying about what Macca thinks his chances are if he does toe the line in London next year?

The other side of the coin are those Olympic hopefuls and how they will react. The general talk is that Brad Kahlefeldt and Courtney Atkinson are certainties to make the grade. Given their stellar results last season it is hard to see them going South. The others in the mix, Dan Wilson, James Seear, David Dellow and Brendan Sexton, must all now be re-thinking their battle plans. Points alone are not enough due to the quirky nature of the selection process which allows for a discretionary pick.

The Olympic Games is a notoriously tough race to predict in the men. The level that the ITU world has been taken to in the last few seasons is as high as it has ever been.

The magic number most people are talking about is 29. Alistair Brownlee can smoke a 29 minute 10 km off the bike and has some company who are capable of that performance too (Frodeno, Gomez). Brownlee also has brother and U23 World Champion Jonathan on board too. The pair likes to destroy the bike but more importantly, Jonathan is the man to chase down attacks up the road which has to Macca's MO when he gets out on course.

Will Macca have to 'go off the front' to make up his running shortfalls? has been a popular question.

He will tell all and sundry he is there to to help the team. But Macca being Macca, he would be thinking of what might be one of the greatest races in the history of the sport of triathlon and a legacy that would would catapult him to legend if he won gold. Heavy stuff for him to contemplate.

Age. At 38 Macca has lost some zing. While we are not denying he is obviously still super strong the rigours of the racing at ITU level will expose him to a whole new raft of injuries. However given that Macca has had ITU experience he will understand how to protect himself. The other side of this is he may not make it. You would hate to say that people will be evening up scores but will prejudice come into the selection process? Added to that the selectors may not think he is the best man for the job. This will put Macca on the sidelines.

To bet against Macca is fraught with danger. It is far to early to say yes or no. What the tri world will do is sit back and watch the show as it unfolds over the next 18 months.But once again another percussion bomb from the McCormack Camp has found it's mark putting his name back into the front row of triathlon media.