WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- All professional triathletes of the Olympic Distance variety must offer profound thanks to sponsor Hy-Vee for putting on the one race in the world where the prize purse matches their amazing talents.

At stake for the fourth time at the Hy-Vee Triathlon World Cup is an overall purse of $1 million, with $200,000 going to the men's and women's winners, $50,000 for second, $25,000 for third, $20,000 for fourth, $15,000 for fifth, on down to $2,000 guaranteed for 41st through 50th.

While this race is not the World Championship or an Olympics, it is equal in prestige to any event of this year and second only to the Olympics. And thus the quality of the field and the ferocity of the racing is second to none.

Certainly that was vividly evident last year in the men's race, which came down to a ferocious five-man sprint to the finish. Still, with a blistering pace in store, cool calculation forces many great competitors to forego this race if they think they are not in the form required to have a chance of a win.

This year, top men such as Andy Potts, Javier Gomez, Alistair Brownlee (just coming back from injury), Daniel Unger and Sven Riederer are passing upo a shot at the pot of Hy-Vee gold. And even more careful women such as Mariko Adachi (2nd in WCS points) Nicola Spirig (5th in points, winner at Seoul), Lisa Norden (2nd in WCS points in 2009) Vanessa Fernandes (2008 Olympic silver medalist and winner of a record 20 World Cups but just coming back from injury) are not here.

While the no-shows are striking, the field is once again star-studded and quite hard to pick the winners.

The Women

Emma Snowsill (AUS) 4-1
2010 -- 6th Seoul World Championship Series (WCS)
Hy-Vee -- 2007 DNF, 2008 1st, 2009 2nd

Just back from an 8-month injury hiatus, Snowy took a close 6th at Seoul and then took another month to prepare for Hy-Vee. Three World championships, Olympic gold, and 1st and 2nd Hy-Vee finishes leads me to make her the favorite.

Emma Moffatt (AUS) 5-1
2010 -- 3rd Sydney WCS, 3rd Seoul WCS
Hy-Vee -- 2007 7th 2008 2nd 2009 1st

Moffatt topped fellow Emma last year at Washington DC and Hy-Vee and then took the World title. A changing of the guard? Maybe, but this year she started with an injury and was only able to post two 3rd-place finishes.

Daniela Ryf (SUI) 6-1
2010 -- 9th Sydney WCS, 1st Seoul WCS, 13th Madrid WCS
Hy-Vee -- 2009 8th

Swiss bike powerhouse ran away with a sprint finish at Seoul.

Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 7-1
2010 -- 2nd Sydney WCS, 5th Seoul WCS
Hy-Vee -- 2009 6th

Winner of several WCS sprint finishes is a top gun and took time off after Seoul so should be in the mix for the win.

Barbara Riveros-Diaz (CHI) 8-1
2010 -- 1st Sydney WCS, 2nd Seoul WCS, 6th Madrid WCS

Chilean mighty mite (4-feet 11-inches of speed and power) made a sensational breakthrough with a win at Sydney, a 2nd at Seoul, and only slightly cooled off with a 6th at Madrid last week. Not enough time to reload for a win in Iowa.

Helen Jenkins (GBR) 10-1
9th Seoul WCS, 3rd Madrid WCS
Hy-Vee -- 2008 3rd 2009 10th

Looking close to 2008 ITU World Championship form after a 3rd at Madrid.

Sarah Haskins (USA) 11-1
2010 -- 8th Sydney WCS, 10th Seoul WCS, 5th Madrid WCS
Hy-Vee -- 2007 4th, 2008 6th, 2009 9th

America's best, most reliable World Class contender is also back to her 2008 ITU World Championship silver medal winning form

Laura Bennett (USA) 12-1
2010 -- 17th Mooloolaba World Cup, 14th Sydney’ WCS
Hy-Vee -- 2007 1st, 2008 4th, 2009 14th

America's best clutch performer is slowly returning to form and could be near her 2007 Hy-Vee winning form.

Paula Findlay (CAN) 16-1
2010 -- 1st Monterrey World Cup

Monterrey is not a World Championship Series event, but a win is a win is a win.

Sarah Groff (USA) 18-1
2010 -- 5th Mooloolaba World Cup, 19th Sydney WCS
Hy-Vee -- 2008 9th

Groff has been tutored by Siri Lindley and Darren Smith and has absorbed much of their wisdom to go with her own enormous talent.

Debbie Tanner (NZL) 22-1
2010 -- 10th Mooloolaba World Cup, 12th Seoul WCS
Hy-Vee -- 2007 9th

This Kiwi ran even up with a red-hot Vanessa Fernandes in 2006 and 2007 but has faded off her swiftest form. Still…

Kate McIlroy (NZL) 26-1
2010 -- 18TH Seoul WCS

Up and coming Kiwi has dominant form in lesser races. Maybe ready to step up in class.

Jenna Shoemaker (USA) 30-1
2010 -- 23rd Sydney WCS, 2nd Escape from Alcatraz, 8th Monterrey World Cup,
27th Madrid WCS

Best indicator of her breakthrough capability was a close second at Escape From Alcatraz this year.

Mary Beth Ellis USA 35-1
2010 -- 11th Monterrey World Cup
Hy-Vee -- 2008 12th, 2009 15th

In 2008 and 2009, MBE could contend with the best in the world. So far in 2010, she is still struggling to return to that form. Her best shot may be 70.3.

Kathy Tremblay (CAN) 33-1
2010 -- 19th Mooloolaba World Cup, 30th Sydney WCS

Still trying to get up to her 2009 form.

Jillian Peterson USA 40-1
2010 -- 23rd Mooloolaba World Cup, 26th Sydney WCS, 15th Seoul WCS, 35th Madrid WCS,

Working hard for a breakthrough.