The stage is set for a seismic showdown in Nice, France as the world’s best professional and amateur male triathletes are set to assemble for the men’s 2025 IRONMAN World Championship triathlon on September 14.
The star-studded pro list includes former World Champions, past world championship podium finishers, Pro Series contenders, and a host of rising stars all set to toe the line on the Côte d’Azur. In all, the iconic World Championship triathlon will bring together nearly 60 of the world’s top professional male triathletes to compete for the coveted title of World Champion, as well as a piece of the $375,000 USD professional prize purse, with the winner taking home $125,000 USD.
The men’s start list features four former World Champions, including defending and three-time champion Patrick Lange of Germany, who will wear bib number one. Lange claimed his third title in Kona last year and returns to Nice – where he finished second in 2023 – aiming to further bolster his legacy. The German hasn’t reached his peak so far this year, but who would discount the man made for the biggest stages out of a fourth title?
Sam Laidlow won his World Championship crown in Nice two years ago – that victory on home soil made the Frenchman the youngest ever winner of a World Championship triathlon. After an injury plagued start to the year, Laidlow is now finding form at the perfect time and comes into this World Championship race off the back of a victory at the inaugural Leeds triathlon last month.
The new Norwegian method has been on full display so far this season, with 2021 World Champion Kristian Blummenfelt arguably the best and most consistent male athlete this year, scoring wins at the North American Championship, European Championship, and Aix-en-Provence triathlons. Chasing a perfect Pro Series score, Blummenfelt currently sits third in the standings and a win in Nice would set him on course to become the first athlete to win both the World Championship and Pro Series titles in the same year.
Nordic compatriot and 2022 World Champion Gustav Iden has had a quietly successful season to date, working his way back to full form after a couple years of injury, with a strong fourth place finish at the European Championship triathlon in June, laying down an ominous marker to his competitors.
Also returning to the World Championship start line are last year’s podium finishers Magnus Ditlev of Denmark and American Rudy Von Berg. Ditlev holds the African Championship title after his early season win in Gqeberha, South Africa, while Von Berg has had a typically consistent season, with two podium finishes already to his name.
Last year’s World Championship fourth place finisher Léon Chevalier also returns with everything to race for. The Frenchman will be hoping to move up to the podium places at the World Championship for the first time, while also securing major points to maintain his lead atop the Pro Series leaderboard.
The Pro Series adds another layer of intrigue to the World Championship, with 17 of the top 20 men in the overall standings – including nine of the top 10 – lining up in Nice.
Strong challengers who currently sit within the top 10 in the Pro Series standings are American Matthew Marquardt, who secured his first and second triathlon victories in Cairns and Lake Placid this year; Dane Kristian Høgenhaug, last year’s Pro Series third place finisher with two triathlon second place finishes to his name in 2025; Australian Cameron Wurf, who finished seventh in Kona last year; and the third member of the Norwegian contingent Casper Stornes, who has picked up two podium finishes in his last two races.
Adding to the mix are two Olympians transitioning to long course triathlon post-Paris in the shape of Marten Van Riel of Belgium and Jonas Schomburg of Germany, each of whom have the ability to podium in Nice. Though currently nursing an ankle injury and a questionable status to race, Van Riel has been explosive over the middle distance over the past year and made an instant impact upon his triathlon debut in Cozumel, leading the majority of the bike until an unfortunate crash. Chasing World Championship qualification, the Belgian re-focused on the African Championship in March, finishing second behind the Danish powerhouse Ditlev. German Schomburg has been equally impressive, finishing third in that race in South Africa. American Sam Long is another wildcard. Winner of last year’s Chattanooga triathlon, the fan-favourite American boasts one of the best bike-run combinations in the sport and will race just his second World Championship triathlon.
Beginning with the Mediterranean Sea swim, athletes taking part in the World Championship triathlon in Nice will enter the water in the Baie des Anges for a 3.8km swim, following a double rectangular out and back course in the water, before embarking on one of the most iconic bike courses in all of the triathlon world. The 180km bike course is technical and challenging but rewarding in its beauty, with athletes taking in rooftop villages on the ascent before they cruise down the “Route de Thorenc” and through the “Clues de Gréolières” on the descent, famous for its stunning feature film backdrop scenery.
The flat, four lap 42.2km run course will take runners up and down the glitzy Promenade des Anglais, giving them the opportunity to soak up the Mediterranean Sea views and famous Chaises Bleues on one side, and the luxury hotels and casinos on the other, while gaining encouragement from the deep crowds lining the course.
