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Is it World Championships? Close, It’s IRONMAN Frankfurt!

Is it World Championships? Close, It’s IRONMAN Frankfurt!

IM Frankfurt's insane field, which form of fuel is best? And a silent running killer!

Matthew Sharpe
June 27, 2025

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Good morning everyone,

Triathletes are often be described as “time starved.” So, lets not waste any more of your precious seconds, and get into today’s newsletter!

In today’s edition:

🏆 Is it World Championships? Close, It’s IRONMAN Frankfurt!
🏎️ Bars, gels, and chews are all great fueling options. But which one is best for your performance?
🆙 And why vertical oscillation might be hurting your running efficiency!

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

Have a triathlete in your life who can't stop swimming, biking, or running? Fire this off to them. Forwarded from a friend? Sign-up for free.

ONE BIG THING

Is it World Championships? Close, It’s IRONMAN Frankfurt

IRONMAN

What is it: As the IRONMAN Pro Series heats up, this weekend sees an absolute inferno of talent at IRONMAN Frankfurt.

And with the unbelievable list of athletes on the start line, many are saying it is the most competitive non-World Championship IRONMAN - ever.

Sensational start list: Headlining the men’s-only professional field is Olympic, 70.3, and IRONMAN World Champion - Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR). He comes into Frankfurt with incredible form, and on the back of an IRONMAN record-7:24:20 at IRONMAN Texas.

But Blummenfelt will have plenty of company. The current IRONMAN World Champion, Patrick Lange (GER), will be back on the start line after a difficult injury-filled spring.

And Magnus Ditlev (DEN), already has a full distance win under his belt. But will certainly be looking for another in Frankfurt!

All three will be joined by former World Champion, Gustav Iden (NOR), and perennial podium performer, Rudy Von Berg (USA).

And other contenders include Casper Stornes (NOR), Jonas Schomburg (GER), Daniel Bækkegård (DEN), and Cam Wurf (AUS).

Frankfurt fireworks: Expect strong swim/bikers like Kanute, Schomburg, and Bækkegård to smash the swim and the early part of the bike - putting immense pressure on the weaker swimmers.

The question then becomes, how far back will Blummenfelt, Ditlev, and Lange be starting the bike?

If the swim leaders can establish an early bike lead, than it will put pressure on the Norwegian trio of Blummenfelt, Iden, and Stornes - which could put even more pressure on Ditlev and Lange if they lose pace in the water.

On the bike, Look for Blummenfelt to shadow Ditlev on the bike. And unlike last year’s viral moment in Kona, he could have the legs to stay with the Great Dane.

On the run, it will be tough to take down the Norwegian. If a large pack enters T2 we could see many athletes starting the run together and making a push for a blistering sub-2:30 marathon.

But will anyone have the legs to take down Blummenfelt? Lange’s - the one who could challenge him - is far from peak fitness.

Frankfurt has a reputation for fast and furious racing. If the run turns into a war of attrition, don’t be surprised if a dark horse charges through the field. Of course, all eyes will be on the Norwegian, but this course has humbled giants before...

Tempo’s take: An insane start list will make for insane racing! And with so many athletes and scenarios at play, here’s what we’ll be watching for when the gun goes off,

🤝 Norwegian Team tactics

In Texas we saw Blumenfelt and Iden make an early attack to try and break up the field. Will they also go early in Frankfurt? Or even try and get a gap into T2?

🔁 Lange’s Injury Advantage

After pulling out of IRONMAN Texas in April due to an adductor issue, Lange is back on track. And although he hasn’t been fully running, could a pick up in swim and bike training put him closer to the front of the race than ever before?

🥵 Hot, Hot, Heat

The forecast for race day in Frankfurt is a spicy 31C/87F.Not Kona conditions, but the heat could play a role, especially late in the run. If a big pack leaves T2 together there’s no doubt they will be moving quick. But in those conditions, blowups can take down even the most seasoned racers!

Are you interested in the IRONMAN Frankfurt results?

FAVORITES

🏎️ Fuel optimization: Bar, gels, and chews are all options for getting those crucial carbohydrates while training and racing. But which form is best for absorption and your performance? The answer may surprise you! [My Sports Science]

⚡ Kill your cramps: Muscle cramps strike fast and can derail even your best sessions. Whether it’s a calf cramp mid-run or a foot cramp in the pool, knowing how to quickly counter them with smart stretching, hydration, and electrolyte intake can make all the difference. Learn how to stop them fast, and keep them from coming back! [The Manual]

🆙 Stop inefficient oscillation: Vertical oscillation is the distance your body travels up and down while running, and if you are doing too much of it it can absolutely kill your run, especially after biking hard! Learn more about this silent running efficiency killer here. [Marathon Handbook]

🐻 Athlete vs. animal: In what could be one of the most stereotypical Canadian triathlon occurrences, an athlete managed to collide with a bear mid-race! So what happened next? And could this happen to you? Find out here! [Triathlon Magazine]

🤖 New triathlon tech: Superbikes, innovative wheels, fancy groupsets, and a whole lot more of the latest triathlon tech. All here in this video! [GTN]

REEL TIME

It’s Friday - Almost time to pretend to be a triathlete for a living! 😂

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TEMPO TALKS PODCAST

What can you learn from Lionel Sanders’ devastating injury?

Just how insane will IRONMAN Frankfurt be?

And why are triathletes at risk of Rhabdomyolysis?

We break it all down in the latest episode of the Tempo Talks Podcast!

Together with The TriDoc, we bring you the biggest stories in Triathlon,

Training tips to make you faster,
And breakdowns of the latest in sports science and performance!

Don’t miss a moment; listen to Tempo Talks on Apple, Spotify, and more!

QUICK NEWS

Trilight of the night: As a part of ESPN’s upcoming 50 states in 50 days feature, IRONMAN 70.3 Boise will be the highlighted event of Idaho. The segment will air July 28th on its flagship Sportscenter program.

IRONdud: New mom says her husband signed up for an IRONMAN, and she is “having to pick up the slack during his training…” [People]

Memorial tri: The Fingal Triathlon club held a memorial event in honor of club member, Garda Kevin Flatley, who tragically passed away last month. [Independent]

Firefighters race free: Are you a Los Angeles firefigher? If so you can claim a free race entry - courtesy of the Long Beach Triathlon! [Patch]

New World Cup: World Triathlon has announced a new 2025 World Cup event in San Pedro de la Paz, Chile. It will be held November 8-9. [World Triathlon]

Vote for tri: More politicians competing in the sport? We’ll take it! Case in point, Tennessee governor Bill Lee, who finished last weekend’s Chattanooga triathlon in just under 3 hours. [Local 3 News]