Now or Never for Women’s IRONMAN World Championship in Nice

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Good morning everyone,

It’s a huge weekend for the sport as the Women’s IRONMAN World Championships goes down in Nice. It’s going to be an incredible day of racing and I can’t wait for more historic performances on an iconic course that will challenge every single athlete.

• And of course, best of luck to our exceptional subscribers who are racing!

In today’s edition:

• 🏆 A preview of the incredible IRONMAN Women’s World Championship in Nice.

• ⛽ Post-workout fueling can be hard, so we’ve got ten examples of what you should be eating.

• 🏃 And why a “shakeout run” could take your racing to a whole new level!

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

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Now or Never for Women’s IRONMAN World Championship in Nice

What is it: After a season of mind-blowing performances and a few unexpected twists and turns, the much-anticipated Women’s IRONMAN World Championship will kick off this Sunday morning in Nice, France.

• And, with essentially all of the best women professional women in attendance, the race should be an incredible battle all the way to the finish!

A Championship-worthy course: When the gun goes off at 7 AM local time the athletes will have an exceptional course that will challenge even the most prepared.

🏊 The 3.8km (2.4 mile) swim will take place in Nice’s Baie Des Anges. The course itself features a double rectangle that has the athletes return close to shore at the mid-way point. A perfect point to see if the leaders are putting meaningful time into their competition.

🚵 After the swim, the athletes will cycle their way along the famous Promenade des Anglais before heading into the Nice hinterland for what should be a race-defining 180km (112 mile) ride.

• At around the 40km mark the athletes will begin the most brutal ascent of the day, the Col de L’Ecre. The 18.7km (11.2 mile) climb has an average grade of 5% and features a leg-sapping 6% average for the final miles.

• The middle section of the course is relatively flat, and will reveal to the athletes what their legs will bring to the second half of the race.

• The final third of the bike features fast and technically demanding descents including the picturesque Clue de Gréolières.

🏃 In contrast to the bike, the marathon run course involves four incredibly flat loops on the Promenade des Anglais. But, without much shade, the athletes will be forced to confront each other, and the full force of the elements.

Favorites in form: Although the race won’t feature five-time World Champion Daniela Ryf (SUI) or the young phenom Taylor Knibb (USA), there are plenty of favorites, including recent Champions, who will be battling for the title;

• Lucy Charles Barclay (GBR) - Last year’s incredible wire-to-wire win has not been forgotten, but the champ is coming into this race off the back of an apparent injury at July’s T100 event in London. Will she be in the same form as last October?

• Anne Haug (GER) - The former champ has shown that she still has what it takes to win in Nice, especially after smashing the course record at Challenge Roth. But will she lose too much time to her rivals on a hilly bike course?

• Kat Matthews (GBR) - Matthews is someone who is primed and ready for a big day in Nice. With strong wins at IRONMAN Texas and Vitoria-Gasteiz, she has proved her mettle over the full distance. Now, she needs to do it when it matters most.

• Laura Philipp (GER) - Philipp is a blue chip performer and always someone who is podium or podium-adjacent. Will this be the race that she steps up to take the win? Or will another Championship opportunity pass her by?

• Chelsea Sodaro (USA) - We haven’t seen the same Sodaro since her incredible win at Kona in 2022. But after kicking off the year with a solid win at IRONMAN New Zealand, and a few key changes including a new coach, bike setup, and training base, she may be able to return to the top step.

Darkhorse disruptors: Els Visser (NED) has loads of podiums to her name this year. Alice Alberts (USA) has been laying down some solid training in Nice. And Jackie Hering (USA), the current IRONMAN Pro Series leader, will be looking to pad her points on the Promenade!

• India Lee (GBR), the T100 Miami winner from earlier this year could be one to hang on to Charles-Barclay on the swim/bike and surprise a lot of folks on the run!

Tempo’s take: It hasn’t even been a year since the incredible wire-to-wire win from Lucy Charles-Barclay. Who won her first IRONMAN World Championships battling a torn calf for most of the marathon. So, if anyone thinks she will be easy to beat in Nice…lol.

• In a way, the course in Nice actually suits her better as most of her competition will not be able to see her during the bike, and with such a remote bike it is even harder to get updates while out on course.

Expect her to be first into T2. But it won’t be a foregone conclusion at that point. Matthews could be just a few minutes behind, which could set up an incredible final few miles on the run.

• And if Haug or Philipp are within ten minutes off the bike then they could use the frequent opportunities to see Charles-Barclay, and the incredible crowd support, to propel them to victory.

No matter who wins, the combination of the course and the talented athletes is already a win for the sport. Time to enjoy the show!

How to watch: Live coverage of the event will commence at 5:15 AM local time in Nice. You can watch live for free at Outside Watch (N. America) or proseries.ironman.com 

FAVORITES

🏃 Shakeout success: The idea of running before a long and hard endurance event may sound counterproductive. But the underrated shakeout run can help you mentally and physically prepare for a next-level race day performance. Here’s how to do it. [Peloton]

🚴‍♀️ Women’s fueling: Did you know that only 55% of women are adequately fueling for endurance performance? This excellent women’s fueling deep dive takes a look at how women should be fueling, and where some small changes can make huge gains in performance! [Precision Fuel & Hydration]

💨 How to get faster: It’s easy to get frustrated with why some athletes are just crazy fast. Of course, some of them may have been training for years, but some of them may just be incorporating some of the critical, and underrated training insights found in this insightful Reddit thread. [Reddit]

⛽ Post-workout fuel: Sometimes finding the right post-workout snack can be a chore. so if you’re looking for some fuel-spiration then this article featuring ten great post-workout snacks is an awesome place to start! [Run Keeper]

REEL TIME

Folks, there is a dog/owner triathlon! It is absolutely unhinged and we love it!

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QUICK NEWS

Bravo Sika: Sika Henry, a pioneer for black triathletes and the first black female professional triatlete has officially retired from the sport. [13 News]

IRONMAN Pro Series returns: With all eyes of the triathlon world on Nice, IRONMAN has taken the opportunity to announce its schedule for it’s second year of the groundbreaking Pro Series. [Triathlon Magazine]

T100 to France: The T100 Triathlon World Tour also took the opportunity to announce a new race for 2025. This one also happens to be in the French Riviera! [T100]

Bollywood to tri: Bollywood actress Saiyami Kher isn’t just a star on the screen. She’s also a newly-minted triathlete having completed a recent 70.3 event! [India New England News]

WEEKEND RACES

European Triathlon Championships - Vichy, France

A weekend full of races including elite, paratriathlon, and age group athletes should be full of action. In the men’s race Csongor Lehman (HUN) should be the favorite after a strong performance in Paris.

• In the women’s race Leonie Periault (FRA) should use her incredible run to play the home country hero!

Start lists

IRONMAN 70.3 Italy

In this men’s-only pro race Mike Phillips (NZ) should be the major favorite. After him there are plenty of athletes who could find themselves on the podium!

Start list

Challenge San Remo

Rebecca Robisch (GER) is the strong favorite for this one. While in the men’s race athletes like Tom Bishop (GBR) and Panagiotis Bitados (GRE) will be battling for the win.

Start lists

IRONMAN 70.3 Cozumel

The women’s race will see a battle between short course stars Valerie Barthelemy (BEL) and Vittoria Lopes (BRA). Marc Dubric (USA) should have no problem taking the win in the men’s race.

Start lists

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