Lionel Sanders confirms his absence in Nice
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Just over two weeks to go World championship HOMBRE DE HIERRO Nice 2025, the first big blow arrives: Lionel Sanders it will not be on the starting line.
The Canadian, one of the most high-profile long-distance triathletes, has decided not to take any risks and is definitively ruling out competing on the French Riviera.
This will be the last men's World Cup held in Nice, before the franchise returns to its historic home in Kona in 2026, where the men and women will once again compete on the same weekend.
An injury that hinders his path to the World Cup
Sanders has been dragging along for months stress fracture of the sacrum, an injury that was diagnosed in June along with the syndrome of Relative Energy Deficiency (RED-S)Although he's back to normal swimming and cycling training, his running performance is still far from the level required for a world championship marathon.
"It's too early to risk running a marathon with so little preparation," the Canadian admitted on his YouTube channel, where he confirmed that his recovery hasn't progressed as quickly as expected.
The marathon, the great obstacle in his recovery
The marathon was the big question mark. Sanders tested his fitness at various times, considering a comeback in races like Eagleman, Lake Placid, and Louisville, but always had to postpone his return. He admits that in Nice, he could barely run for an hour, and that's far from his usual performance.
“It's cruel, very cruel,” he confessed. “It's only been 16 weeks since the first symptoms, and it would be a huge risk. The bone may not have fully hardened. Even riding a bike at full speed, with so many hills, is already too high a risk.”
The risk of relapse, key in your decision
His entourage suggested that he compete in Nice, completing only the swimming and the bike, but the Canadian rejected that idea: "I don't like to start knowing I'm not going to finish." The priority, he says, is not to jeopardize the rest of his career with a relapse.
Goal on the horizon: Marbella 70.3 World Championship
With Nice ruled out, the new objective of Lionel Sanders is the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in Marbella, scheduled for November. A race with lesser demands than running, it will allow him to compete again on an international stage.
“I probably won't be fit in October either, but I prefer to wait and arrive in Marbella with guarantees,” said the winner of events such as IRONMAN 70.3 St George y Oceanside.
Sanders' withdrawal leaves the Nice World Championship without one of its most charismatic figures, and adds uncertainty to an event where names like Sam Laidlow, Patrick Lange o Kristian Blummenfelt They start as main favorites.
