Norwegians fine-tune engines: Blummenfelt, Iden, and Bækkegård ready for Nice 2025

The atmosphere on the French Riviera is already at its peak. Nice is preparing for another historic edition of the World championship HOMBRE DE HIERRO closet, which will once again test the elite of long-distance triathlon.

The beaches, the Promenade des Anglais and the inland roads, with their tough climbs and technical descents, will be the setting for a new chapter in a saga that goes from the Kona pioneers in 1978 to the recent victory of Sam Laidlow in 2023, the first Frenchman to win the title.

In this special preview, Matt Lieto spoke with three protagonists destined to shine: Daniel Bækkegård, Kristian Blummenfelt y Gustav IdenThree different visions, one dream: becoming a world champion.

See Preview of the 2025 Men's IRONMAN World Championship in Nice

Kristian Blummenfelt: The Norwegian machine adjusts its plan

The Olympic and world champion in St. George 2021 arrives in Nice with meticulous preparation.

Has passed seven weeks This year in the city to study every detail of the route. He knows the route well. Col de Vence, that initial climb that will make the difference, the technical descents and the final stretch of 50 undulating kilometres.

His strategy is to tolerate the power on the climbs and not empty himself on the bike: "The important thing is to arrive fresh to run a marathon of 2h30 or less, because that can cause a lot of damage.". Kristian remembers having had poor swimming in the past (Frankfurt, St. George), but he is confident that there is always room for improvement over the long haul.

Plan a career very tactical, with Sam Laidlow attacking from the start and young players like Jamie riddle y Yonas Schomburg setting the pace in the water.

For him, the alternation between Kona y Nice es “inspiring”, as it forces athletes to adapt to radically different environments: the humidity and crosswinds of Hawaii versus the technical climbs and descents of the French Riviera. While he acknowledges that Kona better suits his power style, he's ready to take on the challenge of Nice.

Gustav Iden: Renewed confidence and desire to win again

The champion of Kona 2022 He arrives with a different air. After a difficult period—retirement in Kona, an accident in Singapore, and two years without a win—he claims to have regained his confidence: “I think I have a great chance of winning this race.”.

As a curiosity, Gustav is passionate about Kawasaki motorcycles, although he jokes that this hobby does not automatically make him a better cyclist.

What does support him are his recent workouts: he talks about a brutal session of 3 × 9 km at race paces (3:37, 3:30 and 3:24/km), in which he even beat Blummenfelt.

Iden is no longer the dark horse that surprised everyone at the 2019 World Cup, but he doesn't feel like the top favorite either.

He acknowledges that the pressure has changed his way of understanding sport: from defining himself only as winner, has learned to manage defeats and value the process.

His plans for Nice are clear: swim relaxed, attack hard from the first bike ride, recover on descents and risk everything in a marathon that he hopes will be very fast, even dreaming of a under 2h30.

Regarding the rivalry with Blummenfelt, he admits that his teammate uses "mental tricks," but expects a fair fight. Still, he acknowledges that desperation can break friendships at a World Cup.

A Norwegian hat-trick in the top 5? “Possible, but we need luck and performance at the same time.”

Daniel Bækkegård: health, focus, and a personal challenge in Nice

For the Dane, this race has a very special flavor. He acknowledges that in Kona everything revolves around the triathlon, while in Nice “It’s the city that takes over the IRONMAN”, something that allows you to experience the pre-match with less external pressure.

Still, he insists: “The pressure is always the same, because it's still a World Championship.”.

His path to this point has not been easy. In the last two years he has dealt with two herniated discs in the back and lack of continuity in training.

Between constant travel and little attention to recovery, her body had had enough. The turning point came in December, when she started working with Philip Cip, a trainer who defines himself as “holistic”: he not only helps him fix his back, but also gives structure to his life and regains motivation.

Daniel's goal is clear: to be healthy and competitive. He dreams of a top five finish, which would already be a personal triumph.Regarding the route, he's not fooled: the bike will be "brutal and spectacular," and the marathon, although flat, will be mentally exhausting due to the lack of gears.

A World Cup full of unknowns

The 2025 edition in Nice promises strong emotions. With a devastating cycling routea whirlpool bath, mentally demanding marathon and a squad of favorites in top form, everything points to an unpredictable outcome.

In the last three years, the title has had different owners: Blummenfelt in 2021 (St. George), Iden in 2022 (Kona) and laidlow in 2023 (Nice).

In 2025, will it be the turn of another Norwegian, a Danish surprise, or a local champion to repeat the feat? We'll find out next Sunday, when Nice once again becomes the center of world triathlon.

Here we tell you Everything you need to know about IRONMAN Nice 2025.