IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence results 2025: Blummenfelt and Pierré just too good

Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt and France’s Marjolaine Pierré took the wins at IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence on Sunday.

In what was the latest stop in the IRONMAN Pro Series, IRONMAN Texas winner Blummenfelt produced another swim / bike / run masterclass as he ran away from his rivals on the last of three laps on the run, with compatriot Casper Stornes chasing him home and Simon Vlain (FRA) rounding out the podium.

The home crowd had even more to cheer in the women’s race too as local favourite Pierre led from early on the bike en route to an impressive success, her first since IRONMAN Portugal in late 2023. It was also in the town where she studied and started her pro triathlon career.

Britain’s Lizzie Rayner was second, with Lena Meißner (GER) rounding out the podium in third.

Pro Men – Blummenfelt bides his time

It was Germany’s Jonas Schomburg and France’s Mattéo Bringer who just led a big group on the swim but from early on the bike, defending champion Ruben Zepuntke (GER) took over at the head of affairs.

He had a lead of two minutes after the bike, with Blummenfelt in fourth at that point at +2:23 but things would soon change.

Blummenfelt showed his intentions – and how the legs were feeling – when he took 20 seconds out of him in the first kilometre and it wasn’t long before we had a three-way battle for the lead – ‘Big Blu’, Stornes and Vlain – with that trio locked together from the halfway mark to the start of the last 7km lap.

That was the point Blummenfelt started to turn up the gas and though Stornes stayed within touching distance, there was no catching him. When the line came Blummenfelt stopped the clock in 3:41:08, 32 seconds to the good over Stornes, with Vlain at +1:18 in third, Britain’s Sam Dickinson fourth and Frenchman Pierre Le Corre fifth.

Three of those top five – Blummenfelt, Stornes and Le Corre – ran 1:07 half marathons, with Vlain and Dickinson notching 1:08s.

Kristian Blummenfelt wins 703 Aix en Provence 2025 — Kristian Blummenfelt wins again [Photo credit: Getting Images for IRONMAN]

“The bike course was fun but challenging, especially with the dynamics of about 15 guys being up there,” said Blummenfelt afterwards.

“I felt strong throughout the whole day and felt super comfortable starting the run. I was planning to go in the last five or six K, it was just about waiting for the right moment. And I was quite pleased with how the legs felt when I did turn up that pace.

“And it’s great to have two Norwegians on the podium!” he added, though it was a tougher day out for their countryman and fellow former 70.3 World Champion Gustav Iden who would finish 24th.

Pro Women – Pierre delights home crowd

The women’s race was much more clear-cut from an earlier stage.

Meißner led a group of six out of the water first, with Pierre around a minute and a half back in seventh.

But Pierre was in a class of her own on the bike, taking just 30km to ease into the lead and by the time she reached T2 she was 1:45 ahead of Rayner.

The gap held steady early on the run but there was an absorbing battle for second, with nothing between Rayner and Meißner.

However in the second half, the podium was settled – Pierre went further clear and crossed the line in 4:11:57, nearly three minutes ahead of Rayner, who in turn had a minute to spare on Meißner.

Marta Sanchez (ESP) took fourth while a quickest-of-the-day half marathon from Nikki Bartlett (GBR) moved her up to fifth.

There was huge support for Pierre given her strong local connections and she said afterwards: “I raced on my own for a long way so it was a good training day but the crowds were incredible.

“A lot of my family and friends were here so it’s so special. And the finish area is so beautiful so I’m very happy to have a nice picture on the line!

“I’ve struggled with a lot of injuries and I’m just so happy to be back racing and it’s so special to win here.”