Marjolaine Pierré (FRA) defended her title in brilliant style and Michele Bortolamedi (ITA) claimed the biggest win of his career after a thrilling battle in the men’s race at IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence.
This was the fifth stop in the 2026 IRONMAN Pro Series – and the first in Europe – but the two races could hardly have been more contrasting.
Pierré took control on the bike and never looked like relinquishing it, crossing the line nearly four minutes ahead of Imogen Simmonds (SUI), with 2024 IRONMAN World Champion Laura Philipp (GER) third on her seasonal reappearance before she heads to IRONMAN Hamburg.
But the men’s race ebbed and flowed throughout before Bortolamedi finally shook off former 70.3 World Champion Rico Bogen (GER) in the closing stages, with Lasse Priester (GER) flying through the field for third place.
Plenty of course records were broken on a chilly but clear day, though that should be qualified by the fact that disc wheels were allowed for the first time here on the bike course.
Here’s how it all unfolded…
Pro Women – One-way traffic
One of the few course records not to go was in the women’s swim – though Fenella Langridge (GBR) equalled her own mark from back in 2018 as she exited the water first in 24:24.
It was very close behind – Simmonds was second at +2s, last year’s runner-up Lizzie Rayner (GBR) was third at +3s, Lisa Perterer (AUT) fourth at +5s and Hanne De Vet (BEL) fifth at +8s.
Pierré meanwhile was 31 seconds back in eighth and Philipp had 1:53 to make up from 15th.
De Vet emerged first from T1 and took an early lead on the bike, which she maintained to the halfway point.
But it was soon after that Pierré powered to the front and she quickly built up what would prove a race-winning lead.
At the end of bike she was 1:38 ahead of De Vet, with Solene Billouin (FRA) at +3:46 in third.
Simmonds was 4:12 back in fourth, revealing afterwards she lost ground when skidding out on a descent, while Philipp was 4:36 adrift in fifth.
From the start of the run it was obvious that Pierré was in another league and her advantage grew and grew as she beat her own course record by three-and-a-half minutes.
But there was plenty of drama in behind. When the bell went for the final lap, Simmonds and De Vet were locked together in second and third, with Philipp tracking them too.
And it was De Vet who was the one to miss out as Simmonds ran through to second, 3:42 behind Pierré, with Philipp third at +4:18.
Pierré said: “I am very happy to be back in Aix, it’s always a particular atmosphere and such a support from all the French spectators and the whole French IRONMAN team.”
Pro Men – Duel in the sun
Fireworks heralded the start and though we had blue sky and sunshine, temperatures were in single figures.
In the swim it was Sven Thalmann (SUI) who was on the front early on, with Jamie Riddle (RSA) on his feet and Justus Nieschlag (GER) third on his welcome return from an extended layoff.
But late on it was Riddle who eased ahead and he was out of the water first in a course record 21:48 (the previous best was 22:07).
Thalmann was second and Nieschlag third but just 27 seconds covered the first 16, setting the tone for the race.
It was to prove a difficult day for Riddle – it ended with a fall and injury on the run to compound his challenging start to the season – and he went from first to 13th in T1 as plenty of athletes grappled with the chilly conditions.
Bogen was out first and he and Nathan Guerbeur (FRA) were swapping turns on front, with Bortolamedi and Maximilian Sperl (GER) the two able to stay with them.
Bortolamedi saved his big effort for the main climb in the second half of the technical bike course and that proved a masterstroke as he was able to carve out a small advantage going into T2.
He went through transition rapidly too, turning 13 seconds into a 25-seconds lead over Sperl and Bogen starting the run.
That gap held steady too – it was 31 seconds after the first of three laps around Aix – but approaching halfway Bogen did start to close, first moving past Sperl and then locking his sights on Bortolamedi.
In the latter stages of the second loop Bogen made his move on a downhill section as he overtook Bortolamedi but the Italian responded immediately to get back on his shoulder and the two were then neck and neck in what proved a fantastic battle.
Meanwhile no one going faster than Priester – he had been 4:21 back in sixth after the bike and 3:10 after lap one but he was up to third at +1:40 after lap two.
Up front we looked set for a sprint finish but Bortolamedi had other ideas and with around 3km to go he kicked and there was suddenly daylight between himself and Bogen.
He didn’t look back and was full of emotion when he crossed the line in 3:38:54, smashing Kristian Blummefelt’s course best of 3:41:08 from last year.
It was the second victory of his career following IRONMAN 70.3 Hradec Kralove in Slovakia last year.
Bogen was second, 32 seconds back, just ahead of Priester who clocked a 1:07:05 half marathon, yet another course record, to round out the podium.
Bortolamedi said afterwards: “When I started the third lap [on the run], I told myself ‘oggi vinco’ – today I win. Today I was strong, my legs were perfect, the brain always clear. The second lap I saw Rico come in strong, but I didn’t have any fear, I wasn’t scared.”
IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence 2026 results
Sunday 17 May 2026 – 1.9km / 90km / 21.1km
PRO Women
| Position | Athlete | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marjolaine Pierré (FRA) | 24:55 | 2:19:53 | 1:19:18 | 4:08:27 |
| 2 | Imogen Simmonds (SUI) | 24:26 | 2:24:29 | 1:18:40 | 4:12:10 |
| 3 | Laura Philipp (GER) | 26:17 | 2:22:54 | 1:18:39 | 4:12:46 |
| 4 | Anne-Sophie Pierre (FRA) | 28:16 | 2:21:32 | 1:19:47 | 4:14:04 |
| 5 | Hanne De Vet (BEL) | 24:32 | 2:22:24 | 1:23:34 | 4:14:30 |
| 6 | Katrine Græsbøll Christensen (DEN) | 28:13 | 2:23:45 | 1:19:25 | 4:15:41 |
| 7 | Solenne Billouin (FRA) | 27:32 | 2:21:30 | 1:24:27 | 4:17:29 |
| 8 | Lizzie Rayner (GBR) | 24:28 | 2:28:35 | 1:19:50 | 4:18:01 |
| 9 | Marta Lagownik (POL) | 26:57 | 2:29:01 | 1:19:15 | 4:19:19 |
| 10 | Lisa Perterer (AUT) | 24:30 | 2:25:27 | 1:24:36 | 4:19:33 |
PRO Men
| Position | Athlete | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michele Bortolamedi (ITA) | 22:03 | 2:02:20 | 1:11:04 | 3:38:54 |
| 2 | Rico Bogen (GER) | 22:01 | 2:02:36 | 1:11:11 | 3:39:26 |
| 3 | Lasse Nygaard Priester (GER) | 22:12 | 2:06:27 | 1:07:05 | 3:39:35 |
| 4 | Maximilian Sperl (GER) | 22:13 | 2:02:08 | 1:13:56 | 3:41:56 |
| 5 | Nathan Guerbeur (FRA) | 22:35 | 2:02:10 | 1:14:05 | 3:42:54 |
| 6 | Felix Forissier (FRA) | 22:08 | 2:06:57 | 1:11:55 | 3:44:30 |
| 7 | Simon Viain (FRA) | 22:11 | 2:08:58 | 1:11:02 | 3:45:44 |
| 8 | Nicolas Mann (GER) | 22:15 | 2:06:12 | 1:13:15 | 3:45:49 |
| 9 | Pierre Dupuy (FRA) | 21:55 | 2:06:48 | 1:13:39 | 3:46:24 |
| 10 | Antonio Benito (ESP) | 22:07 | 2:07:29 | 1:13:07 | 3:46:43 |
