The start lists for the first four IRONMAN Pro Series races of 2026 have been incredible, none more so than IRONMAN Texas last time out which was of World Championship quality.

And it got the winners it deserved too in the shape of Norwegian superstars Kristian Blummenfelt and Solveig Løvseth.

The fifth stop comes next week on Sunday 17 May at 70.3 Aix-en-Provence and while there’s not quite the same strength in depth, there’s still plenty to grab the attention…

Women’s Pro race – From hospital to start line

The 2024 IRONMAN World Champion Laura Philipp (DEU), as well as last year’s race winner Marjolaine Pierré (FRA) head an impressive female field.

It will be Philipp’s first race of the season after a recent spell in hospital because of stomach and back pain.

Meanwhile Pierré returns looking to retain her title following a fourth-place finish at IRONMAN 70.3 Valencia just a few weeks ago.

Germany’s Tanja Neubert who placed third in the 2025 70.3 World Championship in Marbella will also be one to watch as she also plans to start her season in Aix. Imogen Simmonds (SUI) is slated to toe the line, and will likely play a huge role in the early stages of the race dynamics, thanks to her aggressive bike form.

Austria’s three-time Olympian Lisa Perterer will also look to open her season strongly after a DNS at Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas due to illness, adding further depth to an already stacked field.

In addition to Pierré, 11 French athletes, including Alexia Bailly, Anne-Sophie Pierre, Audrey Merle and Justine Guerard will also enjoy the home crowds.

A strong British contingent, led by India Lee, who enjoyed a consistent 2025 season with three podium finishes, will also line up. Lee is joined by Lizzie Rayner, runner-up at last year’s race and aiming to return to the podium, as well as Fenella Langridge.

Men’s Pro race – Bike power on show

In the absence reigning champion Blummenfelt, the 2023 70.3 World Champion Rico Bogen (DEU) will be wearing bib number one.

Bogen, who recorded the fastest bike split at the 70.3 Worlds last year, will be joined by some of the strongest cyclists in the sport including Kristian Høgenhaug (DNK), Rudy Von Berg (USA) and Jan Stratmann (DEU), who posted the top three fastest bike splits at IRONMAN Texas.

Racing on home soil, Pierre Le Corre (FRA) returns to Aix after finishing fifth at this event last year and comes off the back of an impressive second place at IRONMAN New Zealand – his debut full-distance race – back in March. He is joined by fellow Frenchman Simon Viain (FRA), who secured third place in Aix last year.

Adding further strength to the German lineup, Lasse Priester (DEU) arrives in strong form following his second-place finish at 70.3 Valencia while New Zealand’s Kyle Smith (NZL) and South Africa’s Jamie Riddle are others to watch out for.

Provisional start lists in full

WOMENS PROFESSIONAL FIELD
Bib Number	First Name	Last Name	Country Represented
F1	Marjolaine	Pierré	FRA
F3	Laura	Philipp	DEU
F4	Tanja	Neubert	DEU
F5	Lisa	Perterer	AUT
F6	Imogen	Simmonds	CHE
F7	Fenella	Langridge	GBR
F8	Alexia	Bailly	FRA
F9	Lizzie	Rayner	GBR
F10	Hanne	De Vet	BEL
F12	Katrine	Christensen	DNK
F13	India	Lee	GBR
F14	Daniela	Kleiser	DEU
F15	Laura	Jansen	DEU
F16	Rhianne	Hughes	GBR
F17	Audrey	Merle	FRA
F18	Anne-Sophie	Pierre	FRA
F19	Luisa	Iogna Prat	ITA
F20	Solenne	Billouin	FRA
F21	Justine	Guerard	FRA
F22	Aurelia	Boulanger	FRA
F23	Marta	Lagownik	POL
F24	Sandra	Huon	FRA
F25	Anastacia	Damm Nielsen	DNK
F26	Megan	Armitage	IRL
F27	Charlotte	McShane	AUS
F28	Nikita	Paskiewiez	FRA
F29	Bridget	Theunissen	ZAF
F30	Sarah	Schönfelder	DEU
F32	Franziska	Hofmann	DEU
F33	Eva	Cornelisse	NLD
F34	Mena	Suter	CHE
F35	Sina	Ziegler	CHE
F36	Desiree	Knecht	CHE
F37	Sophia	Stückrad Deboy	DEU
F38	Eva	Marsac	FRA
F39	Héloïse	Bottin	FRA
F40	Amélie	Harter	FRA
F41	Gabriela	Kaczka-Sanak	POL

MENS PROFESSIONAL FIELD
Bib Number	First Name	Last Name	Country Represented
M1	Rico	Bogen	DEU
M2	Rudy	Von Berg	USA
M3	Jamie	Riddle	ZAF
M4	Jan	Stratmann	DEU
M5	Pierre	Le Corre	FRA
M6	Kristian	Høgenhaug	DNK
M7	Yvan	Jarrige	FRA
M10	Justus	Nieschlag	DEU
M11	Kyle	Smith	NZL
M12	Antonio	Benito Lopez	ESP
M13	Lasse	Priester	DEU
M14	Michele	Bortolamedi	ITA
M15	Simon	Viain	FRA
M16	Nathan	Guerbeur	FRA
M17	Finn	Große-freese	DEU
M18	Jack	Hutchens	GBR
M19	Andrea	Salvisberg	CHE
M21	Dylan	Magnien	FRA
M22	Nicolas	Mann	DEU
M23	Casimir	Moine	FRA
M24	Jens Emil	Sloth Nielsen	DNK
M25	Maximilian	Sperl	DEU
M27	Samuel	Studer	CHE
M28	Nick	Emde	DEU
M29	Joran	Driesen	BEL
M30	Rafael	Lukatsch	AUT
M31	Tom	Vaelen	BEL
M32	Quentin	Barreau	FRA
M33	Pierre	Dupuy	FRA
M34	Paulin	Philippe	FRA
M35	Carlos	Oliver Vives	ESP
M36	Sven	Thalmann	CHE
M37	Cenzino	Lebot	FRA
M38	Lilian	Pierre	FRA
M39	Clément	Grandy	FRA
M40	Niels	Vanhove	BEL
M41	Thibault	Colard	FRA
M42	Erwan	Jacobi	FRA
M43	Dries	Matthys	BEL
M44	Max	Mahoney	GBR
M45	Robin	Hermann	CHE
M46	Rémi	Delagarde	FRA
M47	Dorian	Muller	FRA
M48	Florin	Parfuss	CHE
M49	Jean	Duchampt	FRA
M50	Arthur	Serrieres	FRA
M51	Maxence	Castel	FRA
M52	Dylan	Thissen	NLD
M53	Almog	Elazary	ISR
M54	Vicenç	Castellà	ESP
M55	William	Even	FRA
M56	Marcus	Herbst	DEU
M57	Ethan	Sunseri	USA
M58	Clement	Cadot	FRA
M59	Félix	Forissier	FRA
M60	Raphael	Dassonville	FRA