A host of top triathlon stars will be on show in the South of France on Sunday (June 29) with IRONMAN 70.3 Nice taking centre stage on the middle-distance circuit.
Great Britain’s Olympic gold medallist Jess Learmonth headlines the women’s field on the back of a T100 podium in Vancouver last weekend. Estonia’s Kaidi Kivioja and the French trio of Julie Lemmolo, Anne-Sophie Pierre and Léa Riccoboni will be her challengers for victory.
On the men’s side T100 world champion Marten Van Riel is set to dual with New Zealand’s Kyle Smith at the head of the race. A strong French roster of Leon Chevalier, Clement Mignon and Simon Vivian is joined by German Nicolas Mann.
Start times and how to watch live
IRONMAN 70.3 Nice will take place on Sunday June 29. The professional race begins at 06:20 local time, which corresponds to 05:20 in the UK, 00:20 on the US East Coast and 21:20 on the West Coast on Saturday June 28.
Live tracking will be available through the IRONMAN Tracker app for iOS and Android.
Pro Women – Learmonth eyes maiden title
All eyes will be on Learmonth as she looks to make it three podiums from three in IRONMAN 70.3 races, and bids to claim a maiden 70.3 victory.
The Leeds-based star made her debut over the distance at IRONMAN 70.3 Lanzarote in 2022 before earning up a runners-up medal at 70.3 Kraichgau in 2024.
Contracted to the T100 series in 2025, Learmonth has excelled in the swim and on the bike while her run has been hampered by the after-effects of a calf tear. After performing superbly in Vancouver despite limited run prep, she will hope for another step forward here.
Estonian Kivioja will be eager to contend after some modest displays in the T100. The 32-year-old has finished 18th on both her appearances this term, although a fifth-place finish at IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside was encouraging. She has three career podiums, the last of which came in 2023.
Two podiums in Challenge Family races in 2025 showcase Iemmolo’s talents over the middle-distance, and she’ll be keen to impress on home soil. She is likely the lead hope out of the French contingent.
Spain’s Sara Perez Sala is also highly capable having previously won Challenge The Championship Samorin and Challenge Mogan-Gran Canaria in 2022. She claimed second at Challenge Sir Bani-Yas earlier in the season.
Pro Men – Van Riel and Smith collide
Two of the form triathletes in the world are set to clash in Nice as Van Riel and Smith go head-to-head.
The Belgian was sensational in 2024 – claiming three T100 race victories on his way to world championship glory. 2025 has yet to live up to that billing with zero wins from four starts – although he has notched three podiums in four races and secured his berth at IRONMAN World Championship in Nice in September.
New Zealander Smith was similarly impressive last year – winning Challenge Wanaka and Challenge The Championship Samorin. He also boasts five T100 top-five finishes in the last 18 months and finished fourth at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion in December.
The pair have clashed four times, all on the T100 circuit. Van Riel leads the series 3-1, besting his rival in San Francisco 2024, Dubai 2024 and Vancouver 2025. The duo have been pretty evenly matched over all three disciplines, so it should be a cracker in the South of France.
It may not be a two-horse race, however, as Mann, Chevalier and Great Britain’s Harry Palmer have shown some form. Mann claimed a pair of IRONMAN 70.3 wins in 2024, while Chevalier is stronger over the full distance.
IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea winner Palmer is yet to taste success outside of Wales over the middle-distance. A sixth-place finish at Challenge The Championship Samorin will provide encouragement.
IRONMAN 70.3 Nice course
The swim somewhat mirrors the expected course for the IRONMAN World Championship later this year. A 1.9km single loop swim takes place in the blue waters of the Mediterranean from the Page des Ponchettes.
The single loop, 90km bike leg also takes on part of the IRONMAN World Championship course. Instead of heading further west, competitors will head North in Vence and rejoin the IMWC course in Coursegoules.
A two-loop run course along the Promendade de Anglais with very little elevation concludes the race on the sea front – the same course athletes will run in September’s IMWC.
