German star Patrick Lange, the winner of the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona last year, has been forced to miss IRONMAN Cozumel this weekend and will end his season early.
A trip to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula had been the planned finale to the 2025 campaign for Lange, who also won Kona titles in 2017 and 2018.
The hope was that it would end an injury-hit year – which has featured just three races and no podium finishes – on a high.
‘This year wasn’t easy’
But posting on Instagram, the 39-year-old revealed: “NO IRONMAN COZUMEL FOR ME.
“I planned to finish my season at @ironmantri Cozumel.. bags packed, when a sudden stomach bug hit me overnight 🤒. I tried everything to still make the trip, but after having been forced to start taking antibiotics, I had to make the tough call that my season here and now is over, no start.
“This year wasn’t easy… The year after winning the biggest race in the world in Kona always isn’t! But this year was especially challenging. Injury forced me to skip Ironman Texas, preparation for Frankfurt suffered from that, and a summer flu hit right before the Nice IM Worlds.”
‘I still burn bright for this sport’
Despite those challenges, Lange is taking plenty of positives from the 2025 campaign.
He explained: “But was it a season to forget? I think absolutely not! I hit new personal training bests and learned so much along the way. I faced every challenge, gave it my all, and had an amazing team and people supporting me along the way. For that I’m truly grateful 🙏.
“The desire to race in Cozumel shows I still burn bright for this sport 🔥. But for now: offseason, recover, get healthy, and soon start fresh with full energy for the next season 🚀. Thank you all ❤️”
Lange was scheduled to wear bib #1 in Cozumel and #2 is American Sam Long but he too will miss the event having instead come second at IRONMAN Arizona on Sunday as he awaits the birth of his second child.
Next on the start list is another US athlete in Matthew Marquardt who has already raced four IRONMANs this season, including wins in Cairns and Lake Placid.
Top of the women’s field is 2025 breakout star Lisa Perterer of Austria.
