Patrick Lange is back in action and pumped for his next triathlon challenge on home soil.
The reigning IRONMAN World Champion was forced to pull out of IRONMAN Texas in April after a scan showed inflammation in the adductor tendon.
But the 38-year-old German, who hasn’t raced since, is training hard again and posted on his Instagram that his next target is IRONMAN Frankfurt this coming Sunday (June 29). There he will lock horns with Norwegian greats Kristian Blummenfelt and Gustav Iden – among others.
Lange dreams of Frankfurt win
He said: “Heading into race week! 🤩 Pumped for my 5th start at @ironmantri Frankfurt, my home race in Hessen. It’s a course I haven’t quite cracked yet, but the vision of winning there keeps bringing me back.
“Coming off an injury, the road along wasn’t always smooth, but I’m finally pain-free and in good spirits.”
Lange was already feeling the effects of his injury when he lined up for his only race of the season so far at IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside.
“Excited to be back”
He eventually finished 17th there with ‘compromised run form’ and had to shut things down shortly afterwards when a scan showed he had a problem.
But now he claims the only thing holding him back as he gears up for his German adventure is a bad bout of hayfever!
He said: “Even if the summer grass pollen is trying to slow me down… I’m ready to fight through. Excited to be back on the long distance. Let the taper begin! 🤩”
Crest of a wave
Lange came into 2025 on the crest of a wave after producing that epic run to glory to claim a third IRONMAN World Championship title in Kona, Hawaii last October.
But he now finds himself trying to make up for lost time in only his second event of the year. He finished eighth at Frankfurt last year, but did place third in 2018, his best finish there in four attempts.
