Professional Triathlon News

Sam Laidlow, Laura Philipp, Rudy von Berg and Imogen Simmonds break down the Kona bike, four days before the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship. Who can ride away on the Queen K, and who pays for it on the run?

Race Week is presented by DUVA. Day two is Bike Day, presented by Ventum.

ON THE DESK
Will McCloy, Belinda Granger, Mirinda Carfrae, Chris Lieto, Mark Matthews

IN THIS EPISODE
- Laura Philipp on last year's bike, and the 10 minutes she can still run down
- Rudy von Berg on the new 20-meter draft zone
- Sam Laidlow on riding for speed, not watts, and giving away his prize money
- Imogen Simmonds on the problem with Race Ranger
- Podium Picks from every guest. Two pick themselves to win.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Race Week, live from Kona
2:07 The desk on the Kona bike course
9:26 Laura Philipp
17:17 Laura's Podium Picks
19:53 Rudy von Berg
25:41 The 20-meter draft zone
29:06 Rudy's Podium Picks
33:15 Sam Laidlow
39:23 Ride for speed, not for watts
42:08 Giving away his Kona prize money
44:13 Sam's Podium Picks
47:27 Imogen Simmonds
52:02 The problem with Race Ranger
58:47 Imogen's Podium Picks
1:01:14 The history of the Kona bike
1:02:20 The desk breaks down the course
1:15:50 The desk calls the fastest bike splits

Make your Podium Picks, presented by ROKA: https://protrinews.com/podium-picks

DUVA: https://duva.com/?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=race-week
Ventum: https://ventumracing.com/?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=race-week
ROKA: https://roka.com/?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=race-week
Precision Fuel & Hydration (15% off, code PTN15): https://www.precisionhydration.com/?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=race-week
TrainingPeaks: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=race-week
WYN Republic: https://wynrepublic.com/pages/protrinews?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=race-week
The Feed: https://thefeed.com/?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=race-week

A new show every morning this week from Ali'i Drive. In Kona? Seats are free: https://protrinews.com/race-week
Clips all week: https://instagram.com/protrinews

ProTriNews is independent media, not affiliated with or endorsed by IRONMAN.

#Kona2026 #IMWC #Triathlon

Lucy Charles-Barclay, Marten Van Riel and Jamie Riddle take apart the Kona swim five days before the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship. Does winning the water still win you anything on this island?
Race Week, presented by DUVA. Day one is Swim Day, presented by ROKA, live from Ali'i Drive with Will McCloy, Belinda Granger, Craig Alexander and Mark Matthews.
IN THIS EPISODE
Why the men's front pack is now 20 deep
The 4:09 Marten needs on Kristian Blummenfelt, with $200K on the line
The gaps Lucy wants over Taylor Knibb and Kat Matthews at T1
Jamie Riddle's plan for his first Kona: podium or blow up trying
Kat Matthews asks a question from the crowd
Every guest's Podium Picks, on the record. One of them picks themselves to win.
🏆 MAKE YOUR PODIUM PICKS presented by ROKA Multisport
Lock in yours before Saturday: https://protrinews.com/podium-picks
🙌 Massive Thanks To Our Partners
🌙 Race Week is presented by DUVA. DUVA ONE sleep earbuds adapt to you through the night.
https://duva.com/?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=race-week
🏊 Swim Day is presented by ROKA
https://roka.com/?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=race-week
🚴 Ventum: catch Bike Day tomorrow
https://ventumracing.com/?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=race-week
📈 TrainingPeaks: presenting this week's Women's and Men's Race Previews
https://www.trainingpeaks.com/?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=race-week
🎨 WYN Republic: gear up with 15% off at the link below. Now available in Europe!
https://wynrepublic.com/pages/protrinews
⛽️ Precision Fuel & Hydration: plan your next race's nutrition and race with what's on course. Code PTN15
https://visit.pfandh.com/protrinews
🛒 The Feed
https://thefeed.com/?utm_source=protrinews&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=race-week
👨🏻‍🔧 Wove: race on the best saddle!
https://wovebike.com/
😴 Rest and recover better with @FitnexaAI SomniPods 3. Use code PTN10 for a discount.
https://go.fitnexa.com/ptn
📅 THE WEEK
Tue: Bike Day · Wed: Run Day · Thu: Women's Preview · Fri: Men's Preview · Sun: Champions Show
📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@protrinews
📸 Clips on Instagram: https://instagram.com/protrinews
📊 Results, rankings and start lists: https://protrinews.com
ProTriNews is independent media. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by IRONMAN.

Championship season continues! We recap an insane Grand Final in Pontevedra, joined by the current 70.3 World Champion, Hayden Wilde. He opens up and talks about his Wilde September, thoughts while racing and experiences from the race course this month. We talk about it all, the sprint finishes, the pontoon fiasco, disqualifications, what to expect for next years Triathlon World Tour, Hayden's Kona predictions. We go through all the drama at the WTCS Pontevedra plus the IRONMAN 70.3 New York and 70.3 Augusta race that proved to be a great showing for some but two athletes stood out amongst the rest. 
New Website: https://protrinews.com/
🙌 Massive Thanks To Our Partners
🎨 WYN Republic – Gear up. 15% off with link below. Now available in Europe! 
https://wynrepublic.com/pages/protrinews 
⛽️ Plan your next race's nutrition and race with what's on course- Code PTN15
https://visit.pfandh.com/protrinews
👨🏻‍🔧 Race on the best saddle! Visit Wove
https://wovebike.com/
😴 Rest and recover better with @FitnexaAI  SomniPods 3 
https://go.fitnexa.com/ptn Use code: PTN10 for discount
🏦 Open a Waterfall Bank Account
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Championship season rolls on! We recap a wild T100 French Riviera, untangle the Ironman Maryland timing mess, preview the WTCS Grand Final in Pontevedra, and finally dig into the hot take backlog. Buckle up!
🎙️ Intro (0:00–2:54)
🇫🇷 T100 French Riviera (2:54–19:15)
🇺🇸 IRONMAN Maryland (19:15–25:11)
🌎 70.3 São Paulo & Cozumel (25:11–26:35)
🇪🇸 WTCS Grand Final Preview (26:35–41:54)
🔥 Hot Takes (41:54–1:00:00)

New Website: https://protrinews.com/

🙌 Massive Thanks To Our Partners
🎨 WYN Republic – Gear up. 15% off with link below. Now available in Europe! 
https://wynrepublic.com/pages/protrinews 

Location: WYN Galerie, 6 rue du docteur Jacques Guidoni, Nice, 06000 

⛽️ Plan your next race's nutrition and race with what's on course- Code PTN15
https://visit.pfandh.com/protrinews

👨🏻‍🔧 Race on the best saddle! Visit Wove
https://wovebike.com/

😴 Get the best form your sleep ever with Fitnexa 
https://www.fitnexa.com/landing/Fitnexa-SomniPods3?utm_source=google&utm_medium=g&utm_campaign=23780327683&utm_content={creativeid}&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23780327683&gbraid=0AAAAA-kZ4bkGAkqOsvKGFudbo9tLKav8-&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4orUBhCjARIsAIbF3qxODuU-R0ltn1hyNtnJL51YklPpFZr2-Qo-JJVVTgxfK1yRqx1YdjoaAkKbEALw_wcB

🏦 Open a Waterfall Bank Account
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All the boots on the grounds stories from The men’s race here at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships! One for the absolute ages where we saw Hayden Wilde capture his first world title just ahead of Kristian Blummenfelt and Jelle Geens rounding out the podium. The recap and stories from the race course that you are dying to hear.

New Website: https://protrinews.com/

🙌 Massive Thanks To Our Partners
🎨 WYN Republic – Gear up. 15% off with link below. Now available in Europe! 
https://wynrepublic.com/pages/protrinews 

Location: WYN Galerie, 6 rue du docteur Jacques Guidoni, Nice, 06000 

⛽️ Plan your next race's nutrition and race with what's on course- Code PTN15
https://visit.pfandh.com/protrinews

👨🏻‍🔧 Race on the best saddle! Visit Wove
https://wovebike.com/

😴 Get the best form your sleep ever with Fitnexa 
https://www.fitnexa.com/landing/Fitnexa-SomniPods3?utm_source=google&utm_medium=g&utm_campaign=23780327683&utm_content={creativeid}&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23780327683&gbraid=0AAAAA-kZ4bkGAkqOsvKGFudbo9tLKav8-&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4orUBhCjARIsAIbF3qxODuU-R0ltn1hyNtnJL51YklPpFZr2-Qo-JJVVTgxfK1yRqx1YdjoaAkKbEALw_wcB

🏦 Open a Waterfall Bank Account
https://www.waterfallbank.com/