In the buildup to the Ironman World Championship in Nice, countless names were tipped as potential winners – but hardly anyone mentioned Casper Stornes. That changed in spectacular fashion on Sunday, when the Norwegian shocked the field and even his own training partners, Gustav Iden and Kristian Blummenfelt, to claim a historic world title.
A Relentless Race from the Start
The day opened at high intensity, with short-course specialists like Jamie Riddle, Marten van Riel, and Jonas Schomburg stringing out the field in the swim. Ultimately, Andrea Salvisberg surged to the front, clocking 45:11 to not only exit the water first but also break the swim course record. A large pack followed closely, including Stornes, Riddle, Schomburg, and Van Riel.
Pre-race favorite Sam Laidlow’s day nearly ended before it began – mysteriously halting mid-swim and even swimming briefly back toward shore. Though he rejoined the race, the Frenchman lost valuable time and looked visibly rattled as he left the water.
Meanwhile, a dangerous second group formed on the bike containing über-bikers Magnus Ditlev, Blummenfelt, and Rudy von Berg. Further back, Gustav Iden emerged nearly two minutes down but began clawing his way forward almost immediately. Former World Champion Patrick Lange, however, never found his rhythm and slid further off the pace throughout the day.
Aggression on the Bike
Early fireworks came from Van Riel, Riddle, and Schomburg, who pushed the pace at the front through the opening climbs, even cresting the Col de l’Ecre as leaders. Behind them, Blummenfelt, Laidlow, Stornes, Iden, and Ditlev mounted a furious chase.
After his chaotic swim, Laidlow showed vintage power on the bike, driving the chase until only Blummenfelt could match him. Together they bridged across to Van Riel, who had shed his breakaway companions. By T2, the race had re-grouped into a select lead pack of six: Laidlow, Blummenfelt, Iden, Stornes, Van Riel, and Chris Thompson.
Laidlow’s 4:29:29 split set a new bike course record, shaving seconds off the mark he himself had set in 2023.
The Marathon: A Norwegian Thriller
The run quickly turned into one of the most gripping marathons in Ironman history. Van Riel and Laidlow initially surged ahead out of transition, but the Norwegian trio soon closed in. Ten kilometers in, Gustav Iden looked untouchable, accelerating hard and dropping the group until only Blummenfelt remained on his shoulder. The two World Champions seemed set to duel for the crown.
But Stornes wasn’t done. Keeping the gap to less than 30 seconds, he patiently reeled them back, stunning the crowd when he bridged up around the halfway mark. Even more shocking was what came next: Stornes surged again, cracking Iden first and then leaving Blummenfelt behind. Within a few kilometers, he had built over a minute’s advantage.
Running a blistering sub-2:30 marathon, Stornes powered to the biggest victory of his career, stopping the clock at 7:51:36. Iden recovered enough to claim silver in 7:54:13, while a cramping and visibly suffering Blummenfelt limped home third in 7:56:34.
Top 10:
- Casper Stornes – 7:51:39
- Gustav Iden – 7:54:13
- Kristian Blummenfelt – 7:56:36
- Marten van Riel – 8:02:18
- Sam Laidlow – 8:03:55
- Jonas Schomburg – 8:07:04
- Nick Thompson – 8:10:32
- Matthew Marquardt – 8:11:34
- Patrick Lange – 8:14:13
- Jamie Riddle – 8:15:00