IRONMAN World Championship Favorite Sam Laidlow Suffers Major Swim Setback in Nice

Sam Laidlow Faces Uphill Battle at IRONMAN World Championship 2025 in Nice

Sam Laidlow, the defending champion of the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice, encountered significant challenges during the swim portion of the 2025 race. Despite being a pre-race favorite following victories at Challenge Roth and IRONMAN Leeds, a slow swim put him considerably behind the leaders.

Swim Struggles Set Back Laidlow

The swim started at a blistering pace, with athletes like Jamie Riddle (RSA), Andrea Salvisberg (SUI), Jonas Schomburg (GER), and Marten Van Riel (BEL) dictating the tempo. Initially, Laidlow was well-positioned within the top 10. However, around the halfway mark of the 3.8km swim, he experienced a sudden slowdown.

Previously, Laidlow had remained close to the front in the swim during his past three IRONMAN World Championship appearances. This year, he dropped from the top 10 to 29th, falling approximately 100 meters behind Antonio Benito Lopes (ESP), whom he had previously been alongside.

Time Lost in the Water and Transition

The unrelenting pace at the front further widened the gap. By the end of the swim, Laidlow was nearly two minutes behind the leader, Andrea Salvisberg, who clocked an impressive 45:11 – well inside the previous best swim time in Nice of 47:46. Laidlow's time of 47:11, while faster than his 47:50 swim during his 2023 victory, only placed him 29th this time around. Benito Lopes, in contrast, remained with the leading group.

Unfortunately, the challenges continued into T1, where Laidlow appeared uncomfortable and lost additional time. He started the bike leg two minutes and 41 seconds behind the leaders. By the 10km mark of the 180km bike course, the deficit had grown to three minutes and 18 seconds.

Laidlow Attempts to Recover on the Bike

The good news for Laidlow is that he began to stabilize the situation on the bike. By the 30km mark, he had managed to reduce the gap to under three minutes. All eyes will be on whether he can continue to close the gap throughout the remainder of the bike leg.

Bike Count Analysis: 2025 IRONMAN World Championship in Nice

Canyon Dominates the Bike Count

Canyon has emerged as the top choice among male age-group triathletes at the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship in Nice, surpassing Cervelo. This trend began in 2023 and was confirmed in 2024, and now the 2025 data solidifies Canyon's position with a lead of over 5% (approximately 120 bikes) over Cervelo. Trek follows closely behind Cervelo, with the gap between them shrinking to less than 2%.

Shimano Maintains Lead in Drivetrains

Shimano continues to dominate the drivetrain market, holding approximately 70% of the share at the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship. While SRAM has made significant gains, its market share remains around 30%.

Profile Design Remains Popular for Aerobars

Profile Design remains the leading aerobar brand, used by nearly a quarter of all athletes. However, there's a growing trend towards more bespoke options, with brands like Aero Coach and 51 Speed Shop gaining popularity.

DT Swiss Overtakes Zipp in Wheel Popularity

DT Swiss has overtaken Zipp as the most popular wheel brand at the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice. DT Swiss leads Zipp by approximately 6% in 2025.

Shimano Leads in Pedal Choice

Shimano remains the top pedal brand, followed by Look. Power-based pedals from Assioma and Garmin are also popular choices.

ISM Remains the Top Saddle Brand

ISM continues to be the leading saddle brand at the IRONMAN World Championship. However, Selle Italia, Fizik, and Bontrager are closing the gap.

Profile Design Leads in Front Hydration Systems

Profile Design continues to be the top brand for front hydration systems. However, integrated systems and "Other" hydration solutions are becoming increasingly popular.