BMC-athletes line up for Kona Iron Man Worlds: ‘History is written on the roads here”

At least four athletes racing on BMC bikes will be at the start line of the World Ironman Championships in Kona this weekend. BMC Pro Tri is heading to Hawaii with Clément Mignon, Thor Bendix Madsen, Kristian Høgenhaug, and Chris Leiferman.

Kona, Hawaii, holds legendary status in the triathlon world as the traditional home of the Ironman World Championship—the ultimate race that tests the limits of endurance across swimming, cycling, and running. “History is written on the roads here,” says BMC Pro Tri’s Kristian Høgenhaug.

From 1981 until recently, the event was held annually in Kailua-Kona. The area’s demanding environment became a defining feature of the race, making it one of the most important titles in endurance sports. Høgenhaug, a three-time participant in Hawaii with a personal best of sixth place, says that one never feels as if they’ve had a "crazy performance" due to the extreme heat and humidity.

For triathletes, the 180-kilometer bike leg, with its strong crosswinds and rolling lava fields, can be particularly brutal. However, on BMC bikes, the BMC Pro Tri athletes say they have “an advantage over their competitors.”

'Close battle incoming'

“The competition will be fierce in Kona,” Høgenhaug adds, ahead of the race. “The depth of the field continues to grow year after year,” says one of the most experienced athletes on BMC Pro Tri. “My expectations for the race are that we will see an extremely close battle for the top 10 positions.”

Having raced three times in Kona, Høgenhaug continues: “My personal ambition is to finish in the top 10, and the dream is to make the top 5. Also, as I’m in a strong position for the Ironman Pro Series, my overall time is a factor to consider, so I need to play my cards right.”

Slightly less experienced than Høgenhaug, Thor Bendix Madsen will line up in Kona with his BMC for the first time. He says his preparation for the biggest event of the year has been solid. 

The Dane’s best Ironman result to date is a fourth-place finish in one of the fastest debut times ever recorded during his first full Ironman race in 2022. He focused on arriving at Kona as fresh as possible. “I actively tried not to overtrain.”

He traveled to Kona three weeks before the race to acclimate to the heat and humidity on the Big Island. Madsen says, “My goal is to give everything I have and race smart. Time will tell what the outcome will be on race day.”

Madsen understands the significance of the event: “Kona is such an iconic place with a great atmosphere. It’s a place where dreams come to life, and dreams are shattered.”

Clément Mignon has returned to full fitness after dealing with an injury that has plagued him since the beginning of September. “I’m really happy I made it in time for Kona,” says the Frenchman.

“I want to be at 100% capacity, and my ambition is a top-5 finish. I want to do better than two years ago (9th place in my first time in Kona). That’s my big goal. It’s always been my main aim to perform in Kona since I started triathlon.”

Chris Leiferman’s best Ironman World Championship finish was 10th place in 2019. Even though the American triathlete had a slight setback with a COVID infection, he says that it might have left him feeling “slightly fresher” ahead of Kona.

Back in Kona

Leiferman says, “I plan to have the best Kona performance that I can deliver. How well that gets me into the top spots, we’ll see. But my ambition is to ride hard and run like my life depends on it!" 

“It’s pretty awesome to be back in Kona—this will be my third time on the Big Island,” he adds. “I’ve been excited about it since I booked the airfare. It’s a special place with a lot of history and energy for our sport. It’s a race where you need to embrace the energy of the event and respect the island.”

In 2023, logistical changes led to the men’s and women’s championships being held in separate locations, with the men’s race moving to Nice, France, while the women continued racing in Kona. This year, the roles are reversed, with the women’s World Ironman Championships having been held in September, while the men now line up for their Worlds.

It’s clear that everyone racing on BMC bikes is excited to return to the Big Island, even though the conditions might be tougher. One thing is for sure—it’s going to be a big battle.