How to watch and what to expect from Trek athletes in Kona (including fresh bikes)
Ironman World Championships in Kona is the biggest race of the year in triathlon by a long shot, and last year Trek athletes helped make it one of the most dramatic editions ever, too. Taylor Knibb, who won her fourth Ironman 70.3 World Championship last month, leads the list of contenders who’ll be racing on a Speed Concept, but Trek’s men’s representation is stacked as well, with middle-distance star Marten Van Riel, surging med student/pro triathlete Matthew Marquardt, and crowd-favorite family man Sam Long.
This year’s race will be especially chaotic because Kona is returning to a one-day format. The pro men and women will race on the same day — Saturday, Oct. 10 — in a staggered start that will see the men go off at 6:20 a.m. local time (12:20 p.m. ET), and the women just 10 minutes later.
Closeup of Taylor Knibb's Project One Marble paint scheme.
The course is the same iconic gauntlet that has daunted some of the best athletes in the world for nearly 50 years. Big climbs, wind-exposed coastline, and high temperatures make it one of the toughest challenges in the sport, even before factoring in the stakes. For those of us watching from our couches, it’s an absolute blast.
Here’s everything you need to get ready:
Matthew Marquardt is taking a *brief* break from being a full-time med student to gun for a Kona podium.
Who's racing for Trek?
Taylor Knibb has the motivation and ability to win. She came oh so close in 2025. After a thrilling duel with Lucy Charles-Barclay, another favorite, for most of the run, Knibb seemed to be on her way to victory, well clear of the field with two miles until the finish. But her effort, compounded by the heat and humidity, finally caught up to her. Her gait began to wobble, and eventually she had to sit down on the pavement, her day done.
Knibb is looking just as strong as she did a year ago. In September, she won her fourth career Ironman 70.3 World Championship title in dominant fashion, setting course and bike records in Nice. And she took second in her only full Ironman of the year, finishing behind last year’s Kona winner, Solveig Løvseth, in Texas this past April.
Closeup of Marquardt's Red Smoke Marble paint scheme.
In the men’s field, Trek is sending a trio of wild cards. Marten Van Riel and Matthew Marquardt both have Ironman wins this year — Van Riel in Lake Placid (where Marquardt finished second in a thriller), and Marquardt in South Africa — and they have good reason to believe they can finish on the podium. Van Riel took fourth at Ironman World Championships last year, and Marquardt took eighth after fighting through one of the many bouts of post-swim cramps that had plagued him throughout the year. (He solved the problem in the offseason, and his results show it.)
Sam Long will be one of the most entertaining athletes in Kona. He’s one of the field’s strongest cyclists and runners. He is also, admittedly, not a strong swimmer in pro terms. But if he can maintain shouting distance to the leaders, he could make a furious charge in the final two legs of the race, just as he did last year when he surged from 35th place out of the water up to 14th at the finish line.
Marten Van Riel finished just off the podium at Ironman World Championships last year, and he's out for revenge.
When and how to watch
The men’s race will begin at 6:20 a.m. local/12:20 p.m. ET/6:20 p.m. CET on Saturday, Oct. 10. The women’s race sets off 10 minutes later — 6:30 a.m. local/12:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CET.
You can watch the race for free, and you have a number of options between the Ironman Pro Series website, good ‘ol YouTube, and DAZN. Live coverage begins approximately two hours before start times.
New this year, you can also watch the race via a YouTube Mosaic Multiview beginning at 6:15 a.m. local time. The stream lets you watch up to four live feeds simultaneously, so you can, for example, watch dedicated men’s and women’s feeds alongside the flagship broadcast.
Van Riel's Carbon Smoke paint scheme.
Are you racing cool bikes?
You bet! Here are more photos of the Speed Concepts the crew will be racing in Kona, all featuring Project One Marble paint schemes. (Interested in creating your dream bike via Project One? Just click here.)
We suggest setting aside as much time as you can so you don’t miss a second of Ironman World Championships. This year’s edition of Kona is going to be awesome.
