Preparation guide · IRONMAN France Nice
Ironman Nice 2027: how to prepare it and what to eat and drink on the bike and run
The next edition is on Sunday 27 June 2027 (provisional date: the organisers haven't confirmed it yet; in 2026 it was held on 28 June. The time of each leg is indicative), starting in Nice (French Riviera, France) at 7:00. Here you have the three legs of the Ironman France Nice: the swim, the bike with its profile and feed stations, and the run with split times, what's at each aid station, how much to eat and drink and the usual weather.
Swim (3.8 km): the swim
Two laps in the Mediterranean (official 2026 map); no in-water feed station confirmed.
Swim keys
- 3.8 km in the Mediterranean, in two laps starting from Nice beach (official 2026 map). Check on the map where the turns are.
- The sea at Nice is deep and the pebble beach makes entry and exit delicate: step slowly and don't run in your wetsuit.
- There's water in transition according to the guide; there are no confirmed stations in the water. Set off well hydrated.
Bike (180 km): route
One loop through the Alpes-Maritimes; official 2026 map; the historical 2024 GPX couldn't be downloaded and the bike isn't loaded.
Official profile and track on the organisers' website.
Route keys
- 180 km and about 2,400 m in a single loop through the Alpes-Maritimes: a mountainous bike. You climb from the coast inland: save your strength for the long climbs.
- There are seven stations (km 24, 52, 72, 94, 116.5, 136 and 156) with 750 ml water, PH1000, Maurten Solid 160 bars, Maurten gels with and without caffeine and bananas. This is the 2025 data: check for changes.
- Use the personal nutrition point (around km 80) to leave what suits you best for the second half.
- The long, technical descents are for saving energy, not for taking risks: after so many hours of effort, a fall on the descent ends the day.
4 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
Bike (180 km): what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 h 15 | 75 g/h | 330 g | 650 ml/h | 3.4 l | 600 mg/h |
| 6 h | 75 g/h | 365 g | 650 ml/h | 3.9 l | 600 mg/h |
| 6 h 45 | 75 g/h | 440 g | 650 ml/h | 4.4 l | 600 mg/h |
| 7 h 30 | 75 g/h | 475 g | 650 ml/h | 4.9 l | 600 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Feed stations
Km 24, 52, 72, 94, 116.5, 136 and 156 (official 2025 guide; check for changes in 2026): water (750 ml), PH1000, Maurten Solid 160 bars, Maurten gels (with and without caffeine) and bananas. There is also a personal nutrition point around km 80.
Without the official track loaded we don't work out the section-by-section plan. In WinWatts, with your GPX, you see how much to eat and drink between each feed station at your pace on every climb.
Bike (180 km): weather in late June
What the weather was like on race day in recent editions (in Nice):
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 13 ºC | 26 ºC | 1.2 mm | 13 km/h |
| 2023 | 13 ºC | 29 ºC | 0.0 mm | 9 km/h |
| 2024 | 12 ºC | 22 ºC | 2.8 mm | 10 km/h |
| 2025 | 18 ºC | 31 ºC | 0.1 mm | 8 km/h |
| 2026 | 17 ºC | 31 ºC | 1.5 mm | 5 km/h |
Run (42.195 km): route and profile
Four laps along the Promenade des Anglais (official 2026 map); 2024 track not loaded yet.
Route keys
- Four flat laps along the Promenade des Anglais, on an out-and-back circuit with lots of spectators. It's flat, but the afternoon heat and sun in June weigh on you: spread your effort.
- There are three fixed two-way stations, roughly every 1.8 km per lap: you pass each several times. Water, PH1000, cola, sparkling water, Maurten, fruit and savoury food.
- With the laps, use the stations as checkpoints: drink at each one, and take a gel only when your plan says so.
- With the sun beating on the promenade, wear a cap, use ice and sponges if available. Going out too fast on the first lap is the most common mistake.
More keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat, and your split times at your pace.
Split times
At an even pace (we haven't loaded the official track yet, so climbs and descents aren't adjusted: use it as a reference), with the clock time counted from when you start running (indicative: it depends on how long you take to swim and ride). You start with the bike in your legs: begin below your clean marathon pace. Write yours down or wear them on a pace band: watch GPS usually reads long.
| Point | 3 h 30 | 4 h 15 | 5 h | 6 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average pace | 4:59 /km | 6:03 /km | 7:07 /km | 8:32 /km |
| km 5 | 0:24:53 14:54 | 0:30:13 15:00 | 0:35:33 15:05 | 0:42:40 15:12 |
| km 10 | 0:49:46 15:19 | 1:00:26 15:30 | 1:11:06 15:41 | 1:25:19 15:55 |
| km 15 | 1:14:39 15:44 | 1:30:39 16:00 | 1:46:39 16:16 | 2:07:59 16:37 |
| km 20 | 1:39:32 16:09 | 2:00:52 16:30 | 2:22:12 16:52 | 2:50:38 17:20 |
| Halfway | 1:45:00 16:15 | 2:07:30 16:37 | 2:30:00 17:00 | 3:00:00 17:30 |
| km 25 | 2:04:25 16:34 | 2:31:05 17:01 | 2:57:45 17:27 | 3:33:18 18:03 |
| km 30 | 2:29:18 16:59 | 3:01:18 17:31 | 3:33:18 18:03 | 4:15:57 18:45 |
| km 35 | 2:54:11 17:24 | 3:31:31 18:01 | 4:08:51 18:38 | 4:58:37 19:28 |
| km 40 | 3:19:05 17:49 | 4:01:44 18:31 | 4:44:24 19:14 | 5:41:16 20:11 |
| Finish | 3:30:00 18:00 | 4:15:00 18:45 | 5:00:00 19:30 | 6:00:00 20:30 |
Aid stations: what's there and how much to drink
For a typical runner finishing in about 4 h 15: sip without stopping and take each gel just before an aid station, to wash it down with water.
There are three fixed two-way stations, roughly every 1.8 km per lap (2025 guide), all full: water, PH1000, cola, sparkling water, Maurten, fruit and savoury food. The guide doesn't quantify their kilometre positions and we don't invent them.
How many gels and how much to drink
What a typical runner (68 kg) needs depending on their time, with 35 g gels. When running the stomach tolerates less than on the bike: more than 60 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Gels alone don't reach that figure (the first one comes around 45 minutes and none are due in the last half hour): the rest comes from drinking sports drink instead of water at a few aid stations.
| Time | Carbs per hour | Gels | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 h 30 | 60 g/h | 5 × 35 g | 2.8 l | 800 mg/h |
| 4 h 15 | 60 g/h | 6 × 35 g | 3.4 l | 800 mg/h |
| 5 h | 60 g/h | 7 × 35 g | 4.0 l | 800 mg/h |
| 6 h | 60 g/h | 9 × 35 g | 4.8 l | 800 mg/h |
Nothing new on race day: gels, breakfast, shoes and socks, all tested on your long runs. Vaseline on your feet, groin and armpits, and protect your nipples. If it's cold at the start, wait in your corral in old clothes you can throw away.
Run (42.195 km): weather in late June
What the weather was like on race day in recent editions (in Nice):
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 28 ºC | 28 ºC | 0.0 mm | 26 km/h |
| 2023 | 26 ºC | 30 ºC | 0.0 mm | 10 km/h |
| 2024 | 24 ºC | 28 ºC | 0.1 mm | 28 km/h |
| 2025 | 31 ºC | 33 ºC | 0.0 mm | 11 km/h |
| 2026 | 31 ºC | 33 ºC | 0.2 mm | 10 km/h |
When running, heat slows you down: allow roughly 2 % more time for every 5 ºC above 12 ºC.
Your Ironman France Nice, tailored to you
This guide uses a typical triathlete. In WinWatts we calculate it with your data:
- Your time on each leg, from your FTP and pace, and your finish time.
- The race-day forecast and what to wear on the bike and on the run.
- Your food and drink plan for the bike and the run, with your gels, bars and bottles.
- Your training plan until Sunday 27 June 2027, adjusted every week to how you're doing.
WinWatts is not affiliated with the organisers of the Ironman France Nice. Dates, routes, schedules and registration: official website. Bike aid stations from the official 2025 athlete guide (check for changes in 2026); official 2026 maps; the 2024 tracks aren't loaded yet; weather from past editions (Open-Meteo). For guidance only: it doesn't replace advice from a health professional.