Kristian Blummenfelt holds the two fastest men’s times in full-distance history – 7:21:12 from IRONMAN Cozumel in 2022 and 7:21:24 from IRONMAN Texas earlier this year.

And he fully expects those to come under threat on Sunday when he makes his first appearance at Challenge Roth, with a stellar field up against him.

They include the Roth course record holder in Magnus Ditlev, who clocked 7:23:24 there in 2024 when winning the Bavarian race for the third year in succession.

‘Full gas from the gun’

But it’s not Ditlev who ‘Big Blu’ expects to push him all the way this weekend.

Speaking to Laura Siddall, who is in the ground at Roth for TRI247, he said: “I’m expecting it to be full gas from the gun.

“Jonas Schomburg is going to try and go straight after the lead vehicle from the start of the bike. Last year his transition was like a Super League / Supertri race.

“I think him, Sam Laidlow and Rico Bogen will be three guys looking to showcase their bike power.”

‘Very, very fast’ time will come naturally

And Blummenfelt feels that could play into his hands, explaining: “I just hope there are a lot of egos in that group – while I can be pacing it more smartly in behind.

“I think in a race like this where there are so many strong athletes around I can’t be thinking about the 7:21 or trying to beat the course record from the past.

“I just think the winner here on Sunday will just naturally be going very, very fast.

“I think limiting the gap to those front three guys in the swim and especially the bike and then having to run them down in the run will lead to a fast time.”

That was exactly what happened in Texas in April when Blummenfelt overhauled Marten Van Riel late on the run and it will be fascinating to see if we get a repeat – and potentially a world record time – on Sunday.