This week we start with a big result for Maya Kingma, who has won her first professional cycling race. After previously talking about triathletes trying to make the jump into cycling, it's a result that feels genuinely significant.

We then move to Lucy Charles-Barclay, who has undergone surgery, and where that leaves her as she looks ahead to the rest of the season.

From there, the conversation turns to Lionel Sanders. Lionel has suggested this might be his final Kona, which has led many to wonder whether retirement could be closer than expected. As always, even a small comment from Lionel quickly becomes a talking point.

We then shift focus to racing in the southern hemisphere, starting with Challenge Wanaka. With both the pro series and T100 kicking off in the south this year, Wanaka is well placed to benefit from that early-season momentum.

Next up is the Ironman New Zealand start list, where names like Kristian Blummenfelt, Kat Matthews, and Kyle Smith give the race real weight.

We finish the episode by looking ahead to the T100 Gold Coast, and what this season could have in store as the series continues to take shape.

For 10% OFF the entire Huub range use the code "Talkingtriathlon10" at https://huubdesign.com

To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon

To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2

Or check us out on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon

You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85

You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14

You can donate to Tim's Marathon here: https://melbmara2026.grassrootz.com/beyondblue/tim-ford

We start this week with Maya Kingma. On a previous episode we were talking about triathletes trying to become cyclists, and Maya is proof that it can actually be done. We dig into her move, why it matters, and what it says about crossover potential at the very top end of endurance sport.

From there we go deep on the Professional Triathletes Organisation acquisition of Challenge Family. We break down the pros and cons, not just for professional racing but for amateur athletes as well, and try to separate hype from reality.

The biggest question hanging over the deal is what it means for Challenge Roth, and whether a T200 distance could realistically emerge. That opens up a wider discussion around market power, monopolies, and how much consolidation is too much for the sport.

We also look at what this means for Ironman. Will they react, or will they sit back and use the situation to their advantage?

We finish by stepping back and asking a bigger question. If you could design the ideal professional triathlon race setup from scratch, what would it actually look like?

For 10% OFF the entire Huub range use the code "Talkingtriathlon10" at https://huubdesign.com

To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon

To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2

Or check us out on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon

You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85

You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14

You can donate to Tim's Marathon here: https://melbmara2026.grassrootz.com/beyondblue/tim-ford

This week on Talking Triathlon we start with a recap of Challenge Sir Bani Yas, where Jonas Schomburg took the win in the men's race and Katrine Græsbøll Christensen claimed victory in the women's. We break down how the race played out and what it told us about early season form.

We then turn to Hayden Wilde after he said he had multiple professional cycling contracts on the table, and discuss how realistic that claim is and whether elite triathletes could genuinely step into the professional peloton.

Jelle Geens has also said he wants to win Kona, and we dig into why he might be exactly the type of athlete who could make that leap successfully, along with what would need to go right for it to happen.

The episode finishes with a deep dive into Supertri's newly announced 2026 format. With sprint races folded into mass participation events and a single standalone Grand Final, we talk through our disappointment with the direction of the series. That leads into a broader discussion about the uncomfortable reality facing the sport, that triathlon has struggled to monetise broadcast, costs continue to rise, and amateur athletes are increasingly frustrated with how expensive the sport has become.

For 10% OFF the entire Huub range use the code "Talkingtriathlon10" at https://huubdesign.com

To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon

To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2

Or check us out on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon

You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85

You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14

You can donate to Tim's Marathon here: https://melbmara2026.grassrootz.com/beyondblue/tim-ford