A sunrise swim that felt closer to winter than spring, packed roads through the Provençal hills, and racing that stayed flat-out from the first stroke to the final kilometer.

IM 70.3 Aix-en-Provence once again delivered its unmistakable mix of beauty and brutality yesterday. For the first 2026 ProSeries race on European soil, athletes were greeted by crisp air and freezing water temperatures before dawn, forcing everyone into race mode long before the gun went off. But once the sun climbed over the hills, the race exploded into exactly what Aix is known for: beautiful riding, technical roads and relentless pacing across one of the sport’s most iconic half-distance courses.

Castelli athletes were right at the center of it. Laura Philipp raced with her trademark control and efficiency to secure another podium finish, while Rico Bogen lit up the men’s race with an aggressive front-foot performance that carried all the way to second place. French athlete Simon Viain delivered a powerful home-race showing as well, attacking the course with confidence and intensity from the start.

Both Laura and Rico secured their IM 70.3 Worlds slot for Nice in September.