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What to pack for IRONMAN 70.3 Hradec Kralove

IRONMAN 70.3 Hradec Kralove is a single-transition 70.3 — you rack at one transition beside the Sokol stadium, with colour-coded bags for the bike and the run, and your bike goes in the day before. Here's exactly what goes in each, when check-in closes, and how race morning runs from the swim in the Elbe to the finish in the old-town square.

70.3Single transitionHradec Kralove, CzechiaSun 16 Aug 2026
The layout, bags and check-in shape come from the race calendar and don't change year to year. Exact times are carried from the 2025 athlete guide and marked provisional until the 2026 guide drops — we never show last year's deadline as this year's fact.
how the race is laid out

A single transition, in two places.

Swim, bike and run all turn through one transition at the Sokol stadium — you come back to the same rack between disciplines, and the run heads out on riverside laps before finishing in the old-town square. Your kit waits for you at that one spot.

T1 / T2 · one transitionAthletic stadium SokolSwim exit, bike out, then bike in and run out — all at the same rack. Your blue and red bags are both here.
finishMasarykovo náměstíRun finish in the old-town square. Your black street bag meets you here.
With one transition you return to the same rack twice, so there's less to track than a point-to-point. What you pack matters more than where it goes: an August day on the Elbe can turn warm and close, so pack each bag for its discipline and plan for heat by the afternoon run.
what to pack

Three bags, by colour.

IRONMAN's colour-to-bag scheme is the same across European races, so this part is settled. Pack each bag for the discipline it powers and label nothing else.

Blue bagBike / T1 — what you ride in
  • Helmet
  • Bike shoes
  • Sunglasses
  • Race belt + number
  • Bike nutritiongels · bars
  • Socksoptional
  • Arm warmerscool start
Racked with your bike at check-in, the day before. Your wetsuit goes in here after the swim.
Red bagRun / T2 — what you finish in
  • Running shoes
  • Run cap or visor
  • Run nutritiongels
  • Anti-chafe balm
  • Sunscreensmall
  • Electrolytesoptional
Racked at the transition the day before. It's waiting for you off the bike.
Black bagStreet gear — start → finish
  • Warm dry layer
  • Flip-flops or sandals
  • Small towel
  • Pre-swim throwaway top
  • Phone + keys pouch
  • Recovery snackoptional
Handed in on race morning; moved to the finish so dry clothes meet you in the square.
+What you carry to the water (not in a bag): wetsuit, goggles, timing chip on the ankle, and the swim cap from your race pack. Everything else has already gone into the bags above.
check-in & the clock

Your bike goes in the night before.

Hradec Kralove runs a mandatory day-before bike check-in with the bike racked overnight — there's no race-morning bike check-in to fall back on. The shape of that is fixed; the exact closing minute is this edition's detail.

Athletic stadium Sokol
Day beforeMandatoryRacked overnightNo race-morning check-in
Bike check-in & bag drop closecut-off
from the 2025 guide

These are last year's times. The 2026 official guide isn't out yet — we'll update them the moment it publishes. Use them to plan the shape of your week; don't lock anything to the minute.

race morning

How the morning typically runs.

The choreography barely moves year to year — transition opens early, the street bag goes in, then the rolling swim start on the Elbe. The order is what matters.

Friday — two days before
Race office opens (IRONMAN 70.3, 5150, relays, PHO3NIX IRONKIDS, CITY LIGHTS RUN)
Race office closes (IRONMAN 70.3, 5150, relays, PHO3NIX IRONKIDS, CITY LIGHTS RUN)cut-off
Saturday — day before
Race office opens (IRONMAN 70.3, 5150, relays)
Gear and bike check-in opens (T1/T2)
Athlete technical briefing (Czech)
Athlete technical briefing (English)
Opening ceremony – National flag parade
Race office closes (IRONMAN 70.3, 5150, relays)cut-off
Gear and bike check-in closes (T1/T2)cut-off
Sunday — race day
T1/T2 opens (IRONMAN 70.3)
T1/T2 closes (IRONMAN 70.3)cut-off
Rolling start – IRONMAN 70.3
Swim cut-off (1:10 after last swim start)
Bike & gear check-out opens (IRONMAN 70.3)
Deposit bag pick-up opens (IRONMAN 70.3)
Bike cut-off (entry T2)
Bike & gear check-out opens (IRONMAN 70.3)
Run cut-off (end of lap 3, before lap 4)
Awards ceremony – IRONMAN 70.3
Overall race limitcut-off
Expected finish time of the last athlete – IRONMAN 70.3
Slot allocation ceremony – IRONMAN 70.3 WC 2026
Deposit bag pick-up closes (IRONMAN 70.3)cut-off
Bike & gear check-out closes (IRONMAN 70.3)
common questions

Hradec Kralove, answered.

What colour bag is the bike bag at Hradec Kralove?

The blue bag is your bike / T1 bag — helmet, bike shoes, sunglasses, race belt and ride nutrition. It's racked with your bike at the Sokol stadium transition the day before.

Do I have to check my bike in the day before?

Yes. Bike check-in is mandatory and day-before, with the bike racked overnight at the T1/T2 zone by the Sokol stadium. There is no race-morning bike check-in, so don't plan to bring it on the day.

How many bags do I pack?

Three: blue for the bike, red for the run, black for street clothes. It's a single transition, so blue and red both sit at the one rack; the black bag is moved from the start to the finish for you.

What time does check-in close?

Last year it closed around 21:00–21:30 on Saturday. We hold this as provisional until the 2026 athlete guide is published, then confirm the exact minute — we won't show last year's time as this year's deadline.

What's the swim like?

It's a river swim in the Elbe from the heart of the university town, with a rolling start. Only the official swim cap from your race pack is allowed; wetsuit legality follows the water temperature on the day.

Anything Hradec Kralove-specific to pack?

Plan for a cool river start that warms into the afternoon: arm warmers or a light layer in the blue bag for the early bike, then a cap, sunglasses and sunscreen in the red bag for the exposed riverside run into the old-town square.

from generic guide to your plan

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Seeded from the 2026 calendar