Ironman 2025 Bolton triathlon: Route, road closures, start time and everything you need to know
Thousands of athletes are set to take part in the gruelling event across Wigan and Bolton
Road users and are being urged to plan ahead as one of Greater Manchester’s biggest weekends of sport rolls into town.
The Ironman Bolton weekend returns from Friday, June 6 to Sunday, June 8.
For the main event on Sunday, a one-loop 1.2-mile swim course takes over to Pennington Flash Country Park, near Leigh, starting at 6.15am.
Following the swim, the 56-mile bike course, starts with two-loops through the villages of Lowton, Abram and Bickershaw before heading north towards Bolton.
The second half of the course sees two loops of Horwich and Bolton along Chorley New Road. An out-and-back section on Victoria Road and Old Kiln Road provides the main climb of the day.
After completing the loop of central Bolton for a second time, the bike course concludes in Queens Park. The two-loop 13.1 mile run course laps around Bolton town centre before ascending through Queen’s Park onto Chorley New Road.
After descending back through Queen’s Park, athletes will then return to the crowds and historic buildings of central Bolton before hitting the finish line in front of Bolton Town Hall.
With thousands of people taking part in three different events across the weekend, Bolton Council said temporary road closures are needed to ensure the safety of residents, competitors and spectators.
Similar road closures to previous years will be in place around the town centre for Night Run – Bolton on Friday, June 6, and Ironkids Bolton on Saturday, June 7.
Temporary road closures for the main event on Sunday, June 8 will extend from Pennington Flash to Bolton, where they will mainly affect Chorley New Road and the town centre. The town centre and Middlebrook retail park will be open as normal all weekend.
Anyone driving into the town centre is advised to park at one of the car parks, which will be open as normal. Anyone heading to Middlebrook retail park from Bolton is advised to use Wigan Road (A676 / A58) to Manchester Road / Chorley Road (A6) and then use De Havilland Way (A6027).
A spokesperson for Bolton Council, said: “Thousands of local people and visitors will be taking part in and enjoying our three Ironman events and we are sure that there will once again be a fabulous atmosphere. “But with so many people taking part, including children, we are asking everyone to help us make safety the highest priority.
“Temporary road closures are an unavoidable part of large events and while every effort is made to keep disruption to a minimum, we strongly advise residents and visitors to check the route maps and plan ahead accordingly.”
More information on the course and diversions to avoid road closures, including maps and timings, can be found on the Ironman website.
Here is the list of affected roads in Wigan and Bolton:
All weekend:
Le Mans Crescent, Howell Croft North and Howell Croft South will be closed from 6am on Friday, June 6 to 9am on Monday, June 9 due to the course set up and build for the weekend events.
Friday, June 6: Night Run Bolton
Moor Lane, Deansgate, Knowsley Street, Chorley Street, Spa Road, St Edmund Street, Helena Road and Bridge Street will be closed 5.30pm – 9pm.
Spa Road will be closed eastbound from 5.30pm – 9pm.
Saturday, June 7: IRONKIDS Bolton
Le Mans Crescent will be closed all day.
Deansgate will be closed 6am– 5pm.
Sunday, June 8: Ironman, Bolton
St Helen’s Road, Sandy Lane, Byrom Lane, Slag Lane and Lowton Road will be closed from 6am – 10am.
Wigan Road/Warrington Road (A573) will be closed 6am – 10.30am.
Bickershaw Lane, a short section of the A578, Nel Pan Lane and Westleigh Lane will be closed 6am –10.45am.
Atherleigh Way (A579) between St Helen’s Road and Kirkhall Lane will be closed northbound only 6am – 945am.
Atherleigh Way (A579) will be closed northbound only between Kirkhall Lane and the Talbot roundabout 6am –10.45am.
30am Gibfield Park Way and Gibfield Park Avenue will be closed 6.30am – 11am.
North Road from the junction with Gibfield Park Avenue, Platt Lane and the A58 from Platt Lane to the Chequerbent roundabout will be closed 6.30am – 11am.
Park Road and Manchester Road (A6) will be closed westbound only from 7am – 11am.
Chew Moor Lane / Tempest Road to Regent Road, and Regent Road to Chorley New Road, will be closed 7am – 11:15am.
De Havilland Way will be closed northbound 7am – 1pm.
Victoria Road (A58) and Old Kiln Lane will be closed 7am – 1pm.
Chorley New Road from Beaumont Road to the Beehive Roundabout will be closed eastbound from 7am– 1pm. There will be access westbound throughout the day.
Chorley New Road from Beaumont Road to Waterslea Drive will be closed from 7am – 1.30pm.
Chorley New Road from Waterslea Drive to St George’s Road (B6226) will be closed 7am – 5.30pm
Chew Moor Lane, St John’s Road, Tempest Road, Regent Road will be closed 7am – 11.15am.
Chorley Street, Bark Street, St Helena’s Road, Blackhorse Street and Queen Street will be closed 7am – 3.30pm.
Spa Road will be closed from 6am – 6pm.