WTCS London: Cassandre Beaugrand just can’t be stopped

The world circuit returned to London for the first time since 2015, over the Sprint Triathlon format (750 m swim / 20 km bike / 5 km run). Home hopes included Beth Potter, the current world number one, and Alex Yee, crowned Olympic champion in Paris in 2024, both racing in front of their own crowd. With three races to go before the Pontevedra Final (Spain), the battle for the world title was entering its decisive phase.

© Ben Lumley/ World Triathlon

THE WOMEN’S RACE

After the 750 m swim, the first Frenchwoman out of the water was Léonie Périault, ahead of her teammate Emma Lombardi. Cassandre Beaugrand followed a few seconds back.

© Ben Lumley/World Triathlon

Out front after T1, Britain’s Tilly Anema and American Taylor Knibb went clear as a duo on the bike. Knibb stayed on the front for the full 20 km and hit T2 alone after her breakaway partner crashed and was forced to abandon. The three French athletes then sat in the chase pack alongside the rest of the favourites. Lap by lap, the gap grew but never went beyond 30 seconds.

On the final 5 km run, Cassandre Beaugrand immediately took charge of the chase group and dragged her rivals along.

As the kilometres ticked by, gaps opened up. Beaugrand reeled in and then dropped Knibb, with Sweden’s Tilda Mansson and Britain’s Lisa Terstch. Léonie Périault and Emma Lombardi were chasing a few seconds behind. After one last surge, Cassandre Beaugrand shook off her two opponents and ran away to the finish, after a 15:27 5K (French record of 14:53 in Monaco in 2025)! Tertsch finished ahead of Mansson for the final spot on the podium. Léonie Périault claimed 5th, while Emma Lombardi finished 10th.

Women’s podium

THE MEN’S RACE

The men set off roughly forty-five minutes after the women finished. Under the London sun, the first athlete out of the water was Hungary’s Mark Devay, just ahead of Frenchman Jules Rethoret, on his WTCS debut. Fellow French athlete Tom Richard exited in 4th, while Tom Lerno, another rookie on the circuit, came out 33rd, and Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger 55th.

© Ben Lumley / World Triathlon

On the bike, four packs formed quickly after T1. Tom Richard and Jules Rethoret were in the first, alongside Australia’s Matthew Hauser, Portugal’s Vasco Vilaça, and Brazil’s Miguel Hidalgo. Tom Lerno was in a third group with Alex Yee, while Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger sat in the fourth.

As the kilometres passed, the lead group stretched its advantage over the chasers, while the second and third groups merged. Several athletes in that chase group crashed before the end of the bike, including Alex Yee.

On the run, gaps opened fast and three men broke clear at the front: Matthew Hauser, Vasco Vilaça and Hungary’s Csongor Lehmann. All the way to the line, they continued to put time into the chasers before turning it into a fight for the win. With one last change of pace, Matthew Hauser grabbed his third victory of the year. Vasco Vilaça took second, and Csongor Lehmann third.

Tom Richard and Jules Rethoret finished just seconds apart in 8th and 9th. One of the quickest runners in his group, Tom Lerno came home 17th. Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger was 47th. Olympic champion Alex Yee placed 14th.

© World Triathlon

Men’s podium