2026 WTCS Final: Matt Hauser wins a sprint finish as Vasco Vilaca is crowned world champion in Pontevedra

Vasco Vilaca arrived in Pontevedra, Spain, knowing that a top-five finish in the final would be enough to secure the 2026 world title. Backed by runner-up finishes at the WTCS events in Hamburg, Germany, London, Great Britain, and Quiberon, France, plus wins in Alghero, Italy, and Samarkand, Uzbekistan, he had built a sizeable cushion and could approach the race without undue concern. The chances of him dropping out of the top five were slim.

But you never know. Matt Hauser, the 2025 world champion and Vilaca’s main rival, knew that all too well: two crashes at the WTCS races in Alghero and Weihai in China had seriously dented his bid for a second straight world title, despite wins in Yokohama, Japan, London and Hamburg. He was still lurking before the final and had every intention of making Vilaca work for it.

© World Triathlon

© World Triathlon

Hungarian swimmers Marton Kropko and Mark Devay controlled the first 1,500 metres of the swim, ahead of young Frenchman Jules Réthoret, who produced an impressive performance in his first selection at this level, and Australian world champion Matt Hauser. Olympic champion Alex Yee of Great Britain was 45 seconds back, while New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde was nearly 55 seconds behind.

© World Triathlon

© World Triathlon

© World Triathlon

A group of around 15 riders opened up a 25-second gap on the third of the 10 bike laps. It included Portugal’s Ricardo Batista, Matt Hauser, Dorian Coninx, Jules Rethoret and Vasco Vilaca, among the other podium contenders.

Alex Yee and Hayden Wilde remained around 45 seconds off the leading group. Despite the New Zealander’s repeated attacks, the gap held steady through the end of the 40 km bike leg, leaving the leaders in prime position to battle for the title and the race win as they began the final 10 km run.

© World Triathlon

© World Triathlon

© World Triathlon

© World Triathlon

Matt Hauser was first out of transition and onto the 10 km run, eight seconds ahead of Dorian Coninx. But the Portuguese duo of Vasco Vilaca and Ricardo Batista quickly caught the Australian at the front, while Coninx began to fade. The trio stayed together almost all the way to the finish, until Alex Yee produced one of his trademark blistering runs to move into third. The Paris Olympic champion did not quite have enough left to challenge Hauser and Vilaca in the sprint, as the pair delivered an unforgettable finish and threw themselves at the line.

Hauser won the final, just as he did last year on home soil in Wollongong, Australia, with Vilaca second. But Vilaca took the world title from him. It was the Portuguese athlete’s first, after he had already won silver in 2020. Alex Yee finished third on the day, posting the fastest run split in 28:46.

© World Triathlon

For France, Dorian Coninx finished sixth in the final, moving up to fourth in the 2026 world championship, which he won in 2023. Yanis Seguin finished 10th, Jules Rethoret 14th, Tom Richard 39th, while Tom Lerno was forced to withdraw.