Cassandre Beaugrand makes it a French one-two again as she wins Sunderland WTCS
The French pro wins her second race in a row to take the first-ever Sunderland WTCS title; teammate Emma Lombardi collects silver
Just over an hour after Pierre Le Corre and Léo Bergere made it a French one-two in Sunderland, their teammates Cassandre Beaugrand and Emma Lombardi matched the result in the women’s race.
Germany’s Annika Koch took bronze.
With few of the current top 10 in the women’s rankings racing in Sunderland, all eyes were on French triathlete and last-round winner Beaugrand.
Joining her in the tricolore tri-suit was Lombardi, silver medallist in Cagliari.
With Beth Potter, Sophie Coldwell and Georgia Taylor-Brown sitting their home race out (Taylor-Brown is injured), British hopes were pinned solely on Olivia Mathias.
What happened in the swim?
Brazil’s swim supremo Vittoria Lopes was first out of the one-lap 750m swim, closely followed by Beaugrand, who blitzed transition to start the bike in the lead.
What happened on the bike?
A group of seven women, including Beaugrand, Lombardi and Mathias, held an 18sec lead for the majority of the five-lap 21.3km bike leg.
But by the start of the final lap, the massive chase group had caught them to form a large group of 29 athletes.
In the final pack was Rio gold medallist Gwen Jorgensen, who continues her quest to make the Olympic mixed relay team in 2024.
What happened on the run?
Mathias made the crowds go wild as she hit T2 in first place. But it was Lombardi who took to the run course by the scruff of its neck. Breathing down her neck in no time, however, was compatriot Beaugrand.
In scenes reminiscent of the earlier men’s race with Le Corre and Bergere, Lombardi and Beaugrand looked in solid shape at the front, running side by side.
Unlike the men’s race, though, Beaugrand pulled clear of her compatriot halfway through the final lap, cruising to her second WTCS win in a row.
Lombardi collected her third WTCS career silver and Germany’s Annika Koch rounded out the podium for bronze.
French triathlete Léonie Périault finished fourth.
Sadly, Mathias couldn’t hang on at the front, slipping back through the field to finish 23rd, while Jorgensen finished 24th.
Potter remains leader of the series’ rankings with one race to go at the Grand Final in September, but with two victories apiece Beaugrand is close on her heels. US athlete Taylor Spivey sits in third and Lombardi in fourth.
Top image credit: Tommy Zaferes/World Triathlon
Liz Barrett
220 Deputy Editor 
