The WTCS French Riviera delivered everything fans expect from short-course triathlon: fierce racing, tactical group dynamics, and a dramatic sprint finish that kept spectators on edge until the very last meters. In the end, Olympic Champion Cassandre Beaugrand proved her class once again, outsprinting Jeanne Lehair to take the victory in 56:43.
From the start, the Mediterranean Sea set the tone for a challenging day. Choppy waters spread the field early, and as so often happens, the best swimmers came to the fore. Summer Rappaport exited the water first in 10:06 for the 750 meters, closely followed by Beaugrand. A strong front pack quickly formed once the athletes hit the bike course, with the likes of Beaugrand, Lehair, Taylor Spivey, Olivia Mathias, Emma Lombardi, Beth Potter, and Lisa Tertsch all present.
The technical five-lap bike course produced constant reshuffling, and although the early leaders worked hard to keep the chasers at bay, the inevitable merge came in the penultimate lap. Suddenly, the front of the race swelled to a massive group of 28 women, showcasing thrilling images of fast cornering and aggressive positioning.
That set up a decisive 5-kilometer run where the true contenders immediately revealed themselves. Beaugrand wasted no time taking control at the front, stringing out the field within the first kilometer. Only Lombardi and Lehair were able to follow, and before long the battle for the podium was down to three.
Lehair surged after 1.5 kilometers, upping the pace and briefly cracking Lombardi, while even opening a small gap to Beaugrand. But the French star showed her trademark composure, clawing her way back to Lehair’s shoulder. The two ran stride-for-stride into the final straight, setting up a showdown for the tape.
Lehair struck first, launching the sprint, but Beaugrand was ruthless in her response. In the final meters she powered past, securing yet another WTCS victory on home soil. Lehair, soaking in the crowd’s energy with high-fives down the finish chute, crossed six seconds later for second. Behind them, Leonie Periault timed her late move perfectly, overtaking Lombardi to secure the final podium spot, 17 seconds down.