For years, Ashleigh Gentle seemed untouchable on the T100 circuit, earning her the title of ‘Queen of the PTO’. But 2025 had been a different story – until today. On the sun-soaked French Riviera, the Australian star rediscovered her best form, storming to a decisive win at the T100 French Riviera.
The race began with Britain’s Jessica Learmonth setting the tone in the water. Her 26:38 swim split gave her clear water, with only Georgia Taylor-Brown able to keep within striking distance at 24 seconds back. Behind them, Switzerland’s Alanis Siffert led a chase pack of nine women at 1:17, while Canada’s Paula Findlay was the notable absentee – well down at 2:41 as she exited the water.
The dynamics shifted quickly on the bike. Initially, Learmonth and Taylor-Brown worked together at the front, while a strong group containing Hannah Berry, Siffert, Lucy Byram, India Lee, Ellie Salthouse, Gentle, and Caroline Pohle hovered just over a minute behind. For the first 40 kilometers, the gap held steady. But on the steepest climb of the course, Siffert launched a bold move – bridging across solo before powering past the leaders and carving out a gap of her own.
The Swiss athlete, fresh off victories at Alpe d’Huez Triathlon and Embrunman, showed no fear against this world-class field. By the time she reached T2, her lead had swelled to nearly two minutes over Taylor-Brown, Learmonth, and Berry, with Byram and a resurgent Findlay close behind.
On the run, however, the race turned yet again. Siffert held firm for the opening kilometers, but Taylor-Brown quickly closed her down, seizing the lead just after the 5K mark. Yet the danger was still behind. Gentle, alongside Findlay, Berry, and Lee, was charging hard and slicing into the deficit. With 10 kilometers to go, Gentle surged past Taylor-Brown and never looked back.
It was the vintage Ashleigh Gentle performance fans had been waiting for – fluid, confident, and dominant on the run. She sealed the win with a solo finish in 3:41:42, reclaiming her place at the top of the sport. Findlay produced a gutsy comeback to take second in 3:42:33, while Britain’s India Lee completed the podium in 3:43:21.