Five out of five: Cassandre Beaugrand has just won the WTCS Grand Final in Pontevedra. Following her previous victories in Alghero, Quiberon, London, and Weihai, the French superstar has captured her second world title in completely undefeated fashion. In a race packed with drama, Beaugrand ultimately sealed the victory with apparent ease during the run.
The pressure was undoubtedly immense on Beaugrand. She previously became world champion in 2024, but last year she let a nearly certain second title slip away during the final ten-kilometer run. This season didn’t start according to plan either; the Olympic Champion missed the opening WTCS-races and had to initiate a catch-up mission starting in Alghero. That comeback went so exceptionally well that Beaugrand claimed the world title today with the maximum number of points possible.
Crashes and Contenders Cracking: Drama All Around
The WTCS Grand Final in Pontevedra delivered non-stop action from the start. During the swim, Bianca Seregni and Tilly Anema broke away, exiting the water in 19:19 to open up a 25-second lead on the main chase pack. However, there was no cause for panic: Beaugrand, Lisa Tertsch, and Beth Potter – all battling for overall podium spots – were well-positioned together alongside powerhouse athletes such as Taylor Spivey, Laura Lindemann, Kate Waugh, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Kirsten Kasper, and Jolien Vermeylen. One prominent contender missed the decisive move: Sweden’s Tilda Månsson, who entered the Grand Final sitting third in the standings, exited the water 1:16 back, effectively ending her podium hopes early on. The same held true for big names like Emma Lombardi and Léonie Périault.
On the bike, a lead pack of 17 women formed quickly, but that group thinned out just as fast. Poland’s Roksana Slupek suffered a hard crash when taking a drink, clipping the wheel of the rider in front of her and taking down Britain’s Sophie Evans in the process; both athletes were forced to abandon shortly after. Soon after, Jolien Vermeylen, Taylor Spivey, and – perhaps most surprisingly – Tertsch were dropped from the lead group.
Taylor-Brown Drives the Pace, Beaugrand Strikes on the Run
Frustration mounted within the remaining ten-woman lead pack, particularly for Taylor-Brown, who made animated hand gestures trying to rally the group into taking turns at the front. The work was shared a bit more evenly after that, though the Brit continued to do the lion’s share of the pacing. The strategy worked: their gap to the pursuers continued to stretch, while Anema and Selina Klamt were eventually dropped up front.
The eight remaining athletes in the thinned-out lead pack stayed together into T2, starting the run with nearly a two-minute advantage. Any lingering tension evaporated almost immediately. Beaugrand allowed Taylor-Brown to lead for only the first ten meters before the race favorite took control, stretching her lead effortlessly with every stride all the way to the finish line.
Beaugrand won the WTCS Grand Final in 1:50:52. Taylor-Brown finished second in 1:51:57 and Waugh finished third in 152:23.
The 2026 WTCS Final Rankings after Grand Final:
