French Star Beaugrand outclasses Brits at 2022 WTCS Leeds
A ten second penalty for a incorrect bike mount did little to deter rising French star Cassandre Beaugrand from displaying a powerful upright, efficient run style that blew away the competition as she took the win at the 2022 World Triathlon Championship Series Leeds.
None of her running prowess should come as a surprise. Back in 2014 the French media were hailing this young woman as Frances new hope for international triathlon stardom. Much like Britain’s Beth Potter, Beaugrand was already internationally known on the athletic circuit when in 2013 she won the 1500m race at the European Olympic Youth Festival and in 2014 set a new French youth record on the 10km distance having already claimed two National Youth Cross Country Championship in those years.
A huge field of top-class triathletes lined up at Waterloo Lake in Roundhay Park, Leeds for the start of the race. With no Jess Learmonth to lead the way all eyes were on Olympic Gold Medallists Flora Duffy (BER) and Geogina Taylor-Brown (GB). Flora Duffy did not disappoint but Cassandre Beaugrand displayed her powerful swim stroke to exit the water first followed by Duffy, Taylor Spivey (USA) and Vittoria Lopes (BRA) Taylor-Brown was having a mare being caught up in the swimmer’s wash with all its tussle.
Out onto the 25k bike section and it was Duffy and Spivey who were leading the way joined by Sophie Coldwell (GB). Duffy was clearly not on top form having just recovered from her second bout of Covid, dropped off the pace and was soon swallowed up by the chasing pack lead by Georgina Taylor-Brown that included Beth Potter, the Dutch duo of Maya Kingma and Rachel Klamer plus Beaugrand who had picked a 10 second penalty for mounting her bike before the line.
Spivey and Coldwell worked well together on the bike and on entering T2 had a 20 second plus lead on the chasing pack. And it was Coldwell who put down the hammer down the run up the exit hill to drop Spivey at the start of the 5k run. The big question was, did the bike take the running out of Coldwell’s legs.
While Spivey was working hard to bridge the gap to Coldwell, Beaugrand and Taylor-Brown were starting the chase down, the French woman knowing that she would have to serve a 10 seconds penalty.
Beaugrand powered ahead and caught up with both Spivey and Coldwell to take the lead as she headed into the last lap. Beaugrand upped the cadence to put enough of a gap between her and the chasing group to serve the 10 second penalty and still win the race. This she did as Taylor-Brown who had moved up to second ahead of Coldwell came into view.
Beaugrand crossed the line to take her first WTCS victory in a time of 00:59:03 with the British duo of Taylor-Brown running through to take second place and Coldwell holding on to take third spot.
Spivey took 4th place just ahead of Beth Potter who make a huge surge down the blue carpet. Much for Potter to be pleased about 5th spot her highest WTCS placing to date as she prepares to represent Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games.
Top 10 female finishers
- 1. Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) – 59:03
- 2. Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) – 59:12
- 3. Sophie Coldwell (GBR) – 59:15
- 4. Taylor Spivey (USA) – 59:22
- 5. Beth Potter (GBR) – 59:22
- 6. Laura Lindemann (GER) – 59:39
- 7. Flora Duffy (BER) – 59:44
- 8. Anabel Knoll (GER) – 59:48
- 9. Julie Derron (SUI) – 59:59
- 10. Miriam Casillas García (ESP) – 59:59
Full results here:
