Cassandre Beaugrand sets the stage for Paris showdown with huge win in Cagliari

Heading into the Olympic Games in Paris this summer, all eyes have been on Great Britain’s Beth Potter, the reigning world champion, and her rival, France’s Cassandre Beaugrand. The two went one-two at last year’s Test Event and finished in the same order for the World Triathlon Championship Series. Today marked what will likely be the last chance to see the pair compete over the Olympic distance before Paris, along with Tokyo champion Flora Duffy, competing in her second race after an 18-month layoff due to injury.

After a quick swim that was led out by The Netherlands’ Maya Kingma, a lead group of about 15 formed, but was eventually joined by a chase group that included Tokyo bronze medalist Katie Zaferes, who was in desperate need of a big day to convince the American selection committee to pick her for Paris.

Taylor Knibb, fresh off qualifying for the American team in the time trial, has already got her spot in the triathlon for Paris and appeared to be trying to test some tactics out on the bike. The American pushed the pace for much of the bike, with Duffy on her wheel or helping at the front. The best hope to medal for both Knibb and Duffy in Paris would be some sort of a breakaway, but the group was on to them and never let them get away.

That set up a 10 km running race as the huge group hit T2 all together. After a slow transition Knibb found herself chasing as France’s Emma Lombardi stormed out onto the run course. Eventually Beaugrand would bring a group up alongside her countrywoman that included Potter, along with her countrywoman Georgia Taylor-Brown (the Tokyo silver medalist) and Sophie Coldwell. Luxembourg’s Jeanne Lehair was also in the mix, pushing the pace through the second of the four laps.

On the third lap Potter started to push the pace after Germany’s Lisa Tertsch moved up to join the leaders. Into the fourth lap there were four women duelling for three podium positions with the two Frenchwomen – Beaugrand and Lombardi – pushing at the front with Potter and Tertsch.

Duffy was starting to find her legs, running through the chase group behind the lead group of four.

As they closed in on the finish it was Potter who was pushing the pace, seeming to break Beaugrand a few times as they neared the finish line. But the Frenchwoman found another gear over the last few hundred metres and suddenly pushed towards the front. Tertsch tried to mark Beaugrand’s move, but Beaugrand would eventually get to the front and sprint clear even before the group hit the blue carpet and take the huge win, her first Olympic-distance victory at this level of racing. Tertsch would take second, with Potter out sprinting Lombardi for the final spot on the podium. Lehair would take fifth, with Taylor-Brown and Coldwell putting themselves in a good position for the British Paris team with sixth and seventh.

Knibb ended up as the top American in 11th, one spot ahead of Zaferes, which might be enough to earn her a second Olympic spot. Spivey will certainly remain in a good position to make the Olympic team with her 14th-place finish. The other woman who appeared to be most likely in the mix for the American team, Kirsten Kasper, finished 21st.

Canada’s Emy Legault finished 43rd, with Dominika Jamnicky finishing 48th. Jamnicky will likely fall a bit short of making it to the Olympics – she was one of five women duelling for the final Olympic berth.

You can see the full results here.