She’s back! Georgia Taylor-Brown returns to the top of the WTCS podium

Lest anyone think that being in the lead group is a make-or-break part of winning a World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) race, Georgia Taylor-Brown’s return to the top of the podium in Cagliari today serves as proof positive of what it takes to win at this level of draft-legal racing.

“It is a massive relief to be back on the podium,” said Taylor-Brown after the race. “Since Abu Dhabi, where I had a terrible swim, I have been focusing on my swim. In Yokohama I gave everything that I had, but I still didn’t make the front pack, so this time I was extra focused and extra determined to be up there on the first lap. I was quite shocked after Yokohama, I am so used to be on the front pack on the swim that it was shocking missing that the first races this year, but I am so happy to be back.”

In fact, the swim in Cagliari (OK, officially Poetto Beach, but only about 5 km from the city), turned out to be the key to a top finish, or even finishing, the event. All three of the podium finishers – Taylor-Brown, France’s Emma Lombardi and American Taylor Spivey were among the first women out of the water, and were part of the lead group of six that stayed clear of the rest of the field through the 40 km bike.

The swim proved to be challenging because of the difficult entry to the swim – the sand is uneven heading out into the water and, coupled with the waves coming in, makes for a tough entry. American Gwen Jorgensen, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, struggled through the swim, finishing the first loop in last position and only moving up one spot by the end of the second loop. Jorgensen was never able to make up time and would be pulled off the course halfway through the bike because she was so far behind.

At the front it was a group of six that included swim leader Vittoria Lopes (BRA), Summer Rappaport (USA), Taylor-Brown, Lombardi, Spivey and Maya Kingma (NED) who stayed clear of the rest of the field through the 10-loop, 38 km bike. They would hit T2 with a 1:22 lead on the chase group.

On the run Taylor-Brown and Lombardi quickly pulled clear of the rest of the group. Those two would stay together until about 300 m to go, when the Brit made her move and pulled away from the young Frenchwoman. Spivey would hang on to third, holding off the spirited charge from Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA), who moved up from the chase pack to take fourth.

For Lombardi, the runner-up finish was a repeat from a year ago. “I am beyond happy, it feels so great to be back on the podium,” Lombardi said. “Last year it was amazing, and this one did not dissapoint. We did a great job today the six on us on the bike, we all did our part, and then I tried to follow Georgia as much as possible, but in the last lap it was a bit too much”.

Spivey was happy with her bronze medal.

“I had a feeling Cassandre was coming for me during the last kilometers of the run, so I had to dig deep,” Spivey said after the race. “For a moment I thought I couldn’t hold her off, but I didn’t want to finish in fourth place again. I don’t know how I made it. I had COVID right after Yokohama, and I didn’t know where I was, but is really special to finish as I did today and be on this position.”

You can see the full results here.