TRIATHLON – BAHRAIN Victorious 13’s superstar elite athletes delivered another series of front-running performances in events held around the world.
Their outstanding results were spearheaded by Cassandre Beaugrand’s third consecutive World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) elite women’s race victory in London, England, where Vasco Vilaca claimed the men’s silver medal to retain the overall WTCS lead, along with Vincent Luis’s fourth-place finish at Ironman 70.3 Boise in Idaho, the US.
Beaugrand continued her remarkable run of form, overcoming an uncharacteristically slow swim to claim the fine win.
Returning to triathlon after a month away from racing, during which she broke the French national 3,000-metre record on track, Beaugrand exited the water in 25th while Bahrain Victorious 13 teammate Georgia Taylor-Brown led the chase behind Taylor Knibb, another Bahrain Victorious 13 member, who emerged from the swim in second.
Knibb immediately looked to split the race apart with an aggressive ride, but Beaugrand and Taylor-Brown drove the chase group to reduce the gap to just 21 seconds by the second transition.
Once onto the run, Beaugrand quickly found her rhythm. She surged to the front and never looked back, producing another trademark comeback victory in a time of 56 minutes and six seconds.
“I thought I was having a very bad day when I was swimming. I just had no speed; I was very sleepy,” said Beaugrand, whose swim-bike-run splits were 10:07, 28:58, and 15:27.
“I had to wake up on the bike, and luckily my run is still here from two weeks ago. It was still good and I’m very happy.”
Taylor-Brown continued her consistent season with sixth place in 56:32, while Knibb crossed the line just behind her in seventh in 56:33.
Joining Beaugrand on the elite women’s podium were runner-up Lisa Tertsch of Germany in 56:11 and Tilda Mansson of Sweden in 56:21.
In the elite men’s race, Vilaca added another silver medal while strengthening his grip on the lead in the WTCS season standings.
The Portuguese star featured at the front throughout the swim and bike before launching an attack on the final climb of the run.
Although caught in the closing sprint, he finished in 50:31 – just three seconds behind winner Matthew Hauser of Australia – to extend his overall advantage.
“These duels with Matt are incredible,” said Vilaca, whose swim-bike-run splits were 8:50, 26:01, and 14:09.
“I think I played it better this time – the tactics were better – but as we got to the left turn, he had the inside and an extra gear and that was it for me.”
Across the Atlantic, Vincent Luis narrowly missed the podium at Ironman 70.3 Boise.
Despite early confusion on the swim course, the Frenchman exited the two-kilometre swim in second before riding into third over the 90km bike leg.
He remained in podium contention throughout the half marathon but was edged out in the closing stages to finish fourth in a total time of three hours 37 minutes and 59 seconds.
It was the penultimate race of his career as he continues his build towards the Ironman World Championship in Kona.
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