The final round of the French Grand Prix of 2023 took place in Saint-Jean-des-Monts as the men’s and women’s championships were determined.
Poissy Triathlon arrived with a commanding 14 point lead in the women’s competition. Meanwhile, the home team, Saint-Jean-des-Monts Vendée Triathlon, looked to defend their 10 point lead at the top of the men’s table. With 30 points available for the round win rather than the usual 20 for the women and 31.5 points on offer for the men, there remained a chance that the chasers could close the gap.
For the last time in 2023, then, when the Sprint distance races got underway, there was plenty up for grabs.
Women’s race
The long beach run into the sea seemed to add a fourth discipline to the race. Indeed, the subsequent exit to T1 added an even longer run. A trio of Alessia Orla (Triathlon Club Liévin), Zsanett Bragmayer (Metz Triathlon) and Mathilde Gautier (Tri Val de Gray) made hay in the swim and took control of the race.
Orla emerged with Bragmayer close by and held her lead through T1. Ilona Hadhoum (Poissy) likewise buzzed around the front of the race as a front pack of nineteen came together. Most ominously, Jeanne Lehair, Valentina Riasova and Diana Isakova (all Les Sables Vendée Triathlon) came together in the front pack.
Poissy had three women in the front pack too with Hadhoum, Candice Denizot and Kristelle Congi. Nevertheless, the Les Sables Vendée trio looked dangerous.
Gautier and Audrey Merle (Isys Triathlon) were up at the front to act as potential spoilers. However, the day had evidently become a battle between the perpetual champions, Poissy and the newly-promoted Les Sables Vendée for the title.
Bragmayer’s work on the bike was not enough to yield a breakaway. The turns of several athletes stretched the pack but the front group remained cohesive throughout.
Hadhoum and Congi then led through T2 as the run got off to a promising start for Poissy. A few moments later, Les Sables Vendée struck back.
Lehair, Isakova and Riasova pulled away from their rivals in a major statement. Merle and Gautier were able to get the closest to the lead trio but even they stood 10 seconds behind and looked bereft of answers. As they motored along the promenade, the lead trio flexed on the entire field by running together.
Lehair set the initial pace and her Russian teammates cruised beside.
From there, the lead only grew and the time came for one of the Les Sables Vendée athletes to take the win. After winning in Metz and Quiberon, eyes were on Riasova yet it was Isakova that powered clear to claim her first win of the season. For good measure, she clocked 15:48 on the run and was the only woman under 16 minutes. Riasova ran 16:00.
Riasova settled for 2nd place, 7 seconds behind Isakova. Lehair ended up in 3rd place, a further 19 seconds back.
Merle was the best non-Les Sables Vendée athlete and very nearly caught Lehair. She ultimately ran out of room. Gautier then rounded out the top-5 after pipping Bragmayer at the last.
While Les Sables Vendée ran away to the most dominant victory of the year, and won the round in style, 2nd through 5th place in the team classification was incredibly tight.
Liévin denied Val de Gray by 1 point to take 2nd place, with Poissy and Metz tied by finishing positions a further 2 points back. When all was said and done, Poissy had secured the women’s title while Liévin pipped Issy to 3rd overall.
The real story of the day, though, may just have been Les Sables Vendée as they showed that they are a rising force in the French Grand Prix.
Men’s race
Jamie Riddle (Liévin) utilised his fast swimming to take an early lead. He exited the sea with Luke Willian (Les Sables Vendée) for company. Gergely Kiss (Triathlon Toulouse Métropole) led a string of men that were close behind.
Riddle held his lead through T1 although Noah Servais (Metz) had moved up. With Riddle, Willian and Servais hammering the tempo early on, a fourteen man pack formed at the head of the course. The nearest chase group, though, were only seconds behind.
Gradually, the chasse group made the connection to bloat the lead group to over twenty-five men.
Even with the likes of Dorian Coninx (Poissy), Csongor Lehmann (Valence Triathlon) and Brandon Copeland (Liévin) working in the pack, it continued to gain members. The situation, though, was delicately poised.
Saint-Jean-des-Monts Vendée had quietly stacked the lead group with their athletes. Nathan Grayel and Louis Vitiello were the obvious threats after their 2nd and 4th place finishes in Quiberon. The team also had Daniel Dixon present in the all-important third position. His presence was particularly vital after Mario Mola had been switched out at the last minute.
At the same time, Poissy were at full strength at the front. All of Coninx, Tom Richard, Antoine Duval, Aurelien Raphael and Anthony Pujades had made the lead group. They just had to find a way through Saint-Jean-des-Monts Vendée.
Yanis Seguin (Liévin) was lightning fast through T2. Ben Dijkstra (Metz) and Coninx well-placed to strike yet Seguin ran into an early lead.
In the first half of the 5km, Coninx, Lehmann and Copeland closed the gap to create a front group of four. Perhaps most significantly, Duval and Richard were enjoying great races behind and threatened to get ahead of Grayel and Vitiello.
Copeland lost touch with the leaders to leave three to settle the gold. With a final, seemingly effortless, burst of speed, Coninx moved clear. Neither Seguin nor Lehmann could fully respond and so Coninx took the win by 5 seconds.
Lehmann sealed the silver medal while Seguin crossed in a very impressive showing to take bronze.
Copeland held on for 4th and Duval nabbed 5th in an important display for Poissy. To go with that, Richard also beat Grayel and Vitiello to ensure all three of Poissy’s scorers beat the best Saint-Jean-des-Monts Vendée finisher.
That was enough to hand Poissy victory of the round. Liévin came away with 2nd after putting two men in the top-4 and Saint-Jean-des-Monts Vendée ended up in 3rd.
Although that was enough to slim the gaps, the top of the table remained unmoved. Saint-Jean-des-Monts Vendée became champions, defeating Poissy by a mere 4 points. Liévin then rounded out the championship podium.
You can view the women’s results here and the men’s results here.
