In the final French Grand Prix race of the summer, the third round of the series took place in Metz. The last two races will take place when the Grand Prix picks back up in September. In Metz, then, the teams had a chance to solidify their spots in the standings or move up before the break in the season.
The pre-race rain did not make for the most pleasant conditions in the world but the blue skies returned as the afternoon wore on.
Plenty of changes had taken place across the teams and none of the prior race winners from the previous two stops returned. Moreover, none of the men’s medallists from the season returned while only two of the women’s did. The wins over the Sprint distance were therefore ripe for the taking.
Women’s race
It was a women’s race in the French Grand Prix so that could only mean one thing. Lea Marchal (Tri Val de Gray) was once again spectacular in the swim and she led the way by almost 10 seconds. Tilly Anema (Brive Limousin Triathlon) and Lola Bachet (Saint-Avertin Sports Triathlon 37) followed at the head of a bunch of four women. Thereafter, small gaps began to appear.
As a group of five escaped at the front of the bike, the field tried to organise a chase.
After quick swims, Natalie Van Coevorden (Poissy Triathlon) and Diana Isakova (Les Sable Vendée Triathlon) were among the first to bridge to the leaders. Having lost over 40 seconds to Marchal, the likes of Tanja Neubert (Les Tritons Meldois), Valentina Riasova (Les Sable Vendée Triathlon) and Cathia Schär (Vals du Dauphiné Olympic) also began to advance through the field. As they tagged onto the wheels of Jaz Hedgeland (Triathlon Club Liévin) and Kristelle Congi (Poissy Triathlon), they continued their push towards the front.
Slowly but surely, the gap to the leaders was squashed. While the chase gained ground, Anema and Bachet slipped behind. A front group of eleven therefore rode into T2.
At this point, the race seemed completely open.
Congi was possibly the favourite having been consistent at the first two rounds of the Grand Prix. Her teammate, Van Coevorden, was also a tried and trusted performer for Poissy. At the same time, Neubert had enjoyed a couple of race wins, high finishes in the Bundesliga and a 4th place at the European Championships. Schär, too, had taken 3rd at the European Championships and was coming off a best ever WTCS finish in Montreal.
Perhaps the outcome that no one had really accounted for was what happened next.
Put bluntly, Les Sable Vendée are new to this level. A certain logic dictates that, in their first season after promotion, they should not really be at the top of the pack. Moreover, arguably their fastest woman and the silver medallist in Bordeaux, Jeanne Lehair, was absent. The tea leaves did not suggest a victory for the newcomers.
Yet it was Riasova that powered ahead and seized the lead.
Over the course of the 5km, no one could quite retaliate against the Russian athlete and she built a lead of 10 seconds. With the fastest run of the day, she therefore crossed the line to take gold and record Les Sable Vendée’s first race win of the season.
After an impressive run, Schär claimed the silver medal while Isakova held off a charging Neubert to make it a double podium for Les Sable Vendée
Natalie Van Coevorden then rounded out the top-5 in 5th.
With two women in the top-3, Les Sable Vendée took the overall win. Just to be completely clear, last season they were in the second division and now they have won a round in the top league. They are enjoying a sensational season.
Poissy Triathlon took 2nd overall to enhance their iron-grip on the series lead while Valence Triathlon claimed 3rd.
Men’s race
Liévin had traded one WTCS race winner for another as Matthew Hauser replaced Hayden Wilde. After Wilde had delivered a victory for the team in Bordeaux, the challenge awaited for Hauser to match the feat.
Leo Ouabdesselam (Saint-Jean-des-Monts Vendée Triathlon) led the swim with Jamie Riddle (Triathlon Club Liévin), Matthew Hauser (Triathlon Club Liévin) and Kenji Nener (Les Sable Vendée Triathlon) behind. Igor Dupuis (Sainte-Geneviève Triathlon) and Aurelien Raphael (Poissy Triathlon) were among those chasing with the former able to reach the leaders.
A five man group thus rolled together around the first lap of the bike with Raphael trying to latch onto a wheel.
In the chase pack, Dorian Coninx (Poissy Triathlon) took his place towards the front of the chase pack and began to winnow down the gap. Sporting a shock-blond hair-do, Coninx had his Poissy teammates Tom Richard and Jawad Abdelmoula on hand to hunt the leaders. In addition, fresh off two wins from two WTCS races this year, Alex Yee (Valence Triathlon) had also moved towards the front.
At the head of the race, though, two men were not content to let the field make up the deficit.
Hauser and Nener were relentless at the head of the race. A twelve man chase group crystallised behind, but they could not eat into the lead of Hauser and Nener. With smooth cooperation, Hauser and Nener arrived in T2 with a lead just shy of 20 seconds.
Hauser was quick to strike out on this own over the 5km while Nener set about trying to defend his virtual medal.
Meanwhile, Yee, Coninx and Abdelmoula pulled away from the rest of the chase. First Nener appeared in their sights. The Japanese athlete battled to hold on but ultimately fell away as the tempo proved too high. Then only Hauser remained.
The Australian, however, was in full flow. Yee tried to raise his level, as did his Poissy rivals. But they simply had no answer to Hauser.
Able to take in the plaudits and high-fives down the finishing chute, Hauser could luxuriate in his success. He crossed the line with the fastest split of the day to take the win by a round 20 seconds and inflict the first defeat upon Alex Yee since 2022.
Yee came home in 2nd by a comfortable margin, having broken away from the Poissy duo. The blond Coninx out-sprinted Abdelmoula for bronze while Nener sealed 5th place.
With two top-4 finishers, Poissy claimed the overall victory in Metz. Having traded one winner for another, Liévin took 2nd oveall while Valence had their best race of the year in 3rd.
You can view the women’s result here and the men’s results here.
