Only two women have ever won a WTCS race in Sardinia. As it just so happens, both are on the start list for the impending return to the island, setting up a tantalising showdown.
Cassandre Beaugrand has reigned supreme in the last two editions (once in Cagliari and last year in Alghero), while Georgia Taylor-Brown was the Queen of Cagliari twice before that. Seeking to block one of these former world champions from a hat-trick of wins will be WTCS Samarkand winner Beth Potter, reigning world champion Lisa Tertsch and many more.
Yet if Olympic champion Beaugrand is back to her best, or if Taylor-Brown’s daring solo attack on the bike in Samarkand is a harbinger of things to come, the dominant forces of Sardinia may yet come out on top once again. Find out how the complete field is shaping up below.
Who’s there?
Not only are Beaugrand and Taylor-Brown back in search of more Sardinian gold, they also bring with them two of the strongest squads on the start list. The former will be joined by Leonie Periault and Emma Lombardi on the French team. Periault, the 2nd place finisher overall in last year’s Series and a multiple race winner herself, has already opened her account for 2026 with a silver medal at WTCS Samarkand. Such is her rich vein of form, she may turn out to be the best finisher of the French three.
Meanwhile, Taylor-Brown will race in tandem with Samarkand winner Beth Potter. By triumphing at the season opener, Potter has logged three wins from her past four Series appearances, making her the form woman in the sport.
Unlike Beaugrand, Periault and Taylor-Brown, Potter will be tackling the Yokohama-Alghero double, something that has typically resulted in a reversal of fortunes between the two races, in no small part due to the travel involved. Should Potter overcome the double, though, and continue her golden form, it will be a brave choice to predict another winner.
Moreover, Olivia Mathias returns to the site of the maiden WTCS medal she won a year ago. Since then, her best finish in the Series has been a 9th place in Karlovy Vary. At her peak, though, she is more than capable of manufacturing the kind of breakaway that elevates her back to the podium. Indeed, with Sophie Evans, Jessica Fullgar, Kate Waugh and Tilly Anema also on the squad, the Brits have more than enough talent to conceivably sweep the podium.
To do that, however, they will have to find their way past their French rivals and the defending world champion, Lisa Tertsch. Tertsch had a day to forget in Samarkand when her race was taken out of her hands on the bike. Yet having a point to prove could make her all the more dangerous. She won a silver in Cagliari in 2024 and would send a statement by converting that to gold in Alghero.
An impressive German team will accompany the world champion, with no fewer than four additional WTCS medallists starting. They are Tanja Neubert, Nina Eim, Annika Koch and Laura Lindemann. Selina Klamt is the only non-WTCS medallist set to start for Germany, but she was World U23 champion a few years back and as such maintains the exceptional levels of the cohort.
Another pair of race winners will also be present to keep the favourites on their toes. Jeanne Lehair starts for Luxembourg alongside Eva Daniels, while Taylor Knibb will continue her comeback to short course racing. Both Lehair and Knibb, as it happened, earned their first WTCS golds in Yokohama.
Also starting on the American team are Taylor Spivey, a previous medallist in Sardinia, Kirsten Kasper, Gina Sereno and Danielle Orie.
Bianca Seregni was another to win a first ever WTCS medal in Alghero last year. In contrast to Mathias, she went on to match her silver medal at the Series Final in Wollongong. There will thus be no shortage of expectation among the home Italian support for Seregni to deliver once again. Ilaria Zane and Verena Steinhauser complete the home line-up.
Last year, Sara Guerrero Manso (ESP) only raced twice in the Series and came away with a best result of 28th. Equally, she ended the year with a maiden World Cup win after winning multiple medals throughout the season. She is therefore an athlete that is likely to out-perform her 2025 levels and will need to be watched closely. She heads up a Spanish contingent alongside fellow World Cup winner Miriam Casillas Garcia, with Cecilia Santamaria Surroca, Marta Pintanel Raymundo and Ana Carballo Gómez all set to start too.
On the note of rising prospects, Robin Dreijling is certainly worth keeping tabs on after a career-best finish of 13th in Samarkand. She will attempt to break into the top-10 for the first time in Alghero, as will Dutch teammates Babette Rosman and Barbara De Koning.
Two athletes that have been in the top-10 before will start for Brazil: Vittoria Lopes and Djenyfer Arnold. Both could thrive in the sea swim and join any potential breakaway pack.
Elsewhere, World Junior Championships medallist Diana Dunajska and Romana Gajdošová will be racing for Slovakia. Switzerland will be hoping for big results from Rebecca Beti and Cathia Schär.
Finally, there are plenty of athletes entered as the only representation for their respective countries, most prominent among which are European champion Jolien Vermeylen (BEL) and World Cup winners Desirae Ridenour (CAN) and Maria Carolina Velasquez Soto (COL).
Who’s not there?
Missing out on the fun will be WTCS medallist Rosa Maria Tapia Vidal (MEX) and World Cup winners Diana Isakova (RUS) and Tilda Månsson (SWE). Anna Godoy Contreras (ESP) and Sian Rainsley (GBR) are the only other athletes from top-20 in the world rankings to sit out WTCS Alghero.
You can see the full start list here. Tune in to TriathlonLive on 30th May to catch all the action live.