Find out who will be starting in a star-studded Rome World Cup women's field
The women’s start list at the Rome World Cup is more or less what you would expect if you took a glance at the athletes behind some of the biggest stories of the year and thought, “what if we just got everyone?” To say this field has everything is an understatement.
We have more WTCS medallists than we have seen at some Series races this year (including a breakout winner from earlier in the campaign), the recently crowned World Junior champion, maiden World Cup medallists, architects of some of this year’s best breakaways, and – just for good measure – every previous winner in Rome.
Over a sprint distance race consisting of a single-loop 750m swim, five-lap 20km bike and two-lap 5km run, it is going to be absolute mayhem on the course. Tune in to TriathlonLive on Saturday 3rd October with kick-off at 09:00 (CEST) to catch every minute.
Where to even begin?
We could start off with the top seed, WTCS Karlovy Vary silver medallist Taylor Spivey (USA), who is making her first World Cup appearance since 2018. As it happens, she was a gold medallist on the circuit that year too.
Yet perhaps the big story line to follow will be WTCS Yokohama winner Tilda Månsson (SWE) bouncing back from a disappointing day at WTCS Pontevedra where she lost her hold on a place on the overall Series podium. As the woman that arguably pushed world champion Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) the hardest over the sprint distance this season (in Quiberon), she has earned the favourite status.
Maybe the headline act of this race is Fanni Szalai (HUN) as the new World Junior champion guns for a second World Cup win of the season. Having broken away in both Tiszaujvaros and Pontevedra, she will likely be at the forefront of the action from the start.
But then we have to consider the returning winners of the event: Carina Reicht (AUT), who powered to gold with a rapid 5km last year, and Nina Eim (GER), who is unbeaten at this event after wins in 2023 and 2024. Eim also won the Lanzarote World Cup back in March before missing the summer through injury. If she is in shape, the WTCS medallist could easily be a favourite as much as anyone named thus far.
It just doesn’t stop
In addition, we have multiple World Cup winner Diana Isakova (AIN); the co-instigator of the two-woman breakaway at WTCS London, World Cup winner Tilly Anema (GBR); WTCS Pontevedra medallist Kate Waugh (GBR); and World Junior Championships silver medallist Anouk Danna (SUI) making her World Cup debut.
From the home team, WTCS medallist Bianca Seregni (ITA) will hope for nothing less than a podium but keep an eye out for Angelica Prestia (ITA). Prestia won a maiden World Cup medal earlier this year and the World U23 Championships medallist has been in exceptional form on the circuit.
You wanted more?
Last year’s bronze medallist Franka Rust (GER) returns in hope of another podium. After achieving a first ever WTCS top-10 in Karlovy Vary, she has continued her upwards trajectory this year. Her teammate Laura Lindemann (GER) has won more than her fair share of sprint distance medals over the years and placed 5th in Pontevedra. Look for the WTCS gold medallist to be in the mix for another podium.
And then there is WTCS medallist Olivia Mathias (GBR). And World U23 champion Selina Klamt (GER). And World U23 champion Karolina Helga Horváth (HUN). And past Rome medallist Cathia Schär (SUI). And Asian Games medallist Manami Hayashi (JPN). And the myriad other WTCS and World Cup medallists yet to be mentioned.
Trying to get to grips with this start list is like trying to stop a bouncy castle you have accidentally inflated indoors. Put simply, some of the best breakaway exponents are going up against some of the fastest 5km runners in the sport as well as some of the strongest cyclists with some of the most in-form newcomers clashing with Olympic medallists. All we can safely say is that this one is going to be carnage.
