Coninx Holds Off a Charging Yee as Taylor-Brown Ends Three-Year WTCS Win Drought in Karlovy Vary

In both races, breakaways created the drama on Karlovy Vary’s demanding seven-lap bike course. In the men’s race, Dorian Coninx (FRA) capitalized on the group’s advantage despite a flying Alex Yee (GBR) nearly erasing a deficit of more than two minutes on the run. In the women’s race, Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) enjoyed a more comfortable victory after escaping with Taylor Spivey (USA) and Therese Feuersinger (AUT) in wet conditions that saw several athletes go down on the bike.

With the Grand Final in Pontevedra just two weeks away, it was a day that rewarded aggressive racing and delivered some timely reminders from athletes returning to their best.

Women’s Race

The women were first to brave the notoriously difficult course in cold, wet conditions, while the men, later in the day, faced much improved conditions.

The race began panning out differently from usual, right from the gun, with Beth Potter (GBR) leading through the first lap, a position she does not typically find herself in. With Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) absent, Potter was among the clear favorites and off to a promising start.

She exited the water second, one of five Brits also near the front in the top 10. Reigning world champion Lisa Tertsch (GER) was first onto the bike after a lightning-quick transition and began to lead an initially large group, before the slippery roads quickly took their toll.

Crashes disrupted the field as athletes negotiated the wet corners, setting the tone for a difficult day. One of the top contenders, Jessica Fullager, was in a four-athlete crash on the first lap. The front group began to splinter before, in a flash, the race-deciding breakaway took off.

Unsurprisingly, Taylor-Brown and Spivey were involved, alongside Austrian Feuersinger. The trio took advantage of the disconnected chase behind and the dynamics of a hilly course that famously rewards cyclists willing to commit. Their smaller group also made it easier to negotiate the technical corners, especially in the wet.

The three stayed away for the remaining laps, eventually building a well-deserved 2:31 advantage over a chase group containing world champions Potter and Tertsch, along with Jeanne Lehair (LUX).

Spivey had a great transition and led onto the run. Having finished second here last year behind Potter, the American was clearly hoping to go one better and claim her first WTCS victory.

Taylor-Brown, however, quickly showed that she had the stronger running legs. Coming off an outstanding second-place finish behind Beaugrand at the Supertri Pro Series final, she gradually pulled away from Spivey and took control of the race early.

Behind them, Tertsch was rapidly making inroads on Feuersinger, who had fallen off the pace of the leading pair. The Austrian was eventually caught on the fourth lap as Tertsch fought her way into a podium position but was just too far back off the bike to catch the two up ahead.

Up front, Taylor-Brown would not be caught. After three years without a WTCS victory, she returned to the top step with an emotional win.

Spivey had to settle for second again, but she had been a catalyst all day to earn her position. Tertsch’s strong run secured third, while Lehair finished fourth ahead of Feuersinger. Potter had to settle for sixth.

Men’s Race

In the unique swim course featuring numerous buoy turns, the chaos started early for the men as the field jammed together around the first buoy. It was clear waters, however, for Chase McQueen (USA), who led the way through the opening lap around the island, with Márk Dévay (HUN) also near the front, avoiding the congestion behind.

Top contenders Léo Bergère (FRA) and Yee, both mounting their returns to the top of the sport, found themselves behind early in a tough swim that spread out the field. Yee emerged around a minute back, still working to rediscover his speed in the water, while Bergère limited his losses enough to stay within reach of the front heading onto the bike.

2023 world champion Coninx moved through transition at lightning speed, mounting his bike first and beginning the notoriously demanding ride.

But it was Bergère who decided the pace needed to be pushed further on the city circuit. His attack drew Coninx, and the two rode clear of the group before Dévay joined them and Tjebbe Kaindl (AUT) bridged across to make it four.

Behind, the chasers, including series hopeful Miguel Hidalgo (BRA), alongside Yee, Tim Hellwig (GER), and John Reed (USA), fell further behind.

That gap continued to balloon as the larger chase group stalled on the narrow, hilly streets. On a course that offered little advantage to simply sitting in the pack, the four leaders made their commitment count, working together in turn.

Finally, it was then Kaindl’s turn to break away on the final lap, earning a further 12 seconds over his three companions. The main chase pack, including Yee, was now more than two minutes behind.

Like Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) at the 70.3 World Championship on the same day, Yee now had a mountain to climb – but with half the running distance to do it.

Kaindl started the run well, especially considering he had raced Ironman 70.3 Zell am See-Kaprun just a couple of weeks earlier. Coninx, however, began reeling him in and took over at the front during the second lap.

Behind, Yee was swallowing up the deficit. With just 5km to go, he had cut the gap to around a minute and moved into fourth. Suddenly, the unthinkable was beginning to look possible.

As the run entered its closing stages, Yee reeled in Kaindl to move into second, leaving only Coninx ahead.

In the end, the Frenchman had just enough in hand, holding on by 10 seconds to claim a paramount victory of his season. Yee’s remarkable 29:16 10km run brought him back onto the podium and put the short-course world on notice once more as he continues rebuilding toward Los Angeles 2028 after focusing on just running following his Paris gold medal.

Kaindl held on for third, earning a deserved podium after spending the day helping shape the race from the front.

All Eyes on Pontevedra

Ahead of the Grand Final in Pontevedra in two weeks, Coninx’s win moves him to fifth overall and well within reach of the series podium, with Ricardo Batista and Miguel Hidalgo, who both finished behind him in this race, now less than 100 points ahead. Vasco Vilaça still holds a commanding lead, almost 800 points clear of third, with Matthew Hauser 350 points back in second.

For the women, Cassandre Beaugrand has gone a perfect four for four and would have been happy to see Potter’s tally stay unchanged here. She remains over 200 points clear, while Tilda Månsson and Tertsch sit more than 350 points back. Taylor-Brown now leaps above Spivey into seventh after this result.

No matter the standings, both championships, as we have seen over the last several years, will come down to that all-important race in Pontevedra – where more points, prize money, and, of course, glory are all at stake.