Sardinia – with Cagliari – has been a staple on the WTCS circuit in recent years but there’s a change of venue in 2025 in the shape of Alghero on the northwest coast of the island.
It’s the third stop of the 2025 WTCS schedule after Abu Dhabi in February and Yokohama just a couple of weeks ago,
We’re at Olympic distance again, this time alongside the pristine waters of the Mediterranean, with both the elite women and men racing on Saturday May 31.
In our preview below, you can find all the information you need on start times, how to watch live and a rundown of the leading contenders.
Start time, how to watch live and course details
The women will race first in Alghero, with the gun going off at 11:30 local time, which is CEST. This corresponds to 10:30 in the UK, 05:30 on the East Coast and 02:30 on the West Coast.
For the men, the race will begin at 15:45 local time. That’s 14:45 in the UK, 09:45 on the East Coast and 06:45 on the West Coast.
All the action will be available to watch live via Triathlonlive.tv
The race will start from San Giovanni beach, with the 1500m swim taking place over two laps. Average water temperature for this time of year is between 15.5 degrees Celsius up to 21.
We’re promised a bike course featuring plenty of ups and downs as well as tight turns and the 40km will be split into nine laps.
And then the 10km run is four 2.5km loops through the centre of Alghero and along the seafront.
WTCS Alghero 2025 Elite Women
The big question ahead pf this weekend is what sort of shape Olympic champion Cassandre Beaugrand will be in after her crash in the rain in Yokohama.
She never looked happy throughout that race and said as much afterwards, writing on Instagram: “Had zero energy from the start, totally drained, lost focus and hit the ground. Luckily nothing broken.”
Having missed Abu Dhabi and taken zero points in Japan she is in the unaccustomed #32 bib on Saturday – but remember it was WTCS Cagliari 12 months ago where she started the winning run which took her to Olympic gold.
Wearing number one is Germany’s Lisa Tertsch after her win in Abu Dhabi and third place in Yokohama and it’s the winner of the latter – Jeanne Lehair (LUX) – who sports #2.
Beth Potter (GBR) split that pair in Japan and was pleased with being right in the mix after what was her first hit out of 2025 following her two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics.
It will be fascinating to see how 2016 Olympic champion Gwen Jorgensen (USA) goes after her fourth place in Yokohama, her best WTCS result since returning to the sport. Judging by her pre-race comments she won’t be satisfied with anything other than a podium spot in Sardinia.
There’s no doubt about the strongest team – that’s Germany, with the likes of Selina Klamt, Anabel Knoll, Annika Koch and Tanja Neubert all there in addition to Tertsch.
Leonie Periault (FRA) will be a threat to all and Olivia Mathias (GBR) will be looking to continue her upward trajectory after some eye-catching running displays earlier this year.
Those athletes such as Taylor Spivey and Kate Waugh, who are potentially combining short course and middle distance, are missing as T100 San Francisco takes place on the very same day.
WTCS Alghero 2025 Elite Men
We’re again missing the Paris Olympics one-two of Alex Yee and Hayden Wilde, the former easing back into triathlon after his London Marathon exploits while great rival Wilde takes the first steps back after that nasty bike crash in Tokyo.
However Paris third Léo Bergere is on the start list – and part of a formidable French line up which also includes Dorian Coninx, Pierre Le Corre, Yanis Seguin and Tom Richard.
But the favourite has to be Aussie Matthew Hauser after his impressive success in Yokohama where he burned off his rivals one by one on the run.
Vasco Vilaca (POR) stayed with him longest and reopposes as does third-placed Miguel Hidalgo (BRA). In fact, of the top 10 in Japan it’s only Britain’s Ben Dijkstra who does travel to Sardinia.
The Brits send a three-strong squad of Max Stapley, Hugo Milner and Jack Willis.
