In the women’s triathlon, Potter, who competed on the track for Team GB in the 10,000m at the 2016 Rio Games, came to Paris as the defending world champion and the winner of last year’s test event.

She left the water in fifth behind Bermuda’s Flora Duffy, who won this title at the Tokyo Olympics but the slippery wet roads around Paris caused problems for several athletes in the cycling.

However, the leading contenders were able to stay safe and head off on the 10km run.

The run pace was strong from the start with Britain’s Georgia Taylor-Brown among those unable to stay with the leaders as a lead group of four formed with Potter joined by French duo Cassandre Beaugrand and Emma Lombardi and Switzerland’s Julie Derron.

Early in the final lap, Beaugrand made the decisive break and the others were unable to respond as she finished in 1:54.55.

Derron took silver, six seconds behind with Potter a further nine seconds back.