The 2026 UCI Road World Championships are underway in Montréal, Canada. From September 24 to 26, the Championships entered the road-race phase, with the men’s events featuring the Junior Men’s Road Race and the Men Under-23 Road Race.
On September 24, Spanish rider Benjamín Noval claimed the Junior Men’s Road Race world title with a powerful solo ride, adding a second rainbow jersey to the one he had already won in the individual time trial. On September 25, American rider Ashlin Barry produced a solo attack of more than 30 kilometres to win the Men Under-23 Road Race world title.
There was no men’s road race on September 26. The Elite Men’s Road Race, the final men’s road race of the Championships, is scheduled for September 27.
September 24: Benjamín Noval Wins the Junior Men’s World Title with a Solo Ride
On September 24, the men’s road-race competition at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships officially got underway with the Junior Men’s Road Race on the Mont-Royal circuit in Montréal.
The race covered 134 kilometres over 10 laps. A total of 157 riders representing 64 nations took on the demanding Mont-Royal circuit. The Voie Camillien-Houde climb was one of the key features of the course, with repeated ascents gradually reducing the size of the peloton and creating opportunities for attacks in the latter stages of the race.
The race opened aggressively, with France’s Lancelot Gayant showing his willingness to attack. He found an opening alongside Norway’s Sindre Orholm-Lønseth and Belgium’s Sander Willems, and the trio moved clear from the third lap. The peloton then exploded with a series of attacks on the sixth lap.
As the race entered its final 30 kilometres, Spanish rider Benjamín Noval and France’s Simon Defrance bridged across to the front group.
Noval then launched his decisive attack as he crossed the finish line and headed towards the penultimate ascent of Voie Camillien-Houde. The Spaniard quickly established a gap and eventually covered the final 26.8 kilometres alone.
A French pursuit duo formed behind him, with Defrance and Gayant joining forces in an attempt to close the gap. However, Noval maintained his advantage all the way to the finish.
Noval completed the 134-kilometre race in 3 hours, 23 minutes and 35 seconds to claim the Junior Men’s World Championship title. Defrance finished second, 42 seconds behind, while Sweden’s Elias Wendel took third, 2 minutes and 12 seconds down.
The top three in the Junior Men’s Road Race were:
1st: Benjamín Noval (Spain)
2nd: Simon Defrance (France), +42 seconds
3rd: Elias Wendel (Sweden), +2 minutes 12 seconds
The victory was particularly significant for Noval. Two days earlier, he had already won the Junior Men’s Individual Time Trial title. By adding the road-race rainbow jersey, he became only the second rider after Remco Evenepoel to win both the Junior Men’s individual time trial and road race at the same UCI Road World Championships.
Noval’s double victory marks another important milestone in his development. The Spanish rider is set to move into the professional ranks with Netcompany Ineos next season, making his performance in Montréal an important statement ahead of his transition to elite-level racing.
September 25: Ashlin Barry Completes a 30-Kilometre Solo Attack to Win the Men Under-23 World Title
On September 25, the Men Under-23 Road Race continued the men’s road-race programme in Montréal.
The race covered 174.2 kilometres over 13 laps of the Montréal circuit, with the demanding course testing the riders’ endurance, climbing ability and tactical decision-making. The repeated climbs of Camillien-Houde and Côte de la Polytechnique played an important role in gradually selecting the field.
Attacks began early in the race, but the peloton maintained a high pace and prevented the early moves from establishing a decisive advantage. As the race progressed into its second half, the field became increasingly fragmented and the group of genuine contenders gradually took shape.
American rider Ashlin Barry remained among the key riders at the front throughout the race and demonstrated his strength when the decisive phase arrived.
With around 30 kilometres remaining, Barry launched his decisive attack. He managed to distance his rivals and established a solo lead.
Behind him, the chasing group attempted to organise a pursuit, but Barry maintained a strong and consistent pace. Despite continued pressure from the riders behind during the closing laps, the American successfully defended his advantage.
Barry eventually completed the 174.2-kilometre race in 4 hours, 17 minutes and 35 seconds to become the Men Under-23 World Champion. Spain’s Héctor Álvarez finished second, while Norway’s Jesper Stiansen took third. Both riders finished 53 seconds behind Barry.
The top three in the Men Under-23 Road Race were:
1st: Ashlin Barry (United States) — 4:17:35
2nd: Héctor Álvarez (Spain) — +53 seconds
3rd: Jesper Stiansen (Norway) — +53 seconds
Barry’s victory was historic for the United States, as he became the country’s Men Under-23 Road Race World Champion. His performance was built around a decisive solo move in the final 30 kilometres, allowing him to stay clear of the chasing group all the way to the finish.
The victory also came on Barry’s 19th birthday, making the rainbow jersey an especially memorable birthday present for the American rider.
September 26: No Men’s Road Race as the Elite Showdown Moves into Its Final Preparation
There was no men’s road race on September 26 at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships.
According to the official UCI schedule, the Junior Men’s Road Race was held on September 24, followed by the Men Under-23 Road Race on September 25. The Elite Men’s Road Race is scheduled for September 27.
As a result, September 26 serves as the final preparation day before the Elite Men’s Road Race.
The final men’s road race of the Championships will bring together the world’s leading elite riders on Montréal’s demanding urban circuit. The combination of repeated climbs and a challenging final section is expected to make positioning, endurance and tactical decisions crucial throughout the race.
Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel had already won the Elite Men’s Individual Time Trial earlier in the Championships, securing another world title in the discipline.
With the Junior Men and Under-23 Men having already completed their rainbow-jersey battles, attention now turns to the final and most prestigious men’s road race of the 2026 Championships.
The Elite Men’s Road Race Is Set for the Final Showdown
On September 27, the Elite Men’s Road Race will bring the men’s road-race programme at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships to its conclusion.
From Noval’s long solo effort in the Junior Men’s race to Barry’s 30-kilometre solo attack in the Under-23 event, the first two men’s road races in Montréal have already demonstrated the demanding nature of the circuit and the importance of well-timed attacks.
The Elite Men’s World Championship will now provide the final battle for the men’s rainbow jersey. With the race distance and accumulated climbing placing increasing demands on the riders, both physical strength and tactical judgement will be essential in the closing stages.
Noval and Barry have already secured the first two men’s road-race rainbow jerseys for Spain and the United States. After a rest day from men’s road racing on September 26, all attention will turn to the Elite Men’s Road Race on September 27.
The final question of the men’s road-race programme at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships will then be decided: who will finish the Montréal Championships wearing the Elite Men’s rainbow jersey?
