Worlds gallery: A week on top of the world in Montreal
Kristof Ramon, Cor Vos
For the past nine days, Montreal has played host to a terrific World Championships. At the end of it all, 13 titles have been handed out across all age groups and disciplines, to a total of nine nations. The road races in particular presented blockbuster spectacles on the city's lumpy circuit, leaving a lasting impression of thrill and excitement as Monday dawned.
The week began with title defences for supreme talents Marlen Reusser (Switzerland) and Remco Evenepoel (Belgium), and momentum steadily built through the age-group time trials, the mixed relay and then into the first of the road races from Thursday. The displays that delivered Viktória Chladoňová (Slovakia), Benjamín Noval (Spain), Ashlin Barry (USA) and Alejandra Neira (Spain) to gold medals showed off Montreal's dramatic _parcours_ , and elevated anticipation for the elite races that closed it all out this weekend.
What followed were two of the most entertaining races of 2026, if not the absolute best of the season. There were solo efforts, fractured attacks, old rivalries, and riders of all categories throwing everything at the opportunity of a lifetime. Tour de France Femmes winner Demi Vollering (Netherlands) was a worthy champion in an elite women's race that essentially represented a highlight reel of the season's protagonists. Then, in the absence of reigning champ Tadej Pogačar, it was the Slovenian's trade teammate Brandon McNulty (United States) who triumphed in the extraordinary men's race.
With spectacular racing and the leaves beginning to turn in North America, the 2026 World Championships have been a treat for the eyeballs. This bumper gallery shows just some of the highlights from Kristof Ramon and Cor Vos.
In her elite debut, 22-year-old Zoe Bäckstedt raced a terrific time trial, a discipline she looks set to dominate in the years to come. The young Welsh rider's experience on the British TT scene set her up well for the extra-long effort.Reigning champ Marlen Reusser was the emphatic winner at the end of the 39.2-kilometre effort, the longest ITT any of the riders had ever contested in a UCI race.World Champs: Reusser defends ITT title after early challenge from BäckstedtMarlen Reusser celebrated her birthday in style, coming from behind to win her second world title by 40 seconds – Zoe Bäckstedt and Franzi Koch complete the podium.Escape CollectiveKit NicholsonAnother reigning champion, Remco Evenepoel stood head and shoulders above his rivals among the elite men.Two-time world champion Filippo Ganna was expected to do well on the power-friendly course, but the Italian was almost a minute slower at the finish.Evenepoel's loyal fan club followed him across the ocean to Canada.That's a historic four TT titles in a row for the Belgian.Paul Seixas joined Evenepoel and Ganna on the podium, and was handed the responsibility of capturing the traditional ceremonial selfie.
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