Only Demi Vollering will wear the rainbow jersey, but the new world champion was clear about how many riders it took to win it. Her breakthrough in Montral belonged to an entire Dutch team that committed its strength and ambitions to getting her across the line first.Puck Pieterse's devastating acceleration that contributed to Vollering's first solo attack was perhaps the most visible effort, but every Dutch woman had played her role. Before Pieterse's attack, the Dutch spent long hours controlling the race, making adjustments when their carefully prepared formation was disrupted, and showing a collective willingness to keep working towards the same end goal. "It's my biggest victory of my career," Vollering said, in part because of how the team had raced. For Vollering, her teammates' commitment to go all in for her carried both reassurance and an enormous responsibility."You [race the world championships] with teammates who normally are your competitors," she said in the post-race press conference. "So it's hard to make a team work like they worked today. For that, I'm so thankful. I'm forever thankful for them for all their hard work."Vollering ultimately secured her first elite road world title by outsprinting long-time rival Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Poland). Elisa Longo Borghini completed the podium, while Pieterse finished sixth following her pivotal work in service of Vollering. Rich in talented riders, the Dutch are always a dominant force at the world championships. They have won five of the past 10 women's world road race titles, but their strength in numbers has sometimes been undermined by disjointed teamwork.This year, the orange team lined up with one clear leader and six carefully selected riders to race in her service. "In the past I have said it more often, that if you want to win a race with me, then we need to do it this way," Vollering said, about the solo leader tactic. "To set a team in front of me and really sacrifice every team member to also make the race very hard and stay in control. And that's what we did today. It really took all the effort from every single team member to get to this point."That clarity had been established months before the start with national coach Laurens ten Dam building the selection specifically and explicitly around Vollering.Before the race, Vollering revealed that a lot of conversations took place between Ten Dam and his riders to secure the riders' commitment. Vollering, in turn, welcomed the responsibility of being the sole leader, believing it could draw more from her when the decisive moment arrived.Still, it was a considerable thing to ask of riders who could have had a chance of a medal themselves. "It takes guts to ask this from a team," Vollering said. "I take a lot of strong Dutch girls with me, they all sacrifice their own chances for me, and then I will finish it off for you. But you don't know if you can finish it off."It's very hard to say that as well, to say, OK girls, you need to work very hard for me, and then I will take the jersey for you.' But there is also a chance I cannot do it."Her willingness to make that request, and to accept the uncertainty attached to it, was part of what she felt had changed.Year by year, Vollering explained, she had become better at coping with and accepting the pressure that comes with being one of the top cyclists in the world. She trained her mind, learned how to control her emotions and, just as importantly, learned to tell the people around her what she needed. She could ask for complete commitment of her team without treating the possibility of defeat as something unbearable."I can stay calm in the race and know that if it will not work out, the world will not end," she said. "In the past maybe it would feel like this as well, but now I also know that it's not like this."The Dutch put that trust into practice throughout the race. Lieke Nooijen and Amber Kraak helped manage the early breakaway. Later, when Femke de Vries' crash disrupted the intended lead-out, Riejanne Markus rearranged responsibilities. Swinkels took charge before Pieterse delivered the final acceleration on Camillien-Houde with three laps remaining.The sequence had a familiar shape. During reconnaissance, Swinkels, De Vries and Pieterse had helped launch Vollering towards a record time on the climb. Race day demanded changes in personnel, but the principle survived: sustained pressure from the team, then Vollering's attack.Pieterse's contribution was especially punishing. She continued driving as the gradient eased, extending the effort rather than allowing the favourites a moment to recover."The effort had to be as long as possible. So I just went full gas there," Pieterse said afterwards."When Demi eventually went, I looked behind and there was actually nobody on my wheel anymore. I thought, well, that was hard enough."Vollering accelerated clear around 38km from the finish, catching and passing lone leader Maeva Squiban. But Niewiadoma-Phinney and Longo Borghini eventually reached her with approximately 15km remaining, and Juliette Berthet subsequently joined them.The solo victory the Dutch had worked to create was gone. Vollering had prepared for that, too."I have seen every single scenario coming by in my head," she said. "I've visualised this race a million hours, it feels like."The first scenario was to do an attack and stay out solo. That was, of course, the most ideal one. But then Plan B was, if they come back, that you switch as soon as possible to another scenario."Longo Borghini's attack at the start of the final lap forced another response. Vollering caught her on the last ascent of Camillien-Houde, with Niewiadoma-Phinney following, before the Italian fell away."If she stays out over the top of this climb, then we have a problem," Vollering recalled thinking. "I knew I just had to pace this climb as hard as I could and catch her back before the top."You don't know what you can still do and what the others can still do. It was a nervous moment as well."Behind her, Pieterse had reached her own limit. She had tried to disrupt the chase after dropping back from her lead-out, but could no longer follow when the strongest pursuers went across.Even then, she trusted Vollering to finish the job."Demi has a really good sprint as well," Pieterse said. "I trusted that, if they came back, they would all be completely exhausted and she would still be the strongest."That belief mattered to Vollering. The work already done on her behalf gave her another reason to persist through the uncertainty."It really helped to have a team who worked so hard the whole day for you," she said. "You have all the weight on your shoulders to finish it off as well."Afterwards, she described the title as probably the biggest victory of her career, in part because bringing together riders who ordinarily compete against one another makes a World Championships so difficult to win."There were so many years that I also tried so hard and it didn't work out, and you're devastated as well," Vollering said."But this year it's finally worked out for me. I'm so incredibly proud to have delivered here and wear this beautiful jersey."

Womens Elite Road Race ResultSaturday 26 September Brossard to Montral180.1km 2,570m climbing 49 finishers of 141Parc Jeanne-Mance winners average 37.90km/hDemi Vollering won the womens elite road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Montral on Saturday 26 September, taking the rainbow jersey in a sprint from Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney after 180.1km from Brossard.The Dutchwoman and the Pole were given the same time of 4:45:09, with Elisa Longo Borghini four seconds back for bronze and Marlen Reusser fourth at eight. Juliette Berthet was fifth at 39 seconds and Puck Pieterse sixth.It is a first elite road race world title for Vollering, and completes a week in which she had already finished eighth in the time trial. Reusser, who won that time trial on the opening day, came up four seconds short of a second medal of the championships.Longo Borghinis bronze adds to the gold she won in the mixed relay with Italy on Tuesday, when she rode the womens leg alongside Vittoria Guazzini and Monica Trinca Colonel.The closing circuits over Mount Royal cut the field to pieces once again. Of 141 starters from 57 nations, only 49 were classified 89 abandons and three non-starters over 180.1km with 2,570m of climbing.Ireland had no entry in the womens elite race. The championships conclude on Sunday with the mens elite road race, where Ben Healy, Darren Rafferty, Ryan Mullen and Jamie Meehan ride for Ireland.ResultRRResult Womens Elite Road RaceSat 26 September 2026 Montral 180.1km 49 classified1Demi VOLLERING (14)NED 4:45:092Kasia NIEWIADOMA-PHINNEY (36)POL +03Elisa LONGO BORGHINI (18)ITA +44Marlen REUSSER (31)SUI+85Juliette BERTHET (39)FRA+396Puck PIETERSE (12)NED+1:367Celia GERY (41)FRA+2:558Dominika WLODARCZYK (38)POL+4:169Maeva SQUIBAN (45)FRA+5:4810Franziska KOCH (47)GER+5:5111Pfeiffer GEORGI (59)GBR+8:3412Eleonora Camilla GASPARRINI (17)ITA+8:3413Steffi HABERLIN (29)SUI+8:3414Liane LIPPERT (48)GER+8:3415Noemi RUEGG (32)SUI+8:3416Henrietta CHRISTIE (63)NZL+8:3417Sarah VAN DAM (7)CAN+8:3418Lauren DICKSON (58)GBR+8:3419Ashleigh MOOLMAN PASIO (92)RSA+8:3420Lotte KOPECKY (53)BEL+8:3421Kristen FAULKNER (76)USA+8:3422Sara CASASOLA (16)ITA+8:3423Paula PATINO (88)COL+8:3424Shari BOSSUYT (51)BEL+8:3425Monica TRINCA COLONEL (21)ITA+8:3426Margarita GARCIA (25)ESP+8:4027Margot VANPACHTENBEKE (56)BEL+8:4028Antonia NIEDERMAIER (49)GER+8:4029Karlijn SWINKELS (13)NED+8:4030Silvia PERSICO (20)ITA+8:4831Mireia BENITO (23)ESP+8:4832Cedrine KERBAOL (42)FRA+8:4833Ginia CALUORI (28)SUI+8:5134Zoe BACKSTEDT (57)GBR+9:0335Francesca BARALE (15)ITA+12:3836Nina BERTON (98)LUX+14:2137Ana Vitoria MAGALHAES (129)BRA+14:2138Riejanne MARKUS (10)NED+14:2139Amanda SPRATT (70)AUS+14:2140Lauren STEPHENS (79)USA+15:3141Nadia GONTOVA (4)CAN+15:3342Sarah GIGANTE (68)AUS+15:3343Marte Berg EDSETH (71)NOR+15:3344Lieke NOOIJEN (11)NED+15:3345Kim LE COURT (66)MRI+15:3346Anna HENDERSON (60)GBR+15:3347Katharina SADNIK (82)AUT+15:3348Femke DE VRIES (8)NED+15:3349Evita MUZIC (44)FRA+15:33Did Not FinishDNFNon-finishers89 abandons and three non-startersDNFSolbjork ANDERSON (86)DENDNFOlha KULYNYCH (96)UKRDNFLinda RIEDMANN (50)GERDNFMarta LACH (35)POLDNFNika BOBNAR (85)SLODNFTiril JORGENSEN (73)NORDNFSandrine TAS (54)BELDNFLea CURINIER (40)FRADNFMarie LE NET (43)FRADNFJosie NELSON (61)GBRDNFUsoa OSTOLAZA (27)ESPDNFNatalie QUINN (78)USADNFErica MAGNALDI (19)ITADNFKate COURTNEY (75)USADNFGrace ARLANDSON (74)USADNFLotte CLAES (52)BELDNFJanika LOIV (114)ESTDNFAlison JACKSON (5)CANDNFRicarda BAUERNFEIND (46)GERDNFPetra ZSANKO (110)HUNDNFOlivia BARIL (2)CANDNFTeniel CAMPBELL (121)TTODNFHayley PREEN (93)RSADNFRaquel QUEIROS (126)PORDNFJulie VAN DE VELDE (55)BELDNFLinda ZANETTI (33)SUIDNFJasmin LIECHTI (30)SUIDNFAndrea RAMIREZ (108)MEXDNFAmber KRAAK (9)NEDDNFLaura ROJAS (90)COLDNFCatalina SOTO (109)CHIDNFJasmin SOTO (111)GUADNFCarina SCHREMPF (83)AUTDNFNiamh FISHER-BLACK (64)NZLDNFCecilie LUDWIG (87)DENDNFRomina HINOJOSA (107)MEXDNFClaudette NYIRARUKUNDO (106)RWADNFMagdeleine VALLIERES MILL (1)CANDNFAdele NORMAND (6)CANDNFArgyro MILAKI (116)GREDNFLisa BONE (91)RSADNFAgua ESPINOLA (136)PARDNFDaniela CAMPOS (125)PORDNFAnn-Christine ALLIK (113)ESTDNFSigrid Ytterhus HAUGSET (72)NORDNFAlexis MAGNER (77)USADNFSara MARTIN (26)ESPDNFMaggie COLES-LYSTER (3)CANDNFDiana PENUELA (89)COLDNFXaveline NIRERE (105)RWADNFShimeng ZHU (102)CHNDNFAntri CHRISTOFOROU (124)CYPDNFBeatriz ROXO (127)PORDNFVera LOOSER (128)NAMDNFMonaliza CHNESLASIE (112)ERIDNFUrsula LINDEN (119)FINDNFKarin ABE (123)JPNDNFFaina POTAPOVA (97)KAZDNFValeriia KONONENKO (95)UKRDNFMary Joyce MONTON (130)PHIDNFSkye DAVIDSON (137)ZIMDNFJulia BORGSTROM (81)SWEDNFPaula BLASI (24)ESPDNFAidi Gerde TUISK (115)ESTDNFGergana STOYANOVA (134)BULDNFKristina NOVIKOVA (99)AINDNFDiane INGABIRE (104)RWADNFZhaoqi FENG (100)CHNDNFMagh Firotika MARENDA (117)INADNFRotem GAFINOVITZ (135)ISRDNFMadina KAKHKHOROVA (94)UZBDNFWendy DUCREUX (122)PANDNFChristina SCHWEINBERGER (84)AUTDNFChanpeng NONTASIN (118)THADNFMishael ALHAZMI (140)KSADNFKaja RYSZ (37)POLDNFFlora PERKINS (62)GBRDNFMarta JASKULSKA (34)POLDNFLauretta HANSON (69)AUSDNFCaroline ANDERSSON (80)SWEDNFXin TANG (101)CHNDNFGeorgia BAKER (67)AUSDNFNesrine HOUILI (120)ALGDNFKendra TABU (133)KENDNFTereza KURNICKA (103)SVKDNFSajedeh SIYAHIAN (131)IRIDNFMonica KIPLAGAT (132)KENDNFRongina NGANDU (138)ZIMDNFAnta NDIAYE (139)SENDNSSandra ALONSO (22)ESPDNSLucie DE MARIGNYLAGESSE (65)MRIDNSRamadhan NAJMA (141)COMPhotosPhotography by B Sutton IrishCyclingNews.comThe post Results : Elite Womens World Championships Road Race 2026 appeared first on IrishCyclingNews.com | Irish Cycling News | IrishCycling.

The Montral World Championships take place from the 20th to the 27th of September and will take over the cycling world. Below, you will find all the information regarding the dates of all events, the start and finishing times for both local and European time. The event will be split into two parts...

Marlen Reusser finished fourth at the Montral World Championships but was disappointed with the outcome of the race. The Swiss rider had the legs, but couldn't enter the medals in the final kilometers of the race. The Movistar rider has put in several strong performances this year that propelled h...

Construction workers this week were busy working on a section of the new cycle path between the Liffey Cycle Route at City Quay and the Clontarf route at Connolly Station on Amiens Street.The active work sites are currently around the Talbot Memorial Bridge, where the footpath on the western side is to be widened and a two-way cycle path will be provided beside it, and along the east edge of Custom House, where the contra-flow cycle track and a traffic lane are to be transformed into part of the two-way cycle path.IMAGES: Main image, works on the Talbot Memorial Bridge, and directly above, an artists impression of the cycle path and wider footpath.As previously reported, once finished, the new cycle path will allow for a direct, segregated route over 12km from OConnell Bridge to Sutton Cross.The cycle path is part of this years planned Dublin City Centre Transport Plan measures and will include a unique feature for Ireland: a two-way cycle path in the centre of a street, protected by large planters.The project will start at the current southern end of the Clontarf to City Centre route outside Connolly Station. At this point there will be a traffic-light-controlled switch-over to a new two-way cycle path running in the middle of Amiens Street. The two-way cycle path in the centre of the road will have no points where motorists can cross over it.The route will then run on the east side of the traffic island between Busras, Custom House and the IFSC, before crossing over to the east side of Custom House and finally running along the Talbot Memorial Bridge where it will link with the two-way cycle path on the South Quays from the Docklands to OConnell Bridge.Images of progress so far:As these photos were taken on Thursday afternoon show, a lane on the Talbot Memorial Bridge is being used to build the cycle path:While the cycle path will be mainly planter-protected, concrete islands are being built at junctions: A new bus lane has been marked out from the cycle path location along the east side of Custom House: The rest of the area planned for the cycle path is currently fenced off ahead of work getting underway:MORE: Two-way cycle path in middle of roadway on Amiens Street to link Clontarf route to quays

Wout Van Aert and Remco Evenepoel lead the Belgian team at the 2026 World Championships and will both be contenders to take the rainbow jersey at the men's elite road race. In the past, the duo have not always achieved their goal together. Can that happen this time around? The Team Visma | Lease a...

Dem Vollering has become World Champion for the first time in her career at the Montral World Championships. The FDJ-Suez rider was the strongest in the Canadian road race and managed to beat Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Elisa Longo Borghini to take the victory. "I think I can still not believe it. Li...

After a race of attrition around Montral, Demi Vollering emerged victorious to become World Champion in the elite womens road race, as she beat Kasia Niewiadoma in a two-up sprint to claim the first rainbow jersey of her career.

The 2026 women's road race world championships has been won by Demi Vollering. The Dutchwoman was the main favourite for the road race, but had to go to the limit on several occasions to take the rainbow jersey for the first time in her career; beating Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Elisa Longo Borghini....

A major crash marred the women's elite road race at the UCI World Championships in Montral on Saturday, sending at least two riders to hospital and forcing several medal contenders to abandon.Around 15 riders came down hard with approximately 95 kilometres remaining on a downhill stretch along Rue Saint-Urbain. The pile-up split the peloton and left several riders requiring medical attention.Australia's Lauretta Hanson was taken to hospital on a stretcher and in a neckbrace for observation, according to Australian media. Details of her injuries have yet to be confirmed.Sweden's Caroline Andersson received roadside medical attention before she, too, was transported to hospital. Swedish Cycling Federation president Thomas Backteman has shared that she is conscious and receiving treatment, adding that she appeared able to move her arms and legs. The extent of her injuries remains unclear.Sweden's Julia Borgstrm stopped to help Andersson before withdrawing in tears. Backteman said Borgstrm was physically OK but shaken by what had happened.Others got up and remounted their bikes with torn kit and bloodied skin, attempting to salvage their races. Defending champion Magdeleine Vallires initially continued, but both she and Spain's Paula Blasi ultimately abandoned, removing two leading medal contenders from the race.While the crash happened long before the decisive final laps, there is no doubt it reshaped the contest. Along with the withdrawals, a lot of riders got caught up behind the disruption and were now forced to chase including Australia's Sarah Gigante, USA's Kate Courtney and Mauritius's Kim Le Court-Pienaar.For Vallires, the crash brought an emotional end to her title defence on home roads. Tears ran down her face as she climbed back onto her bike and continued around the circuit. With visible wounds to her leg and hand, she completed the lap before a deafening crowd welcomed her up the finishing straight, where she abandoned.Blasi described road rash but little pain after withdrawing and criticised the risks being taken in the bunch. "When the race entered the circuit, it was crazy," she said, according to our sister site, Cyclingnews. "People were taking too many risks."The race remains ongoing. Cycling Weekly will report on the outcome and further medical updates as they become available.