Max Kanter claimed victory at the 2026 Gooikse Pijl after a desperately close sprint finish, edging Frits Biesterbos on the line as Jordi Meeus completed the podium. The late breakaway of Johan Meens and Victor Hannes had kept the peloton working deep into the finale, but their resistance finally en...

Lightweight, quiet and tough way to carry 22L of stuff

Marlen Reusser celebrated her 35th birthday in perfect fashion at the 2026 World Championships in Montral, overturning an uncertain opening to dominate the second half of the womens elite individual time trial and successfully defend her rainbow jersey. The Swiss favourite stopped the clock in 50:...

Marlen Reusser defended her elite womens time-trial title with a measured effort over the 39.2km course in Montral, overcoming a spirited Zoe Bckstedt, who finished an impressive second place on her senior Worlds debut. Briton Bckstedt (Canyon-SRAM) led through the first two intermediate checks before the experienced Swiss rider turned the tide on the young pretender, winning in a time of 50:24, 40 seconds ahead.Germanys Franziska Koch (FDJ United-SUEZ) finished in third place ahead of Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team l'Imad) and Cdrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly). Reusser paced her time-trial to perfection, defending the title she won last year in Kigali, Rwanda, with an average speed just shy of 47km/h.On a flat course, Reusser powered over the long, straight sections, but held something back for a tricky last kilometre which featured a tough drag to the line. The Swiss put almost 30 seconds into Bckstedt at the very end. Reusser was delighted to take the win, especially as the race took place on her 35th birthday. "It's a good present. I also thought, if I win or not, anyway I have something to celebrate," the Movistar rider said afterwards. She commented on the length of the course, which was around double the distance of any other time-trial in the WorldTour this season. Despite her experience, Reusser was unclear on how to pace her effort. "It made me really nervous.On one hand I really was looking forward to it because it has so many challenges, technical aspects,which makes it much more interesting to ride,"she said."But from the side of pacing and understanding how fast you should goand how you should also cope with these challenges on the way,I was really nervous and I wasn't really sure because we don't have time trials like this often.""Until an hour ago I was not 100% sure and also on the course I was not 100% sure," Reusser added.Last off the start-ramp, Reusser came into the race as the favourite to retain her title. However, she said that she didn't feel pressure."I always tell myself there is no pressure.[Winning] should be something that is so difficult each time,no matter if you won before or not. It's a challenge each time again."It's always the same pressure because I think many of us are here to win and we do a lotand especially many people around us do a lot...We shouldn't have the pressure because it's sport. It's about trying to win and fighting."More to come...

Marlen Reusser crushed the opposition by more than 40 seconds to retain her World Championship time trial title in Montral, yet the Swiss star admitted afterwards that she was never entirely convinced she had judged her effort correctly. Reusser stopped the clock in 50:24.44 on Sunday, beating Grea...

Follow the elite mens individual time trial at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montral live this Sunday, 20 September. Following the womens race, the men will take centre stage as Remco Evenepoel attempts to defend his rainbow jersey and become the first rider in history to win four cons...

Mathieu van der Poel has completed his final race before the World Championships with an astonishing 170-kilometre solo victory at the Tour de Luxembourg - despite insisting afterwards that the move was never supposed to happen. The Dutchman found himself clear almost immediately after the start of...

The mens Under-23 individual time trial at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montral takes place on Monday, 21 September, with 72 riders set to battle for the rainbow jersey. Indonesias Deska Raya Adya will be the first rider down the start ramp at 17:58:30 CET, while Belgiums Matisse van...

There was no disappointment for Zoe Bckstedt this time. Last year's under-23 world champion was "over the moon" after taking silver in her elite Worlds time trial debut in Montral, weeks after a fourth-place finish at the Tour de France Femmes had left her so disappointed. The 21-year-old Welsh rider powered through the technical 39.2-kilometre course to finish 40 seconds behind Marlen Reusser. Germanys Franziska Koch completed the podium 5 seconds behind Bckstedt."At the Tour I was fourth, and I was really disappointed with this, and I think that was also a super good ride," Bckstedt told Cycling Weekly at the finish. "But immediately when I crossed the line here, I was over the moon."At 39.2 kilometres, it was the longest womens time trial course in UCI Road World Championships history, and 73% longer than the U23 course on which she won her title last year. Bckstedt could have chosen to defend her under-23 time trial title in Canada. Instead, she came to Montral to test herself against the world's best."I didnt know what to expect in a result. I couldve been anywhere from the win to top 10," she said. "And to come away with second I felt strong on the bike, which was really a positive thing."For a while, gold was in reach. Bckstedt led through the first two intermediate checks, giving fans at home a lot to cheer for."That's what I'm here for, right?" Bckstedt said with a laugh. "In the first half, when I heard the first time check, I was thinking, 'Okay, maybe its possible'," she admitted.(Image credit: Getty Images)Bckstedt knew, however, what Reusser could do on the faster second half of the course, and sure enough, the Swiss powerhouse turned the tide as the finish crept closer."I knew that in the flat parts she would bring a lot of time back on me, and she did. So, yeah, massive respect," Bckstedt said. Speaking to Cycling Weekly ahead of the race, she'd said that the time trial was her "moment to show what I can do."And that's exactly what she did.The silver medal offered an emphatic validation for Bckstedts decision to leave the under-23 competition behind, and announced her as a serious competitor in this discipline for seasons ahead. All in all, Bckstedt described the race as "painful" but also "quite fun."Attention now turns to the road race, where she will be one of Great Britains leaders. Alongside the confidence from silver, the time trial offered useful experience of tackling the finishing climb with tired legs."Its not quite simulating the feeling after 180K, but its giving somewhat of a feeling," she said.In the days to follow, Bckstedt will receive some massages, do some rides as well as some final interval work. But first: coffee. "I'm gonna go and get a coffee, put my legs up, get some good food," she said in closing.

Eleven years after Michael Matthews came within one place of becoming elite road world champion in Richmond, the Australian returns to North America for the 2026 World Championships another chance on terrain carrying some of his finest career memories. Matthews will turn 36 on the eve of the mens r...