Cyclist13 talking points from the UCI World Championships 2026Brandon McNulty and Demi Vollering claimed the rainbow jerseys in the road races at the World Championships over the weekend. Now that the dust is settling in Montral, Robyn looks back at 13 talking points from the men and womens races.The natural order of things?Dario Belingheri/Getty ImagesWell if Tadej Pogaar wasnt around to defend his rainbow jersey, it makes sense that another member of his crushingly dominating UAE Team Emirates XRG trade team should pick up the mantle. The United States team was incredibly strong, packing Matteo Jorgenson (second at Tirreno-Adriatico) and Quinn Simmons (National Road Race Champion) in addition to Pogaars super-domestique Brandon McNulty (third at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montral). It would be the latter that escaped off the front in the final 32.5km, riding solo to claim the biggest victory of his career so far.The chasing group did have him in their sights at one pointGroup two syndrome hits once moreGroup two syndrome. As frustrating to watch as it is to be in, I imagine. The second cohort on the road which contained former World Champions Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel plus young prodigies Isaac del Toro and Paul Seixas could see the American tantalisingly close as his legs began to stall on the final ascent of the Voie Camillien-Houde.Then, with 10km remaining, the decisive blow. Group two riders refused to collaborate further and soft pedalled instead, leaving them strung out across the road with no formation whatsoever. The gap swelled back out to half a minute. Switzerlands Mauro Schmid launched an attack towards the 5km mark. Great Britains Tom Pidcock followed. It wouldnt change the outcome. The two remaining medals would be decided via a sprint. Michael Matthews (Australia) claimed silver as Van der Poel (Netherlands) took home the bronze.Get Paul Seixas a psychologistJean Catuffe/Getty ImagesWhen Schmid and Pidcock tried their hand, Seixas fell behind. The 20-year-old Frenchman clutched his thigh in the last 4km and Thomas Voeckler emerged from the window of the team car to put an arm around his shoulders. Cramp at the death. After he crossed the line, Seixas was very open in an interview with Eurosport in which he said: What I did today is a disgrace. Cramping up like that, its a rookie mistake. Ive never cramped up in my life on a bike, today I must have made a mistake somewhere.Im extremely disappointed, not only for myself because its what I deserve, but for all of France, for the whole team. They did an incredible job, they dont deserve a leader like me.Theres possessing a winners mentality and then theres an attitude to defeat thats bordering on unhealthy. Sure, the interview was in the heat of the moment, but France and Decathlon CMA CGM would do well to sit the young rider down with a sports psychologist to unpick the World Championships and the weight of a nation he is clearly carrying on his shoulders in an attempt to aid his mental state lest he burn out too quickly.Tom Pidcock says Isaac del Toro was working for Brandon McNultyGreat Britains Pidcock was incredibly active during the road race, attacking with all his might only to finish seventh overall. Speaking to Cyclingnews, he said: [Isaac] del Toro was obviously working for McNulty in the end there.While Del Toro (Mexico) and McNulty (United States) are of a different nationality, they ride for the same trade team in UAE Team Emirates XRG. However, as Escape Collective noted, Del Toro was doing more work than the other favourites on the front.Even though Del Toro sat next to the barriers appearing to sob after the finish, he still notched fifth place to improve on his seventh place in Kigali last year. Thats something to be proud of.Belgians leave empty handedEvenepoel was expected to do more in the road race having already won a gold medal in the time-trial, but the former rainbow jersey wearer could only scrape a 12th place. When Thibau Nys pulled out of the road race, he revealed that his teammate wasnt feeling too good, and it tracks when Evenepoel was looking as more of a follower and less of a main character on the 273.4km route around Montral.Wout van Aert did attack in the last 88km but couldnt equal the pace of Van der Poels group. He ended up switching to helping Evenepoel, yet neither had the legs expected on the day.Ben Healy does what Ben Healy does bestDuracell bunny Ben Healy was back in action at the World Championships having scored a bronze medal last year. The Irishman was frequently bounding off on attack after attack after attack, his typical tenacious spirit on show. He finished 10th overall.Vladimir Kovacik saves SlovakiaSlovakias team took a hit before the road race even started. National Champion Luk Kubi was prevented from riding by trade team Unibet Rose Rockets, while Matthias Schwarzbacher and Martin Svrcek were both injured. The loss of UCI points and sanctioning from the team not taking part would be critical for Olympic Games qualification.Step forward: team masseuse Vladimr Kovik. The 28-year-old previously rode from Continental team Dukla Banska Bystrica in 2016 with his last race in 2017 and was called upon to save the day. Save the day he did, as he rode over 100km before DNFing, his participation ensuring the UCI points were not lost.Demi Vollering and the Triple CrownDario Belingheri/Getty ImagesWhat a season this has been for the Netherlands Demi Vollering. It was only right that her year end in the rainbow jersey, such has been her dominance, and by doing so she secured the one big road race missing from her palmars.This feat achieved the Triple Crown where a rider wins the Giro dItalia, Tour de France and Worlds road race in the same year. Well have to start making up new achievement names at the rate Vollering is winning races.From France to CanadaTim de Waele/Getty ImagesThat being said, the road race title didnt come to Vollering easily. Puck Pieterse set her up to go on the offensive with 38.5km remaining. Behind, Polands Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney and Italys Elisa Longo Borghini splintered off from the chasers to hunt her down. And much like the shock when Enric Mas caught up with Pogaar in the Vuelta a Espaa, the duo surprisingly ended up locking onto Vollering rear wheel. It was the Tour de France Femmes podium in action. Naturally, the crme de la crme came to the fore.Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney tried and tried againI made the comment that Niewiadoma-Phinney didnt just look hungry during the road race, she looked starving. By that I dont mean she was craving a few gels, rather her fierce dedication to attacking gave me the sense that she would force this rainbow jersey onto her palmars by any means necessary. Attack, attack, attack. That felt like her motto. Sadly she would be undone by cramp just as the sprint finish between herself and Vollering got underway.Elisa Longo Borghini gets another bronzeItalys Elisa Longo Borghini tacked on another bronze medal to her collection at the finish in Montral. It matches her best results of third in 2020 and 2024. On her performance, which included an attack as the bell rang for the final lap, she said: Id rather lose like a champion than beat her like a loser.Missed feed damages Marlen Reussers hopesSwitzerlands Marlen Reusser successfully defended her time-trial title earlier in the World Championships and lined up for the road race having previously scored a best finish of fourth place in 2023. She was a strong engine when it came to trying to hunt Vollering down, but she was out of position at the crucial moment having returned to her team car for food. Utilising her time-trial skills, she had Longo Borghini and bronze in her sights yet ran out of road, finishing just four seconds off the podium.She also had some words for her rivals afterwards. There were a lot of people racing for second. Its right after the race and its just whats in me now. I need to watch it back. But my feeling is that we raced for secondYes, it was my choice and my mistake, but I know that if Im just sitting on, [Vollering] will have won. If you give her too much of a gap, the race is over. So I started pulling and I showed full commitment, and the others benefitted from that. I pulled and pulled, everybody attacked, and it was impossible to follow all the attacks.Injury updatesIt was a concerning moment when Caroline Andersson of Sweden looked motionless following the large 15-rider crash that took place 85km into the day. Fortunately an update was later given that the 25-year-old was conscious, but required surgery for a broken collarbone. Lauretta Hanson (Australia) was also affected with broken ribs.Defending champion Magdeleine Vallieres (Canada) hit the ground too. She reported no broken bones however was forced to abandon the race.For more on the UCI World Championships, visit our hub pageThe post 13 talking points from the UCI World Championships 2026 appeared first on Cyclist.