The 2026 UCI Road Cycling World Championships are coming to Montreal, Canada, with men’s and women’s time trial and road races spread over a week from 20 September to 27 September.
Over that time, there are 13 competitions for national teams in different age categories, as well as a Team Time Trial Mixed Relay. They culminate in the 180.4km elite women's road race on Saturday 26 and 273.4km men’s road race on Sunday 27 September, which will decide who will wear the coveted rainbow stripes throughout the next year in the WorldTour’s elite races.
If you want to catch all the action wherever you live, we have a how to watch guide for the Montreal World Championships. Here, we’ll set out the schedule of events and times, all in Montreal’s Eastern Daylight Time time zone, which is 4 hours behind GMT, along with a route breakdown and riders to watch.
Road Cycling World Championships: Schedule of events
All times local (GMT -4 hours)
| Event | Date | Start time | Distance | Elevation gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Elite ITT | Sunday, 20 September | 09:00 | 39.2km | 220m |
| Men's Elite ITT | Sunday, 20 September | 12:45 | 39.2km | 220m |
| Women's U23 ITT | Monday, 21 September | 09:00 | 20.3km | 145m |
| Men's U23 ITT | Monday, 21 September | 12:00 | 31.3km | 197m |
| Mixed relay | Tuesday, 22 September | 08:30 | 40.6km | 290m |
| Junior men's ITT | Tuesday, 22 September | 12:15 | 20.3km | 145m |
| Junior women's ITT | Tuesday, 22 September | 15:15 | 10.7km | 91m |
| Women's U23 road race | Thursday, 24 September | 09:00 | 134km | 2690m |
| Junior men's road race | Thursday, 24 September | 13:30 | 134km | 2690m |
| Men's U23 road race | Friday, 25 September | 09:00 | 174.2km | 3497m |
| Junior women's road race | Friday, 25 September | 14:15 | 80.4km | 1614m |
| Women's Elite road race | Saturday, 26 September | 09:00 | 180.4km | 2570m |
| Men's Elite road race | Sunday, 27 September | 09:00 | 273.7km | 3803m |
Road Cycling World Championships routes
Road race
All the routes for the road races focus on two circuits. Longer races such as the men’s elite and women’s elite start with a long loop out from the Brossard district of Montreal.
That’s followed by crossing the Samuel de Champlain bridge to a circuit through central Montreal, completed 12 times for the elite men and eight times for the elite women. Shorter races such as the men’s U23 road race take place solely on multiple laps of the shorter Mont Real circuit.
Time trial
The time trial routes follow a twisting circuit through central Montreal, with shorter races omitting the further parts of the complete circuit. All finish at the same line in the Parc Jeanne-Mance also used for the road races.
Riders to watch
There’s no shortage of talent, despite the absence of the 2024 and 2025 road race winner, Tadej Pogačar.
Look out for Remco Evenepoel in the men’s individual time trial. He's worn the rainbow jersey in the discipline since 2023 and doesn't look inclined to relinquish it, based on current form. He’s a prospect for the men’s road race too, even if he was bested by Isaac del Toro in the recent GP de Montreal, who’s another hot prospect.
The Mexican, unlike the Belgian, doesn’t have a strong team behind him in the road race. Wout van Aert is another option for the Belgians. He looks to be in peak form following his two stages and points classification wins in the Vuelta a España.
In the women’s road race, it’s hard to look past Demi Vollering to win her first rainbow jersey, having so far this year won both the Tour de France Femmes and Giro d’Italia Women, as well as a cluster of one day races including the Women’s Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Again, she has strong team backing in the road race from her Netherlands team. Don’t rule out a win in the women’s elite time trial too.
For UK-based race watchers, the focus will be on Zoe Bäckstedt both in the elite women’s time trial, where she’s a strong competitor, and the road race. Tom Pidcock will lead the charge for Team GB’s elite men and is supported by a strong GB team. He has mixed road and XC MTB racing in 2026 and is the current XC Olympic MTB world champion.
