In a thrilling time trial event, Spaniard Benjamín Noval was the fastest on the 20.3-kilometer course through the streets of Montreal during the 2026 Road World Championships, ultimately claiming the title of junior world champion in the time trial.
The young Spanish rider narrowly beat Belgium’s Vic De Smet; the gap between gold and silver was just six seconds. Denmark’s Malthe Risbjerg took the third spot on the podium.
As for the two competing Colombians, José Manuel Posada finished in 39th place, two minutes behind the winner, while Juan Esteban Sánchez placed 53rd. A total of 69 cyclists from 41 nations participated, all in the junior category (ages 16–18).
Noval succeeded the Netherlands’ Michiel Mouris—last year’s winner in Kigali, Rwanda—as the individual time trial champion.
Maria Okrucińska Crowned Champion
Polish cyclist Maria Okrucińska was crowned junior time trial world champion at the 2026 Montreal World Championships. The rider from Poland completed the course in 15:17.51, averaging 41.983 km/h, and claimed the rainbow jersey after a decisive victory in the battle for gold.
Okrucińska finished 12.25 seconds ahead of Belgium’s Yana Decruyenaere, who had to settle for the silver medal. Great Britain’s Aalia Clay rounded out the podium, finishing third, 24.69 seconds behind the world champion.
The battle for the medals was very tight from third place onwards. Swiss rider Anja Grossmann finished fourth, 25.39 seconds behind Okrucińska, while her Belgian compatriot Laura Fivé came in fifth, trailing by 35.72 seconds. Germany’s Klara Dworatzek finished sixth, 39.26 seconds back.
American Liliana Edwards took seventh place, 41.87 seconds behind, while Alejandra Neira—the Spanish junior time trial champion—finished eighth, 41.96 seconds off Okrucińska’s time. Neira thus narrowly missed out on the battle for medals in Montreal.
Matilde Rossignoli finished ninth. The Italian rider crossed the line 45.80 seconds behind the new world champion, rounding out the top 10.
Finishing outside the top ten were Gabby McHugh (10th), Augustė Mikutytė (11th), Edda Bieberle (12th), Nabyenka Valentina García (13th), Zara Sofía Lamprea Morales (14th), and Australian Neve Parslow (15th).
With this result, Maria Okrucińska becomes the new junior time trial world champion—finishing ahead of Decruyenaere and Clay—in an event where Poland takes the top prize in Montreal.
Source: Revista Mundo Ciclístico y www.ciclismoaldia.es