2026 UCI Road World Championships: A Complete Guide to the Road Races in Montreal

The big date is set: on September 26 and 27, 2026, Montreal will host the Elite Road Races of the UCI Road World Championships , with the women competing over 180.1 km and the men ready to tackle a grueling 273.4 km course. A weekend that promises sparks, sweat, and textbook racing strategies, perfect even for those who play fantasy cycling and want to make the right choices.

The battleground will be the hilly Montreal circuit, which the men will complete 12 times, while the women will compete over eight laps. The real deciding factor will be the Camilien-Houde climb, 1.6 km long with an average gradient of 7.7%. Not an impossible climb, but one repeated so often that it will wear out even the strongest riders.

Among the men, the names to watch are top-notch: Remco Evenepoel (Belgium), who always arrives hungry in these races; Isaac del Toro (Mexico), the young revelation who could surprise everyone; Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands), the wildcard who always causes fear on such selective courses; Tom Pidcock (Great Britain), adept on short, steep climbs like Camilien-Houde; and Paul Seixas (France), the new French star who could provide some surprises.

Finally, watch out for Italy, who will be captained by Ciccone and Pellizzari , but with Finn and Scaroni ready to support and attack.

On the women's side, the contenders for the rainbow jersey are equally stellar: Demi Vollering (Netherlands), always a star in the tough races; Lotte Kopecky (Belgium), a complete and dangerous performer in every phase of the race; Kasia Niewiadoma (Poland), a guarantee of consistency; Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy), who can play her cards well on the hilly circuit; Marlen Reusser (Switzerland), a strong time trialist but also capable of surprising in the road race; and Paula Blasi (Spain), a potential outsider to keep an eye on for those seeking extra points at a low cost in their lineup.

As for the live broadcast, the good news is that in many countries it will be possible to follow the race for free.

In terms of timing, the women's race will start at 9:00 a.m. (Montreal time) on Saturday, September 26th, with the finish expected around 2:10 p.m. local time. The men's race will start on Sunday, September 27th, also at 9:00 a.m., with the finish expected around 3:40 p.m. local time, signaling a very long and grueling race.