Remco Evenepoel wins fourth consecutive world time trial title in Montreal as Filippo Ganna takes silver

Evenepoel claims fourth consecutive time trial title

Remco Evenepoel won the men's elite individual time trial at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, completing the 39.2-kilometer course in 44 minutes 53.13 seconds. The Belgian rider averaged 52.4 km/h on a route that included the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. He established an immediate advantage at the opening time check and extended his lead throughout the race. With this victory, Evenepoel became the first cyclist to win four consecutive world time trial titles. He expressed satisfaction with how he managed his pacing across the distance.

They told me that I had a clear advantage, I was in control the whole time.

Ganna recovers from opening deficit to take silver

Filippo Ganna earned the silver medal after recovering from a difficult start on the course. The 30-year-old Italian rider from Verbania went through the first 10.7-kilometer split in tenth place, trailing Evenepoel by 22.78 seconds and Sweden's Jakob Söderqvist by more than 13 seconds. Ganna increased his pace through the middle section, rising to fourth place at the second checkpoint and second place at the third checkpoint. He completed the course in 45 minutes 50.44 seconds, finishing 57.31 seconds behind Evenepoel and 15.73 seconds ahead of the bronze medalist. Ganna had previously finished behind Evenepoel by 12 seconds in 2023 and 6 seconds in 2024. The result represents Ganna's sixth career individual time trial medal at the world championships, adding to his two gold medals from 2020 and 2021, three silvers, and one bronze.

Seixas reaches podium as Söderqvist loses ground

France's Paul Seixas, who turns 20 later in the week, secured the bronze medal by finishing 1 minute 12 seconds behind Evenepoel. Söderqvist had contested the podium positions through the third checkpoint, trailing Ganna by one hundredth of a second before sliding out on a late corner and finishing fifth. Seixas finished 15.73 seconds behind Ganna to secure third place. Mexico's Isaac Del Toro placed sixth, while Italian rider Mattia Cattaneo finished sixteenth. Italian national coach Marco Villa stated that the opening medal allows the national squad to approach the remainder of the championship week with greater composure.

Reusser retains women's title while Longo Borghini finishes fourth

In the women's elite time trial contested over the same 39.2-kilometer distance, Switzerland's Marlen Reusser retained her world championship title with a winning time of 50 minutes 24.44 seconds. Great Britain's Zoe Bäckstedt took the silver medal, finishing 40 seconds behind Reusser, while Germany's Franziska Koch claimed bronze at a deficit of 45 seconds. Italy's Elisa Longo Borghini finished in fourth place, 5 seconds behind Koch and the podium positions. Longo Borghini expressed confidence in her physical form ahead of Saturday's road race, where she will serve as Italy's team captain. Evenepoel will contest the men's road race on Sunday, where competitors will include Del Toro, Seixas, and Mathieu van der Poel, who entered the week following a 175-kilometer solo breakaway victory at the Tour de Luxembourg.