A thrilling men's road race, a wide-open battle for the rainbow jersey — and two Irish riders who made their presence felt. The 2026 Elite Men's World Road Race Championship in Montréal delivered something we haven't seen too often in recent seasons: genuine uncertainty. With Tadej Pogačar absent, there was no overwhelming favourite dictating how everyone else had to race. Instead, we got an aggressive, unpredictable World Championship where attacks came from everywhere and the outcome remained in doubt deep into the finale. So it raises an interesting question: Was the World Championship actually more entertaining without Tadej Pogačar? That isn't a criticism of Pogačar. Far from it. He is arguably the defining rider of this generation, and some of his long-range attacks and dominant victories have been extraordinary to watch. But dominance and entertainment aren't necessarily the same thing. Nobody Could Control the Race Without Pogačar, Montréal felt genuinely ...
🌈 McNulty Takes the Rainbow Jersey as Healy Battles to World Top 10 American Brandon McNulty produced a perfectly timed solo attack to win the 2026 UCI Elite Men’s Road World Championship in Montréal , while Ireland’s Ben Healy again showed he belongs among the very best one-day racers in the world, finishing 10th . 🇮🇪 Healy right in the battle This was far more than Healy simply hanging on for a top-10 finish. Over 273.7 km and roughly 3,800 metres of climbing , the race repeatedly split on the Mount Royal circuit. Healy was involved in several of the important moves and, with around 60 km remaining, attacked as the leading groups continued to reorganise. He eventually managed to bridge across to a powerful group containing riders including Mathieu van der Poel, Quinn Simmons and Primož Roglič . That move put Healy right back into the fight for the rainbow jersey. Then came the decisive moment. With roughly 33 km remaining , McNulty attacked while the favo...