2026 Worlds ITT's startlist: Evenepoel and Reusser lead the fields in Montréal

The 2026 UCI Road World Championships get underway in Montréal on Sunday, 20 September, with the elite individual time trials. Remco Evenepoel and Marlen Reusser return to defend their titles as 61 men from 40 countries and 53 women from 35 countries take on the 39.2 kilometre course from Avenue du Parc to Parc Jeanne Mance, featuring 220 metres of climbing.

The women start at 09:00 local time (15:00 CEST), followed by the men at 12:45 (18:45 CEST).

Montréal hosts the championships for the second time, 52 years after its first edition in 1974.

Sixty one riders from 40 countries line up for the men’s time trial, with Belgium the only nation fielding three starters.

Remco Evenepoel is chasing a fourth straight world title after wins in Stirling, Zürich and Kigali. Victory would make him the first man to win four consecutive elite time trial titles and put him level with Fabian Cancellara and Tony Martin on four overall.

Filippo Ganna looks the leading challenger on a course with just 220 metres of climbing. The twice world champion dominated the 42 kilometre Giro d’Italia time trial from Viareggio to Massa earlier this year.

Stefan Küng comes straight from the Vuelta a España, where he won the stage 18 time trial at 54.4 km/h. Max Thornley finished just three seconds behind, while Ethan Hayter arrives as British champion.

Tobias Foss returns as Norwegian champion, four years after winning the rainbow jersey in Wollongong. Czech champion Mathias Vacek is another rider to watch after winning his national title over 48.1 kilometres.

Fifty three riders line up for the women’s time trial, with the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, the United States and Great Britain each taking both available places.

Marlen Reusser defends the title she won in Kigali after previous podium finishes in 2020, 2021 and 2022. She has been in strong form against the clock this season, winning time trials at both the Tour de Suisse Women and Tour de France Femmes.

Zoe Bäckstedt makes her elite World Championships debut after retaining the British title and finishing second to Reusser at the Tour de Suisse Women.

Demi Vollering took bronze in Kigali and is the only returning medallist alongside Reusser. The Netherlands are chasing their first title since Ellen van Dijk won in Wollongong in 2022.

Lotte Kopecky also returns to the World Championships after missing last year’s edition.