Remco Evenepoel kicked off his defense of the world individual time trial crown on Sunday, September 20, 2026, launching from the start podium in Montreal as the final rider on a 39.2-kilometer course running from the city center across the Saint-Laurent River and through the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
The Montreal Route and the Favorited Riders
The opening day of the world championships brought the elite time trial specialists to a fast, largely flat circuit in the heart of the Canadian metropolis. Starting on Avenue du Parc, riders crossed the Saint-Laurent River to tackle the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit before returning toward Old Montreal for a concluding uphill finish at Parc Jeanne-Mance. The course featured only 220 meters of positive elevation gain, with the sole true difficulty waiting in the final four kilometers as the route climbed back toward Mount Royal.
Remco Evenepoel entered the day as the clear favorite among the men, targeting an unprecedented fourth world title in the discipline. While cycling greats Fabian Cancellara and Tony Martin both secured four world time trial championships during their careers, neither managed to claim four in a row. Major contenders standing in Evenepoel’s path included Italy’s Filippo Ganna, the world champion from 2020 and 2021, and Switzerland’s Stefan Küng, who arrived fresh off a time trial victory during the final week of the Vuelta a España.
On the women’s side, Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser captured a back-to-back world title on the identical 39.2-kilometer route, utilizing her raw power to dominate a course designed to reward pure powerhouses. Competition in the women’s division featured strong performances from Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt and the Netherlands’ Demi Vollering, alongside Belgian entries Lotte Kopecky and national time trial champion Lotte Claes.
Early Splits and the Battle at the Intermediate Checks
As the men’s race unfolded across the afternoon and evening, early benchmarks tumbled quickly. South Africa’s Byron Munton laid down an early marker in the hot seat before being eclipsed by other specialists. Kasper Asgreen of Denmark delivered a blistering run, stopping the clock at the finish line in 46’41” to set the early standard.
At the finish, it’s Asgreen who is first with a time of 46’41”. L’Avenir
Sweden’s young talent Jakob Söderqvist made waves by posting the fastest time at the first intermediate check. Yet the top favorites immediately ratcheted up the pace as they cleared the start ramp. Evenepoel rocketed out of the start house, erasing Söderqvist’s early intermediate benchmark by a remarkable nine seconds to take the fastest time at the first check. That early surge handed the Belgian a 22-second advantage over his primary rival, Ganna, who struggled out of the gate with only the ninth-fastest time at the opening split, sitting 13 seconds behind Söderqvist.
French teenager Paul Seixas also impressed on the clock, setting the fastest time at the second intermediate check before Söderqvist reclaimed momentum at earlier splits. Meanwhile, young Belgian time trial champion Alec Segaert settled into the top ten midway through his effort at age 23, his first elite world championship appearance in the discipline.
Absences and Contender Quotes Highlight the Field
The starting grid saw significant adjustments due to late withdrawals. Britain’s Joshua Tarling pulled out of the event following the death of his brother, Finlay. Ilan Van Wilder, who captured a surprise bronze medal last year in Kigali, also did not take the start in Canada, leaving Alec Segaert and Rune Herregodts to line up alongside Evenepoel for Belgium.
It’s annoying that we only get two hours, especially with such a big 40-kilometer loop. So it will be a bit of a puzzle to maybe cut a corner, to see a little bit more of a part. Stefan Küng, via Sporza
Fortunately, it is the same for everyone. That is the advantage. Stefan Küng, via Sporza
What Lies Ahead in the Elite Men’s Standings
With Asgreen holding the provisional lead at the finish line and the heavy favorites navigating the latter half of the 39.2-kilometer circuit, attention turned squarely to whether Evenepoel could sustain his blistering opening pace all the way to the Parc Jeanne-Mance climb. Ganna faced a steep uphill battle to recover the 22-second deficit he surrendered at the first intermediate split, while time trial specialists like Küng and emerging talents like Seixas fought to secure podium positioning.
As the final riders crossed the Saint-Laurent River crossings and approached the closing ascent near Mount Royal, the battle for the rainbow jersey entered its decisive hour. The outcome would confirm whether Evenepoel successfully secured his historic fourth world title or if a challenger from the chasing pack overturned the early deficits.