In 2014, Bradley Wiggins won a world title - 12 years later, his son Ben might do the same in Montréal
CyclingMonday, 21 September 2026 at 18:12
Ben Wiggins, the reigning British under.23 time trial champion and son of Bradley Wiggins, starts this evening among the top favourites for the U23 time trial at the World Championships in Montréal. If he succeeds, he will achieve a world title in the same discipline as his father did back in 2014.
The 21-year-old Hagens Berman Jayco rider rolls down the ramp fourth from last, with Spain's Héctor Álvarez as the other main contender in the large contingent that will be racing this Monday in the streets of Montréal.
It was on 24 September 2014 that Bradley Wiggins beat defending champion Tony Martin by 26 seconds to claim the elite time trial rainbow jersey in Ponferrada, Spain. Twelve years later, almost to the day, his son takes on the same discipline (only at under-23 level), chasing a medal of his own.
The family connection to cycling spans three generations. Ben is the grandson of Australian cyclist Gary Wiggins, and, like his father, he combines track and road racing. "I was seven when my dad won the Tour," Wiggins said in 2023, after riding to a silver medal in the junior time trial at the World Championships in Glasgow.
Wiggins' progression through the ranks has been steady. After that junior silver in Glasgow, he finished 18th in the U23 time trial at the 2024 World Championships in Zurich. Then, this June, he broke through at the British nationals in Lampeter, winning his first U23 time trial title. His performance that day creates big expectations for the worlds.
Bradley Wiggins is a former World and Olympic Champion
"I really need to get the job done"
"I was second twice as a junior, and I've been second twice as an under-23 so far," Wiggins had said after his victory, where he won by more than a minute at an average speed of 52.9 km/h.
His ambitions stretch well beyond today's race. "I don't want to put any limits on myself. I'm really ambitious," he told The Telegraph. With his final U23 season pointing towards a likely WorldTour move in 2027, Montréal represents a significant staging post.
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A crowded medal race
The U23 time trial covers 31.3 kilometres on a largely flat but technical course. Wiggins begins his effort at 19:40:30CET. Belgium's Matisse van Kerckhove holds the final starting position at 19:45 CET.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- Pogi, the best of everything else... The G.O.A.T. of over all cycling!!!PogiSloFans21-09-2026
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- Hey Jumpin Johnny, do you really know who Mou is? Oh please, be so good and tell me.PogiSloFans21-09-2026
- Pogi hater... shush. Capish?PogiSloFans21-09-2026
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