"It's been since Lance Armstrong" - Quinn Simmons wants to end USA's World Championships drought in Montreal
Cycling
Quinn Simmons has begun his road race season in France, doing one-day races over the past two weekends; and is racing Strade Bianche this Saturday as one of the outsiders for a top results. The 24-year old could be very well adapted to racing in the gravel and in an event where the short efforts and endurance are key; and certainly motivated to perform here; as well as in other races later in the year which include the Montreal World Championships.
“You always maintain the confidence from your last race. This was different for the first time," Simmons said in conversation with Wielerflits. "My first season was ruined by the coronavirus pandemic. The second year, I crashed in that October edition of Paris-Roubaix, and in the years that followed, my season was repeatedly ended by illness.”
But in 2025, Simmons wrapped off a strong year with an impressive breakaway performance at Il Lombardia which then saw him resist to a fourth place - impressive by all means, taking into consideration it's a climber's race. “Now I’ve finished with a good feeling, and then you can really enjoy the offseason. You don’t constantly think back to how bad it was. Moreover, you finish the year in good shape, which means you have less catching up to do when you start training again. Because of that, I didn’t experience any stress during the winter. Hopefully, that will pay off".
Whilst his form didn't come through in the French classics, Simmons is slowly building up towards the main goals in the spring which include Amstel Gold Race, but start with Strade Bianche where he should have solo leadership.
"I love being in Tuscany and racing there; the scenery is stunning. I've also done well there in the past, which helps. This race... I haven't achieved a top result yet, but I feel it's possible," the American winks. "That's why I want to keep trying. It's a big race, and not many of them suit me. I love the course, racing in Italy, and the Italian fans."
Montreal World Championships are a big goal
Amstel Gold Race and the Tour de France are particularly important goals, however then the World Championships in Montreal perhaps stand above that. Last fall he finished third to Brandon McNulty and Tadej Pogacar, but surprised with how strong he looked and distanced the rest of the field.
"During the race, I didn't feel myself deteriorating, while I saw others doing so. Of course, I was racing for second place. But being there in the final of a race with 4,000 meters of elevation gain and my weight really gave me a confidence boost," he recalls. "Especially with the team we have to start with, which is a team the United States hasn't had access to for a long time. On the course in Montreal, three Americans could potentially compete for a medal".
He refered to Matteo Jorgenson and McNulty himself; making for a very dangerous trio who could have a 'home' advantage, although the race takes place in Canada. "The group we have now is pretty good at going the extra mile for each other. Everyone is honest, and ultimately, we ride for whoever is best on that day. We sacrifice each other's chances for that".
Simmons knows it is a difficult goal, but he puts the team's ambitions on a sky-high level right from the start of the year. "Hopefully, I'll be the one it's all about at the end of September. Riding for the national team is an honor in itself. We want to fight for that medal, because it's been a long time since we've achieved this. I think it's been since Lance Armstrong's world title. Too long ago. Time to change that".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
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.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
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)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
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- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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