Results European Championships 2026 junior men's road race - Elias Dybing surprises as Benjamin Noval misses out on victory in Slovenia
Cycling
The 2026 Junior European Championships took place on Saturday, October 3rd, with Benjamín Noval debuting the rainbow jersey after winning the Montréal Worlds. The Spaniard started as the standout favourite in Slovenia, but the finish left him empty-handed. Victory went to Elias Dybing, while Aitor Martínez salvaged a superb silver for Spain. Bronze went to Dutchman Jop van den Biggelaar.
In terms of race development, the opening kilometres of the Junior European Championships passed without major moves until a four-man break formed featuring Spaniard Darío Gimeno, Noval’s teammate. The group opened a 15-second gap over the bunch with 80 kilometres to go and, shortly after, Gimeno pushed on alone.
With 72 kilometres remaining he held an 18-second lead, although the peloton increased the pace and reeled him in with 67 kilometres to go.
The catch triggered a new wave of attacks. Antoine Salamin was the first to move and Slovene Gal Stare immediately countered, getting away with Hugo Muñoz and Enrico Andrea Balliana. The trio worked well together and built a 25-second advantage with 60 kilometres to the finish.
Stare kicked again on the climb and dropped his two break companions. Muñoz and Balliana were swallowed by the peloton, while the local rider launched a solo raid that quickly grew in significance. With 53 kilometres left he had 35 seconds, and barely three kilometres later his lead had stretched to 1:05.
Benjamín Noval, double junior world champion in 2026.
Bunch reacts as race reaches final 50 kilometres
The bunch reacted and began to accelerate, but Stare kept adding to his margin. With 47 kilometres to go he had 1:20 and hit the end of the third lap with 1:05 over a main group where attacks multiplied. The race started to fracture and more riders were losing contact.
With 37 kilometres to go, Benjamín Noval finally made his move. The world champion punched clear in the rainbow bands on the climb and sparked a real selection. His pace whittled the peloton down to barely six riders and cut Stare’s lead to just 20 seconds with 35 kilometres remaining.
Noval’s group kept closing and drew to within 15 seconds of the Slovene with 30 kilometres left. However, the move failed to settle. More riders clawed back and the chase swelled to over ten cyclists.
Then Aitor Martínez, Noval’s teammate, attacked with 23 kilometres to go. The acceleration split the chasers in two and, one kilometre later, Martínez was 20 seconds behind Stare, with Noval at 27 seconds.
Spain’s strategy seemed to click when Aitor Martínez reached Gal Stare with 22 kilometres remaining. Behind, Noval had two more Spaniards to set up another attack on the final climb. But the situation changed dramatically over the next kilometres.
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Benjamín Noval misses the medals
With 18 kilometres to go, Maks Olenik surged from the front group, while Noval’s bunch had effectively become a new peloton as numerous riders rejoined. The gap to the head of the race was already 30 seconds.
The problem grew with 16 kilometres left, when the leaders stretched the margin to 42 seconds. Aitor Martínez then took charge and attacked on the climb with 15 kilometres to go, dropping several rivals, including Gal Stare. The move left Noval’s group at 47 seconds and severely harmed his medal chances.
The race turned frenetic. Elias Dybing attacked from the front group and Aitor Martínez tried to follow. Behind, Benjamín Noval kicked desperately as the podium slipped away. Soon after, he attacked again when only two other riders from the peloton remained with him.
With 12 kilometres to go, Dybing was alone out front chasing gold with 20 seconds on Aitor Martínez’s group. A Dutch duo rode at 35 seconds, and further back, Noval was 45 seconds off the lead.
The situation kept worsening for the world champion. At nine kilometres, Dybing had extended his advantage over Martínez’s group to 29 seconds, while Noval was a minute down. The Norwegian was heading for victory as the chasers fought for the remaining medals.
With five kilometres to go, Dybing held nearly 30 seconds over the first chase group and looked to have gold in hand. Aitor Martínez had also attacked again within that group and emerged as Spain’s best bet for the medals, while Benjamín Noval was practically out of the podium fight.
In the end, the victory went to Elias Dybing, while Aitor Martínez salvaged a superb silver for Spain. Bronze went to Dutchman Jop van den Biggelaar.
Results 2026 Junior European Championships
Jorge BorregueroWriter
Jorge Borreguero is a journalist with a degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and has been a writer for Cyclinguptodate and Ciclismoaldia since early 2023. In this role, he has played a key part in the evolution of the website, particularly as a specialist covering Movistar Team. He regularly writes race reports, analytical pieces, and in-depth features about the team, and has conducted exclusive interviews and attended multiple team presentations, providing readers with firsthand insights into one of the leading professional cycling squads.
Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained a strong focus on sports journalism, gaining experience across a variety of disciplines, including basketball and football. However, his current work is almost entirely dedicated to cycling, contributing extensively to Ciclismoaldia and its sister website Cyclinguptodate. For these platforms, he combines thorough research with detailed reporting to deliver high-quality content, ranging from race previews and results to expert analysis of teams and riders.
Jorge’s reporting is marked by accuracy, depth, and a commitment to providing readers with reliable and authoritative information. His direct engagement with teams, athletes, and events ensures that his coverage reflects firsthand knowledge and professional insight. Through his work, he has established himself as a trusted voice in professional cycling journalism, bridging the gap between the sport and its global audience while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
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