"The early final attacks can get further than ever" - Leknessund expects over 100 riders to join the search for golden ticket in Montréal
CyclingThursday, 24 September 2026 at 09:00
Andreas Leknessund's career high in the World Championships road race came last year in Rwanda, when the Norwegian claimed a 25th place. And yet, the 27-year-old could be just he right asset to play a pivotal role in Sunday's race where defending champion Tadej Pogacar will be absent.
Even though Leknessund scored a shocking 8th overall at the 2023 Giro d'Italia after a week in the pink jersey, the Norwegian's career did not develop in the direction of a GC contender at Grand Tours. Instead, Leknessund left Team DSM at the of the season and joined Uno-X Mobility where he embodied the team's strategy of offensive racing to the fullest.
And to anticipate is precisely the strategy Leknessund aims to use in pursuit of a good result in Montréal as well: "Breakaways are really probably my one and only big strength. I think that’s definitely something I should aim for here," he said on the Domestique Hotseat podcast.
With Pogacar, the race story would've been outlined; Slovenia controls the race until Pogacar attacks and reduces the battle for victory down to the very best. Any early attacks are more of a suicide as Pogacar's takes no stowaways along on his cruise.
"When Pogacar is there, it’s easy to say you should still attack, because then you can be ahead when he comes. But that’s not the case. He goes super early and you know he’s going to go so fast, so even if you’re in the early breakaway, you just spend a lot of energy to get dropped anyway," he said. "With him there, the tactics are not that important anymore. It’s more about legs. Hopefully we see a more tactical race on Sunday."
Now, several riders make the title claim. And Leknessund hopes to take advantage of their squabble.
Hoping to go under the radar
"Now we can probably count up to ten guys who are big favourites, with more or less similar chances of winning. So for sure the risk of someone else slipping away while the guys look at each other is higher. The early final attacks can get further than ever in this race."
Not that it'll be easy to pull off with a number of other riders having the same idea: "There are probably more than a hundred guys who are going to look for this chance, so that will also make it really hard," he said.
Andreas Leknessund wins Stage 7 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana
Leave the time trial behind
Leknessund missed the Canadian classics two weeks ago because of the Vuelta a Espana, but already made up for it with two starts during the World Championships. Last Sunday, he took on the individual time trial and two days later the mixed relays where he finished 7th alongside the Norwegian team.
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The test against the clock in particular left Leknessund in a bit of a disbelief. The 27-year-old dropped from last year's 6th place in Kigali to a 32nd. But the general sensations were promising towards the road race, Leknessund believes:
"My shape felt surprisingly good. It was just the result not being as I hoped," he said. "I’m optimistic about my shape and my feeling going into the road race. Obviously I’m not a favourite, but if I can be in an early move or early final attack, it could be really good for me."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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