World Championships Montréal women's elite road race 2026 preview, profile, favourites & predictions - Will Demi Vollering finally win the rainbow jersey?

Cycling
Wednesday, 16 September 2026 at 14:10
Demi Vollering at the 2026 Tour de France Femmes
On the 26th of September, the Montréal World Championships will feature the women's elite road race. Magdeleine Vallières surprised to win in 2025 and now races at home, against several strong contenders such as Demi Vollering, Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Kim Le Court. We preview the race and analyze the profile below.
The event had its first edition in 1958, won by Luxembourger Elsy Jacobs. Over the decades, there have been a few missing editions, whilst in the 1980's one of the sport's legends Jeannie Longo came to light. A winner in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989 and 1995, the Frenchwoman became the unmatched record holder of the rainbow jersey until this day.
20 years ago this year, Marianne Vos took her first title, whilst she continues to race to this day. The Dutchwoman was also the world champion in 2012 and 2013; followed by Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Lizzie Deignan. The Dutch continued to win plenty world titles, with Chantal van den Broek-Blaak winning in 2017; Anna van der Breggen in 2018 and 2020; and Annemiek van Vleuten winning in both 2019 and 2022.
But the Dutch streak has been broken in recent years, with Lotte Kopecky taking over with two victories at the 2023 and 2024 races. In 2025, a tactical race in Kigali saw a surprise victory for Magdeleine Vallières.
Magdeleine VallIéres won the 2025 World Championships in Kigali
Magdeleine VallIéres won the 2025 World Championships in Kigali

Preview 2026 women's elite road race world championships

Demi Vollering is expected to be the main favourite to win the overall classification, having thrived in the classics and Grand Tours this year. But the competition will be strong, whilst the lack of radios and race tactics may bring a surprise like 12 months ago.
Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Elisa Longo Borghini joined Vollering on the podium of the Tour de France Femmes, and will be perfectly adapted to this circuit.
Paula Blasi, Niamh Fisher-Black, Marlen Reusser and Antonia Niedermaier are all riders to take into consideration; whilst a classics specialist may win the title. Magdeleine Vallières did it last year, whilst Kim Le Court, Franziska Koch and Puck Pieterse are strong favourites. Former champion Lotte Kopecky cannot be excluded either.
An in-depth preview featuring all the main contenders will follow...

Profile: Brossard - Montréal

Profile of the 2026 World Championships women's elite road race
Brossard - Montréal, 181 kilometers
With 181 kilometers on the menu, it will be one of the longest races in the women's calendar, and without a doubt one of the toughest. Such climbs have a larger impact on the women's field, due to the larger amount of time required to ascent them, making it best suited to the climbers.
The riders depart from Brossard and head to central Montréal only after around 70 kilometers of racing. Then, they tackle 8 laps of the circuit that is already familiar to cycling fans, but not the women's peloton - as the GP de Montréal only takes the men's peloton to Canada.
The Voie Camillien-Houde (more commonly known as Mount Royal) is 1.6 kilometers long at 7.7% and is the main feature of thee circuit. It ends with 11 kilometers to go, and is the location where the climbers can make the most difference.
The run-in to the line is rugged, with two small hilltops in the middle. The Côte de Polytechnique coming after, summiting with 6 kilometers to go, it is 800 meters long at 4% average gradient but goes up to 10%. And with 3 kilometers will be the Côte Pagnuelo with 500 meters at 7.5%.
The run-up to the line itself is on an uphill drag, 500 meters long at 5%. This means that even if the race comes down to a sprint, it will by no means be a normal one, with the fatigue and the uphill gradients meaning that climbing legs will be key to take the win.

List of winners women's elite road race world championships 

Year1st2nd3rd
2025Magdeleine VallieresNiamh Fisher-BlackMavi García
2024Lotte KopeckyChloé DygertElisa Longo Borghini
2023Lotte KopeckyDemi VolleringCecilie Uttrup Ludwig
2022Annemiek van VleutenLotte KopeckySilvia Persico
2021Elisa BalsamoMarianne VosKasia Niewiadoma
2020Anna van der BreggenAnnemiek van VleutenElisa Longo Borghini
2019Annemiek van VleutenAnna van der BreggenAmanda Spratt
2018Anna van der BreggenAmanda SprattTatiana Guderzo
2017Chantal van den Broek-BlaakKatrin GarfootAmalie Dideriksen
2016Amalie DideriksenKirsten WildLotta Henttala
2015Elizabeth DeignanAnna van der BreggenMegan Guarnier
2014Pauline Ferrand-PrévotLisa BrennauerEmma Johansson
2013Marianne VosEmma JohanssonRossella Ratto
2012Marianne VosRachel NeylanElisa Longo Borghini
2011Giorgia BronziniMarianne VosIna-Yoko Teutenberg
2010Giorgia BronziniMarianne VosEmma Johansson
2009Tatiana GuderzoMarianne VosNoemi Cantele
2008Nicole CookeMarianne VosJudith Arndt
2007Marta BastianelliMarianne VosGiorgia Bronzini
2006Marianne VosTrixi WorrackNicole Cooke
2005Regina SchleicherNicole CookeOenone Wood
2004Judith ArndtTatiana GuderzoAnita Valen
2003Susanne LjungskogMirjam Melchers-van PoppelNicole Cooke
2002Susanne LjungskogNicole BrändliJoane Somarriba
2001Rasa PolikevičiūtėEdita PučinskaitėJeannie Longo
2000Zinaida StahurskayaChantal BeltmanMadeleine Lindberg
1999Edita PučinskaitėAnna MillwardDiana Žiliūtė
1998Diana ŽiliūtėLeontien Zijlaard-van MoorselHanka Kupfernagel
1997Alessandra CappellottoElisabeth TadichCatherine Marsal
1996Barbara HeebRasa PolikevičiūtėLinda Jackson
1995Jeannie LongoCatherine MarsalEdita Pučinskaitė
1994Monica ValenPatsy MaegermanJeanne Golay
1993Leontien Zijlaard-van MoorselJeannie LongoLaura Charameda
1992
1991Leontien Zijlaard-van MoorselInga ThompsonAlison Sydor
1990Catherine MarsalRuthie MatthesLuisa Seghezzi
1989Jeannie LongoCatherine MarsalMaria Canins
1988
1987Jeannie LongoHeleen HageConnie Meijer
1986Jeannie LongoJanelle ParksAlla Jakovleva
1985Jeannie LongoMaria CaninsSandra Schumacher
1984
1983Marianne BerglundRebecca TwiggMaria Canins
1982Mandy JonesMaria CaninsGerda Sierens
1981Ute EnzenauerJeannie LongoConnie Carpenter-Phinney
1980Beth HeidenTuulikki JahreMandy Jones
1979Petra de BruinJenny de SmetBeate Habetz
1978Beate HabetzKeetie HageEmanuella Lorenzon
1977Josiane BostConnie Carpenter-PhinneyMinie Brinkhoff-Nieuwenhuis
1976Keetie HageLuigina BissoliYvonne Reynders
1975Tineke FopmaGeneviève GambillonKeetie Hage
1974Geneviève GambillonBaiba Evina Tsaune-MorzikKeetie Hage
1973Nicole Van den BroeckKeetie HageValentina Rebrovskaia
1972Geneviève GambillonLubov ZadorojnayaAnna Konkina
1971Anna KonkinaMorena TartagniKeetie Hage
1970Anna KonkinaMorena TartagniRaisa Obodovskaya
1969Audrey McElmuryBernadette SwinnertonNina Trofimova
1968Keetie HageBaiba Evina Tsaune-MorzikMorena Tartagni
1967Beryl BurtonLubov ZadorojnayaAnna Konkina
1966Yvonne ReyndersKeetie HageAino Puronen
1965Elisabeth Kleinhans-EicholzYvonne ReyndersAino Puronen
1964Emīlija SonkaGalina YudinaRosa Sels
1963Yvonne ReyndersRosa SelsAino Puronen
1962Marie-Rose GaillardYvonne ReyndersMarie-Thérèse Naessens
1961Yvonne ReyndersBeryl BurtonElsy Jacobs
1960Beryl BurtonRosa SelsElisabeth Kleinhans-Eicholz
1959Yvonne ReyndersAino PuronenVera Gorbatcheva
1958Elsy JacobsTamara NovikovaMariya Lukshina
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