{"id":2167956,"date":"2026-09-28T13:37:04","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T10:37:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2167956"},"modified":"2026-09-28T13:37:04","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T10:37:04","slug":"yes-the-favourite-won-but-the-womens-world-championships-road-race-was-a-thriller-where-everyone-was-racing-for-the-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2167956","title":{"rendered":"Yes, the favourite won, but the Women&#8217;s World Championships road race was a thriller where everyone was racing for the win"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-2400-80.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none upnext-article-divider\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 1 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tZQ2h9dWLApwaQMde3mYsN-160-80.jpg.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tZQ2h9dWLApwaQMde3mYsN-80-80.jpg.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-4 h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">1<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    As it happened: American wins men road title after stunning 32km solo ride at Road World Championships\n                                <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none upnext-article-divider\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 2 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/KqCmLDk7N52XeJa83N8ADa-160-80.jpg.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/KqCmLDk7N52XeJa83N8ADa-80-80.jpg.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-[18px] h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">2<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    As it happened: Dutch star secures first road title in illustrious career at World Road Championships women&#8217;s road race 2026\n                                <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 3 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PtrS9sDwrYbpdJhR8HeZyL-160-80.jpg.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PtrS9sDwrYbpdJhR8HeZyL-80-80.jpg.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-[18px] h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">3<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    UCI Road World Championships: Brandon McNulty shocks the favourites to win solo and claim first elite men&#8217;s road race world title for USA since 1993 in all-time epic edition\n                                <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"page-content-onecol flex-1\nnews-article article\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"widget-area-group widget-area-group-2col flex flex-wrap box-border\">\n<div id=\"widgetArea16\" class=\"widget-area basis-full md:basis-2\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-2-3 page-widget-area-16\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"hero\" id=\"hero\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-hero widget-hero widget-hero-hero widget-hero widget-hero-fter-news\">\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<li>\nWomen&#8217;s Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRoad\n<\/li>\n<li>\nUCI Road World Championships\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>Yes, the favourite won, but the Women&#8217;s World Championships road race was a thriller where everyone was racing for the win<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-start\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nMatilda Price <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-09-28T13:37:04Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n28 September 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Reusser says riders were racing for second behind Vollering, but in reality, that was one of the most spirited Worlds battles we&#8217;ve seen in years<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start text-left\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-1600-80.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-750-80.jpg.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 600px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Zac Williams\/SWpix.com)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-894b4570-bb35-11f1-a9ca-997f9741e95b\">Because the cycling world has a short memory, most of the talk over the next few days is going to be about the men&#8217;s road race at the World Championships, and about how one of the most unpredictable races in years delivered a surprising but highly deserving winner in Brandon McNulty (USA).<\/p>\n<p>The women&#8217;s race got its own spotlight on Saturday, which is fantastic and the way it should be, but it did mean that attention quite quickly switched to the men&#8217;s race, and the conversation moved on fast. Compound that with the fact that Sunday offered a surprise winner whilst Saturday&#8217;s race was won by the favourite, and we run the risk of remembering this weekend as a thrilling men&#8217;s race, and an as-predicted women&#8217;s race.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-894b4570-bb35-11f1-a9ca-997f9741e95b-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But that would betray the fact that actually, both races over the weekend were gripping, unpredictable and highly competitive in their own way, and neither played out in a way that anyone could have scripted.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand\">Cyclingnews<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If you didn&#8217;t watch the women&#8217;s race, it would be easy to look at the results and think &#8216;Oh, yeah, that&#8217;s exactly what we all predicted would happen&#8217;, and paint a picture in your mind of a straightforward race and a straightforward victory for Demi Vollering. She was the favourite, and she won. The podium was the exact same podium as the Tour de France Femmes. On paper, it all went as expected.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But of course, racing does not take place on paper, and the race itself will always tell you much, much more than the results sheet. In reality, this was a race that was not decided until the final few seconds, with all of the top four in the battle for victory until the final moments and \u2013 crucially \u2013 actually all trying to win, too.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">UCI Road World Championships: Demi Vollering outsprints Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney to first world title in women&#8217;s elite road race after gripping final lap duel<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;It&#8217;s the biggest victory of my career&#8217; &#8211; Demi Vollering&#8217;s team-based plan pays off with title in World Championship road race<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The best riders who have never won at the Road World Championships \u2013 and who could change that in 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">There was a moment where it looked like Demi Vollering might Tadej Poga\u010dar the race, that is to say, go long and win by brute force, riding everyone well off her wheel to take a solo victory. She capitalised on work from her teammate Puck Pieterse \u2013 which had dropped riders like Lotte Kopecky and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney \u2013 to attack solo with 38km to go, catch lone leader Maeva Squiban, and pull out a gap because no one followed her.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Except Vollering is not Poga\u010dar, and so something happened that so rarely happens to her Slovenian peer; she was caught. It wasn&#8217;t race over, no one was conceding their chances were over and racing for the medals. Niewiadoma-Phinney and Elisa Longo Borghini regrouped and went in pursuit of the Dutchwoman, joining her with 15km to go. Not long after the catch, Longo Borghini attacked on her own, but again, there was no marking each other out behind \u2013 Niewiadoma-Phinney and Vollering brought her back, and then dropped her.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-Dv52YqrqNCS8KdUoC8jVSS\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-Dv52YqrqNCS8KdUoC8jVSS slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In the finale, Niewiadoma-Phinney, who is so often derided for her tactical decisions, did everything right. She couldn&#8217;t just sit on Vollering and do no work, because then Longo Borghini would almost certainly come back. But she also had to save enough energy to be able to try one of the only two things that would help her win: a late solo attack, or the sprint of her life at the line.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">So that&#8217;s what she did, she managed her efforts with Vollering, she put in one big attack on the penultimate climb, and then when that didn&#8217;t work, she sat on to save herself for the sprint. She timed her sprint really well, too, going late on one of the steeper points, giving herself the best possible chance of winning. And no, it wasn&#8217;t enough, because Vollering&#8217;s acceleration was simply better, but Niewiadoma-Phinney gave herself every possible chance to win, racing for the victory and believing she could until the very last moment, which isn&#8217;t something we can always say in cycling.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-894b4688-bb35-11f1-8583-13aab63268c2\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Vaughn Ridley\/SWpix.com)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-894b470a-bb35-11f1-9410-f1c2f442e1e9\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Elisa Longo Borghini, too, pushed all the way until the line, very nearly catching the leading pair on the finishing straight, and in contention to win herself until the last few metres.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Vallieres Mill&#8217;s title defence, Kopecky&#8217;s comeback and is Demi Vollering actually unstoppable? &#8211; Analysing the World Championships elite women&#8217;s road race contenders<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">North American crowds deliver, the juniors deserve better, and the Dutch get it so right \u2013\u00a0Our key takeaways from the Road World Championships 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The World Championships moments we will always remember \u2013 Iconic victories, crushing heartbreaks, dramatic twists, and more<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The same is true for Marlen Reusser, who came from nowhere to appear round the final corner only a few seconds behind the leaders as they started the climb to the finish line, seeing rainbow within reach and going for it until the very end.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">So yes, it was a race where the favourite won, but at no point did it feel like that was the only option, or a foregone conclusion, and Vollering&#8217;s rivals made sure that nothing was over until it was over.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"racing-for-second-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Racing for second?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-894b47f0-bb35-11f1-95ef-d713c62fc866\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Cycling, be it men&#8217;s or women&#8217;s, can often fall victim to what many have playfully dubbed &#8216;group two syndrome&#8217;. It&#8217;s a catch-all for those occasions when the chase group seems close enough to catch whoever is in the lead, but they look at each other and hesitate to chase, unwilling to bring each other to the front, and instead they all lose. It&#8217;s frustrating to watch, and must be even more frustrating to be a part of.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s what happened last year when Magdeleine Vallieres surprised the world with her win in Kigali. Not to take anything away from Vallieres&#8217; bold and strong ride \u2013 certainly no one &#8216;let&#8217; her win \u2013 but behind her, the pre-race favourites just looked at each other, marked each other out, and ultimately all missed out on even a consolation medal.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s not an unusual occurrence, and one that can really put a dampener on the race. On Sunday, whilst the top three were beaming on the podium with their medals, no one overly disappointed because they all seemed to finish the race with no regrets, fourth-placed Reusser made some striking comments.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I had the feeling that I&#8217;m the only one racing for first place,&#8221; she told<em> Eurosport<\/em> after finding herself in the chasing group behind the top three, having missed the decisive attack as she desperately needed to take a feed.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I thought &#8216;let&#8217;s go for first&#8217; but I had the feeling that there were a lot of teammates around, everybody racing for second. It&#8217;s short after the race, this is just what&#8217;s in me now and I still need to watch it back, but my feeling is that we raced for second.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-894b4868-bb35-11f1-ae8a-db3a1c546fc2\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-894b48d6-bb35-11f1-860c-4f32202b5cfe\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;If somebody like Demi is out, you cannot just pull a bit. You [either] pull, or the race is over. I think I showed full commitment to pull, and most of them didn&#8217;t. If people are just sitting in and not really pulling then nothing is going, so then Demi just wins.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Except, I&#8217;m not sure that&#8217;s really what happened. Reusser often has a really sharp, no-holds-barred take on racing, but this time, I don&#8217;t think she got it quite right. It&#8217;s hard to know exactly what was going on in the chasing group that Reusser found herself in, because we didn&#8217;t see much of that in the finale, and equally it&#8217;s hard for her to know what was happening up front.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Perhaps the group Reusser was in in the finale \u2013 which included Juliette Berthet, riding for France but Vollering&#8217;s teammate usually \u2013 did not give it their all, but even if that&#8217;s the case, they were riding for fourth at that point, not second. Maybe what she said was in the heat of the moment of frustration and disappointment, and once she has watched the race back she may think differently.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Reusser may have rued missing the key move, but up the road, no one was there settling or racing for silver \u2013 the three leaders were all there for the win, and Vollering certainly did not &#8216;just win&#8217; as if she were unchallenged.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-894b494e-bb35-11f1-add0-0bb01bc245cb\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-894b49c6-bb35-11f1-85a3-c795cf4a007f\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">We absolutely do see days where riders race for second or third with a frustrating lack of ambition or risk-taking, but Saturday was not one of those days.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">And in truth, the fact that every top rider was racing for the win until the very end is what made this race so special, so memorable, and far from a predestined Vollering win.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Because she&#8217;s the Tour de France Femmes champion, and the winner of so many big Classics already this year, her win won&#8217;t go down in the history books as a big surprise or underdog triumph like Brandon McNulty&#8217;s will. But don&#8217;t let that trick you into thinking Saturday wasn&#8217;t also a very special race, with the best riders in the world all giving everything they had to go for the rainbow jersey.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-894b4a34-bb35-11f1-928b-935199b73ffa\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><em><strong>Subscribe to Cyclingnews for comprehensive race coverage of both the UCI Road and Gravel World Championships, alongside the final monument of the season, Il Lombardia. Subscribers get unlimited access to exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! <\/strong><\/em><u><em><strong>Join today.<\/strong><\/em><\/u><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-Dv52YqrqNCS8KdUoC8jVSS\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-Dv52YqrqNCS8KdUoC8jVSS slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio slice-container-authorBio\" id=\"slice-container-authorBio\" data-component-name=\"Slice:AuthorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-author-bio-max-height=\"250\" data-author-bio-read-more=\"Read more\" data-author-bio-read-less=\"Read less\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">\n<p>Matilda Price<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__role\">Assistant Features Editor<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>Matilda is an NCTJ-qualified journalist based in the UK who joined <em>Cyclingnews <\/em>in March 2025. Prior to that, she worked as the Racing News Editor at <em>GCN<\/em>, and extensively as a freelancer contributing to <em>Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Velo, Rouleur, Escape Collective, Red Bull <\/em>and more. She has reported on the ground at all of the biggest events on the calendar, including the men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s Tours de France, the Giro d&#8217;Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, the Spring Classics and the World Championships. She has particular experience and expertise in women&#8217;s cycling, and women&#8217;s sport in general. She is a graduate of modern languages and sports journalism.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"relative max-w-[1070px] viafoura-twig-component mt-6 mx-4 lg:mx-0\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class=&apos;vfcustom-community-guidelines&apos;&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;community guidelines&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-join-the-conversation-text=\"Join the Conversation\">\n<div class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center z-50 bg-white\/90 border-1 rounded-b-[var(--comment-widget-border-radius,0)]\">\n<div class=\"p-2 text-center\">\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-lg!\">You must confirm your public display name before commenting<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-sm!\">Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"mx-2 my-5 sm:mx-0\">\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-adviser:hybrid\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Read more<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UCI Road World Championships: Demi Vollering outsprints Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney to first world title in women&#8217;s elite road race after gripping final lap duel<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It&#8217;s the biggest victory of my career&#8217; &#8211; Demi Vollering&#8217;s team-based plan pays off with title in World Championship road race<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The best riders who have never won at the Road World Championships \u2013 and who could change that in 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Vallieres Mill&#8217;s title defence, Kopecky&#8217;s comeback and is Demi Vollering actually unstoppable? &#8211; Analysing the World Championships elite women&#8217;s road race contenders<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">North American crowds deliver, the juniors deserve better, and the Dutch get it so right \u2013\u00a0Our key takeaways from the Road World Championships 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The World Championships moments we will always remember \u2013 Iconic victories, crushing heartbreaks, dramatic twists, and more<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-category\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">North American crowds deliver, the juniors deserve better, and the Dutch get it so right \u2013\u00a0Our key takeaways from the Road World Championships 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GosPTid6zkSWZezxFiVmi9-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GosPTid6zkSWZezxFiVmi9-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GosPTid6zkSWZezxFiVmi9-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GosPTid6zkSWZezxFiVmi9-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GosPTid6zkSWZezxFiVmi9-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Rad Dirt Fest: Lauren De Crescenzo now five-for-five while Torbj\u00f8rn R\u00f8ed best in men&#8217;s two-rider sprint<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/e8eaSgfP4rmNX25tvp85tA-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/e8eaSgfP4rmNX25tvp85tA-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/e8eaSgfP4rmNX25tvp85tA-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/e8eaSgfP4rmNX25tvp85tA-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/e8eaSgfP4rmNX25tvp85tA-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UCI Gravel World Series: Femke Markus and Magnus Bak Klaris take solo victories at Gravel Grit &#8216;n Grind<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/u7FLayvSUHR6EggwNvM4K5-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/u7FLayvSUHR6EggwNvM4K5-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/u7FLayvSUHR6EggwNvM4K5-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/u7FLayvSUHR6EggwNvM4K5-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/u7FLayvSUHR6EggwNvM4K5-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I looked back, and there was really nobody left&#8217; \u2013 Puck Pieterse plays crucial role for Demi Vollering in united Dutch performance at World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AJRknF2nFY9scUARF5a7mf-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AJRknF2nFY9scUARF5a7mf-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AJRknF2nFY9scUARF5a7mf-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AJRknF2nFY9scUARF5a7mf-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AJRknF2nFY9scUARF5a7mf-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Virginia&#8217;s Blue Ridge GO Cross: Manon Bakker and Tofik Beshir solo to victories in Roanoke<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bEhu4npypaW6kkyGxoA77o-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bEhu4npypaW6kkyGxoA77o-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bEhu4npypaW6kkyGxoA77o-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bEhu4npypaW6kkyGxoA77o-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bEhu4npypaW6kkyGxoA77o-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Positive medical updates provided for those worst affected by horror crash in World Championships women&#8217;s road race<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-articletype\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Features<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">North American crowds deliver, the juniors deserve better, and the Dutch get it so right \u2013\u00a0Our key takeaways from the Road World Championships 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c34s4THws7pNeEW8zQrnMQ-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c34s4THws7pNeEW8zQrnMQ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c34s4THws7pNeEW8zQrnMQ-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c34s4THws7pNeEW8zQrnMQ-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c34s4THws7pNeEW8zQrnMQ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Bikes<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Early access: Watch our video review of the Factor Elara before it goes live on YouTube<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/i57Z8fJ5j2mEA8J94MtMPo-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/i57Z8fJ5j2mEA8J94MtMPo-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/i57Z8fJ5j2mEA8J94MtMPo-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/i57Z8fJ5j2mEA8J94MtMPo-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/i57Z8fJ5j2mEA8J94MtMPo-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;When we talk about legacy, things don&#8217;t happen just by a one-off event&#8217; \u2013 One year later, what is the lasting impact of the Kigali World Championships?<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sxjZyPzXUPWQCXYsdn2MYa-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sxjZyPzXUPWQCXYsdn2MYa-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sxjZyPzXUPWQCXYsdn2MYa-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sxjZyPzXUPWQCXYsdn2MYa-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sxjZyPzXUPWQCXYsdn2MYa-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I&#8217;ve got to make it count&#8217; \u2013 Toms Skuji\u0146\u0161 is a rider for the big occasions, and he&#8217;s ready aim high again at the World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CSGdgiHdXY9V3zcw7oFCE6-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CSGdgiHdXY9V3zcw7oFCE6-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CSGdgiHdXY9V3zcw7oFCE6-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CSGdgiHdXY9V3zcw7oFCE6-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CSGdgiHdXY9V3zcw7oFCE6-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">From a &#8216;jaded&#8217; retirement to a Montreal do-over \u2013 Mike Woods is bowing out with a fairytale home World Championships appearance<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3rgQr6SG8Zvp7Ds3RUtNQj-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3rgQr6SG8Zvp7Ds3RUtNQj-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3rgQr6SG8Zvp7Ds3RUtNQj-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3rgQr6SG8Zvp7Ds3RUtNQj-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3rgQr6SG8Zvp7Ds3RUtNQj-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Safety<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Two years on from Muriel Furrer&#8217;s death, GPS trackers still haven&#8217;t been introduced to cycling \u2013 Why teams can&#8217;t agree, and what&#8217;s next<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"widgetArea17\" class=\"widget-area md:basis-1\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-1-3 page-widget-area-17\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"dynamic\" id=\"popular-data\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-dynamic widget-popular-data widget-dynamic-popular-data widget-dynamic-fter-popular-box\">\n<div class=\"wdn-fte-pb pos-relative space-t20\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"slice-container popular-box-slice\">\n<section class=\"popular-box\" data-component-name=\"Slice:PopularBox\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label__tab popular-box__label__tab--active\" role=\"heading\">\nLATEST ARTICLES\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ol class=\"popular-box__articles-list popular-box__articles-list--active\">\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__image-wrapper\">\n<div>\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qKgzRhFsdhVD5nNTnywrkG-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qKgzRhFsdhVD5nNTnywrkG-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qKgzRhFsdhVD5nNTnywrkG-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qKgzRhFsdhVD5nNTnywrkG-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"99vw\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">1<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>&#8216;Big opportunity&#8217; \u2013 Abel Balderstone sets the scene to make a mark at Le Tour de Langkawi ahead of transfer to UAE Team Emirates-XRG<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">2<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Rad Dirt Fest: Lauren De Crescenzo now five-for-five while Torbj\u00f8rn R\u00f8ed best in men&#8217;s two-rider sprint<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">3<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Yes, the favourite won, but the Women&#8217;s World Championships road race was a thriller where everyone was racing for the win<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">4<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>&#8216;I&#8217;m satisfied with my effort, but I&#8217;m not happy at all&#8217; &#8211; Isaac del Toro does not hide disappointment at missing out on gold at World Championships<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">5<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Tom Pidcock ditches trade team wheels in favour of upgrade at Road World Championships<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"page-content-onecol flex-1\nnews-article article\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"widget-area-group widget-area-group-2col flex flex-wrap box-border\">\n<div id=\"widgetArea16\" class=\"widget-area basis-full md:basis-2\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-2-3 page-widget-area-16\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"hero\" id=\"hero\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-hero widget-hero widget-hero-hero widget-hero widget-hero-fter-news\">\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<li>\nWomen&#8217;s Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRoad\n<\/li>\n<li>\nUCI Road World Championships\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>Yes, the favourite won, but the Women&#8217;s World Championships road race was a thriller where everyone was racing for the win<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-start\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nMatilda Price <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-09-28T13:37:04Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n28 September 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Reusser says riders were racing for second behind Vollering, but in reality, that was one of the most spirited Worlds battles we&#8217;ve seen in years<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start 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Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-1600-80.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-750-80.jpg.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 600px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Zac Williams\/SWpix.com)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-894b4570-bb35-11f1-a9ca-997f9741e95b\">Because the cycling world has a short memory, most of the talk over the next few days is going to be about the men&#8217;s road race at the World Championships, and about how one of the most unpredictable races in years delivered a surprising but highly deserving winner in Brandon McNulty (USA).<\/p>\n<p>The women&#8217;s race got its own spotlight on Saturday, which is fantastic and the way it should be, but it did mean that attention quite quickly switched to the men&#8217;s race, and the conversation moved on fast. Compound that with the fact that Sunday offered a surprise winner whilst Saturday&#8217;s race was won by the favourite, and we run the risk of remembering this weekend as a thrilling men&#8217;s race, and an as-predicted women&#8217;s race.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-894b4570-bb35-11f1-a9ca-997f9741e95b-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But that would betray the fact that actually, both races over the weekend were gripping, unpredictable and highly competitive in their own way, and neither played out in a way that anyone could have scripted.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand\">Cyclingnews<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If you didn&#8217;t watch the women&#8217;s race, it would be easy to look at the results and think &#8216;Oh, yeah, that&#8217;s exactly what we all predicted would happen&#8217;, and paint a picture in your mind of a straightforward race and a straightforward victory for Demi Vollering. She was the favourite, and she won. The podium was the exact same podium as the Tour de France Femmes. On paper, it all went as expected.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But of course, racing does not take place on paper, and the race itself will always tell you much, much more than the results sheet. In reality, this was a race that was not decided until the final few seconds, with all of the top four in the battle for victory until the final moments and \u2013 crucially \u2013 actually all trying to win, too.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">UCI Road World Championships: Demi Vollering outsprints Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney to first world title in women&#8217;s elite road race after gripping final lap duel<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;It&#8217;s the biggest victory of my career&#8217; &#8211; Demi Vollering&#8217;s team-based plan pays off with title in World Championship road race<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The best riders who have never won at the Road World Championships \u2013 and who could change that in 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">There was a moment where it looked like Demi Vollering might Tadej Poga\u010dar the race, that is to say, go long and win by brute force, riding everyone well off her wheel to take a solo victory. She capitalised on work from her teammate Puck Pieterse \u2013 which had dropped riders like Lotte Kopecky and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney \u2013 to attack solo with 38km to go, catch lone leader Maeva Squiban, and pull out a gap because no one followed her.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Except Vollering is not Poga\u010dar, and so something happened that so rarely happens to her Slovenian peer; she was caught. It wasn&#8217;t race over, no one was conceding their chances were over and racing for the medals. Niewiadoma-Phinney and Elisa Longo Borghini regrouped and went in pursuit of the Dutchwoman, joining her with 15km to go. Not long after the catch, Longo Borghini attacked on her own, but again, there was no marking each other out behind \u2013 Niewiadoma-Phinney and Vollering brought her back, and then dropped her.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-Dv52YqrqNCS8KdUoC8jVSS\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-Dv52YqrqNCS8KdUoC8jVSS slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In the finale, Niewiadoma-Phinney, who is so often derided for her tactical decisions, did everything right. She couldn&#8217;t just sit on Vollering and do no work, because then Longo Borghini would almost certainly come back. But she also had to save enough energy to be able to try one of the only two things that would help her win: a late solo attack, or the sprint of her life at the line.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">So that&#8217;s what she did, she managed her efforts with Vollering, she put in one big attack on the penultimate climb, and then when that didn&#8217;t work, she sat on to save herself for the sprint. She timed her sprint really well, too, going late on one of the steeper points, giving herself the best possible chance of winning. And no, it wasn&#8217;t enough, because Vollering&#8217;s acceleration was simply better, but Niewiadoma-Phinney gave herself every possible chance to win, racing for the victory and believing she could until the very last moment, which isn&#8217;t something we can always say in cycling.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-894b4688-bb35-11f1-8583-13aab63268c2\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Vaughn Ridley\/SWpix.com)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-894b470a-bb35-11f1-9410-f1c2f442e1e9\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Elisa Longo Borghini, too, pushed all the way until the line, very nearly catching the leading pair on the finishing straight, and in contention to win herself until the last few metres.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Vallieres Mill&#8217;s title defence, Kopecky&#8217;s comeback and is Demi Vollering actually unstoppable? &#8211; Analysing the World Championships elite women&#8217;s road race contenders<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">North American crowds deliver, the juniors deserve better, and the Dutch get it so right \u2013\u00a0Our key takeaways from the Road World Championships 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The World Championships moments we will always remember \u2013 Iconic victories, crushing heartbreaks, dramatic twists, and more<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The same is true for Marlen Reusser, who came from nowhere to appear round the final corner only a few seconds behind the leaders as they started the climb to the finish line, seeing rainbow within reach and going for it until the very end.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">So yes, it was a race where the favourite won, but at no point did it feel like that was the only option, or a foregone conclusion, and Vollering&#8217;s rivals made sure that nothing was over until it was over.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"racing-for-second-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Racing for second?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-894b47f0-bb35-11f1-95ef-d713c62fc866\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Cycling, be it men&#8217;s or women&#8217;s, can often fall victim to what many have playfully dubbed &#8216;group two syndrome&#8217;. It&#8217;s a catch-all for those occasions when the chase group seems close enough to catch whoever is in the lead, but they look at each other and hesitate to chase, unwilling to bring each other to the front, and instead they all lose. It&#8217;s frustrating to watch, and must be even more frustrating to be a part of.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s what happened last year when Magdeleine Vallieres surprised the world with her win in Kigali. Not to take anything away from Vallieres&#8217; bold and strong ride \u2013 certainly no one &#8216;let&#8217; her win \u2013 but behind her, the pre-race favourites just looked at each other, marked each other out, and ultimately all missed out on even a consolation medal.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s not an unusual occurrence, and one that can really put a dampener on the race. On Sunday, whilst the top three were beaming on the podium with their medals, no one overly disappointed because they all seemed to finish the race with no regrets, fourth-placed Reusser made some striking comments.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I had the feeling that I&#8217;m the only one racing for first place,&#8221; she told<em> Eurosport<\/em> after finding herself in the chasing group behind the top three, having missed the decisive attack as she desperately needed to take a feed.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I thought &#8216;let&#8217;s go for first&#8217; but I had the feeling that there were a lot of teammates around, everybody racing for second. It&#8217;s short after the race, this is just what&#8217;s in me now and I still need to watch it back, but my feeling is that we raced for second.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-894b4868-bb35-11f1-ae8a-db3a1c546fc2\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-894b48d6-bb35-11f1-860c-4f32202b5cfe\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;If somebody like Demi is out, you cannot just pull a bit. You [either] pull, or the race is over. I think I showed full commitment to pull, and most of them didn&#8217;t. If people are just sitting in and not really pulling then nothing is going, so then Demi just wins.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Except, I&#8217;m not sure that&#8217;s really what happened. Reusser often has a really sharp, no-holds-barred take on racing, but this time, I don&#8217;t think she got it quite right. It&#8217;s hard to know exactly what was going on in the chasing group that Reusser found herself in, because we didn&#8217;t see much of that in the finale, and equally it&#8217;s hard for her to know what was happening up front.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Perhaps the group Reusser was in in the finale \u2013 which included Juliette Berthet, riding for France but Vollering&#8217;s teammate usually \u2013 did not give it their all, but even if that&#8217;s the case, they were riding for fourth at that point, not second. Maybe what she said was in the heat of the moment of frustration and disappointment, and once she has watched the race back she may think differently.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Reusser may have rued missing the key move, but up the road, no one was there settling or racing for silver \u2013 the three leaders were all there for the win, and Vollering certainly did not &#8216;just win&#8217; as if she were unchallenged.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-894b494e-bb35-11f1-add0-0bb01bc245cb\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-894b49c6-bb35-11f1-85a3-c795cf4a007f\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">We absolutely do see days where riders race for second or third with a frustrating lack of ambition or risk-taking, but Saturday was not one of those days.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">And in truth, the fact that every top rider was racing for the win until the very end is what made this race so special, so memorable, and far from a predestined Vollering win.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Because she&#8217;s the Tour de France Femmes champion, and the winner of so many big Classics already this year, her win won&#8217;t go down in the history books as a big surprise or underdog triumph like Brandon McNulty&#8217;s will. But don&#8217;t let that trick you into thinking Saturday wasn&#8217;t also a very special race, with the best riders in the world all giving everything they had to go for the rainbow jersey.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-894b4a34-bb35-11f1-928b-935199b73ffa\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><em><strong>Subscribe to Cyclingnews for comprehensive race coverage of both the UCI Road and Gravel World Championships, alongside the final monument of the season, Il Lombardia. Subscribers get unlimited access to exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! <\/strong><\/em><u><em><strong>Join today.<\/strong><\/em><\/u><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-Dv52YqrqNCS8KdUoC8jVSS\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-Dv52YqrqNCS8KdUoC8jVSS slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio slice-container-authorBio\" id=\"slice-container-authorBio\" data-component-name=\"Slice:AuthorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-author-bio-max-height=\"250\" data-author-bio-read-more=\"Read more\" data-author-bio-read-less=\"Read less\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">\n<p>Matilda Price<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__role\">Assistant Features Editor<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>Matilda is an NCTJ-qualified journalist based in the UK who joined <em>Cyclingnews <\/em>in March 2025. Prior to that, she worked as the Racing News Editor at <em>GCN<\/em>, and extensively as a freelancer contributing to <em>Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Velo, Rouleur, Escape Collective, Red Bull <\/em>and more. She has reported on the ground at all of the biggest events on the calendar, including the men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s Tours de France, the Giro d&#8217;Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, the Spring Classics and the World Championships. She has particular experience and expertise in women&#8217;s cycling, and women&#8217;s sport in general. She is a graduate of modern languages and sports journalism.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"relative max-w-[1070px] viafoura-twig-component mt-6 mx-4 lg:mx-0\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class=&apos;vfcustom-community-guidelines&apos;&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;community guidelines&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-join-the-conversation-text=\"Join the Conversation\">\n<div class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center z-50 bg-white\/90 border-1 rounded-b-[var(--comment-widget-border-radius,0)]\">\n<div class=\"p-2 text-center\">\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-lg!\">You must confirm your public display name before commenting<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-sm!\">Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"mx-2 my-5 sm:mx-0\">\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-adviser:hybrid\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Read more<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UCI Road World Championships: Demi Vollering outsprints Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney to first world title in women&#8217;s elite road race after gripping final lap duel<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It&#8217;s the biggest victory of my career&#8217; &#8211; Demi Vollering&#8217;s team-based plan pays off with title in World Championship road race<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The best riders who have never won at the Road World Championships \u2013 and who could change that in 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Vallieres Mill&#8217;s title defence, Kopecky&#8217;s comeback and is Demi Vollering actually unstoppable? &#8211; Analysing the World Championships elite women&#8217;s road race contenders<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">North American crowds deliver, the juniors deserve better, and the Dutch get it so right \u2013\u00a0Our key takeaways from the Road World Championships 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The World Championships moments we will always remember \u2013 Iconic victories, crushing heartbreaks, dramatic twists, and more<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-category\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">North American crowds deliver, the juniors deserve better, and the Dutch get it so right \u2013\u00a0Our key takeaways from the Road World Championships 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GosPTid6zkSWZezxFiVmi9-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GosPTid6zkSWZezxFiVmi9-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GosPTid6zkSWZezxFiVmi9-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GosPTid6zkSWZezxFiVmi9-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GosPTid6zkSWZezxFiVmi9-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Rad Dirt Fest: Lauren De Crescenzo now five-for-five while Torbj\u00f8rn R\u00f8ed best in men&#8217;s two-rider sprint<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/e8eaSgfP4rmNX25tvp85tA-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/e8eaSgfP4rmNX25tvp85tA-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/e8eaSgfP4rmNX25tvp85tA-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/e8eaSgfP4rmNX25tvp85tA-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/e8eaSgfP4rmNX25tvp85tA-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UCI Gravel World Series: Femke Markus and Magnus Bak Klaris take solo victories at Gravel Grit &#8216;n Grind<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/u7FLayvSUHR6EggwNvM4K5-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/u7FLayvSUHR6EggwNvM4K5-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/u7FLayvSUHR6EggwNvM4K5-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/u7FLayvSUHR6EggwNvM4K5-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/u7FLayvSUHR6EggwNvM4K5-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I looked back, and there was really nobody left&#8217; \u2013 Puck Pieterse plays crucial role for Demi Vollering in united Dutch performance at World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AJRknF2nFY9scUARF5a7mf-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AJRknF2nFY9scUARF5a7mf-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AJRknF2nFY9scUARF5a7mf-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AJRknF2nFY9scUARF5a7mf-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AJRknF2nFY9scUARF5a7mf-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Virginia&#8217;s Blue Ridge GO Cross: Manon Bakker and Tofik Beshir solo to victories in Roanoke<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bEhu4npypaW6kkyGxoA77o-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bEhu4npypaW6kkyGxoA77o-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bEhu4npypaW6kkyGxoA77o-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bEhu4npypaW6kkyGxoA77o-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bEhu4npypaW6kkyGxoA77o-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Positive medical updates provided for those worst affected by horror crash in World Championships women&#8217;s road race<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-articletype\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Features<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">North American crowds deliver, the juniors deserve better, and the Dutch get it so right \u2013\u00a0Our key takeaways from the Road World Championships 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c34s4THws7pNeEW8zQrnMQ-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c34s4THws7pNeEW8zQrnMQ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c34s4THws7pNeEW8zQrnMQ-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c34s4THws7pNeEW8zQrnMQ-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c34s4THws7pNeEW8zQrnMQ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Bikes<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Early access: Watch our video review of the Factor Elara before it goes live on YouTube<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/i57Z8fJ5j2mEA8J94MtMPo-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/i57Z8fJ5j2mEA8J94MtMPo-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/i57Z8fJ5j2mEA8J94MtMPo-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/i57Z8fJ5j2mEA8J94MtMPo-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/i57Z8fJ5j2mEA8J94MtMPo-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;When we talk about legacy, things don&#8217;t happen just by a one-off event&#8217; \u2013 One year later, what is the lasting impact of the Kigali World Championships?<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sxjZyPzXUPWQCXYsdn2MYa-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sxjZyPzXUPWQCXYsdn2MYa-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sxjZyPzXUPWQCXYsdn2MYa-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sxjZyPzXUPWQCXYsdn2MYa-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sxjZyPzXUPWQCXYsdn2MYa-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;I&#8217;ve got to make it count&#8217; \u2013 Toms Skuji\u0146\u0161 is a rider for the big occasions, and he&#8217;s ready aim high again at the World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CSGdgiHdXY9V3zcw7oFCE6-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CSGdgiHdXY9V3zcw7oFCE6-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CSGdgiHdXY9V3zcw7oFCE6-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CSGdgiHdXY9V3zcw7oFCE6-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CSGdgiHdXY9V3zcw7oFCE6-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">From a &#8216;jaded&#8217; retirement to a Montreal do-over \u2013 Mike Woods is bowing out with a fairytale home World Championships appearance<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3rgQr6SG8Zvp7Ds3RUtNQj-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3rgQr6SG8Zvp7Ds3RUtNQj-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3rgQr6SG8Zvp7Ds3RUtNQj-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3rgQr6SG8Zvp7Ds3RUtNQj-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3rgQr6SG8Zvp7Ds3RUtNQj-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Safety<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Two years on from Muriel Furrer&#8217;s death, GPS trackers still haven&#8217;t been introduced to cycling \u2013 Why teams can&#8217;t agree, and what&#8217;s next<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"widgetArea17\" class=\"widget-area md:basis-1\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-1-3 page-widget-area-17\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"dynamic\" id=\"popular-data\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-dynamic widget-popular-data widget-dynamic-popular-data widget-dynamic-fter-popular-box\">\n<div class=\"wdn-fte-pb pos-relative space-t20\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"slice-container popular-box-slice\">\n<section class=\"popular-box\" data-component-name=\"Slice:PopularBox\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label__tab popular-box__label__tab--active\" role=\"heading\">\nLATEST ARTICLES\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ol class=\"popular-box__articles-list popular-box__articles-list--active\">\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__image-wrapper\">\n<div>\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qKgzRhFsdhVD5nNTnywrkG-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qKgzRhFsdhVD5nNTnywrkG-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qKgzRhFsdhVD5nNTnywrkG-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qKgzRhFsdhVD5nNTnywrkG-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"99vw\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">1<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>&#8216;Big opportunity&#8217; \u2013 Abel Balderstone sets the scene to make a mark at Le Tour de Langkawi ahead of transfer to UAE Team Emirates-XRG<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">2<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Rad Dirt Fest: Lauren De Crescenzo now five-for-five while Torbj\u00f8rn R\u00f8ed best in men&#8217;s two-rider sprint<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">3<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Yes, the favourite won, but the Women&#8217;s World Championships road race was a thriller where everyone was racing for the win<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">4<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>&#8216;I&#8217;m satisfied with my effort, but I&#8217;m not happy at all&#8217; &#8211; Isaac del Toro does not hide disappointment at missing out on gold at World Championships<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">5<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Tom Pidcock ditches trade team wheels in favour of upgrade at Road World Championships<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<li>\nWomen&#8217;s Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRoad\n<\/li>\n<li>\nUCI Road World Championships\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>Yes, the favourite won, but the Women&#8217;s World Championships road race was a thriller where everyone was racing for the win<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-start\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nMatilda Price <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-09-28T13:37:04Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n28 September 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Reusser says riders were racing for second behind Vollering, but in reality, that was one of the most spirited Worlds battles we&#8217;ve seen in years<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start text-left\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an 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Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-894b4570-bb35-11f1-a9ca-997f9741e95b\">Because the cycling world has a short memory, most of the talk over the next few days is going to be about the men&#8217;s road race at the World Championships, and about how one of the most unpredictable races in years delivered a surprising but highly deserving winner in Brandon McNulty (USA).<\/p>\n<p>The women&#8217;s race got its own spotlight on Saturday, which is fantastic and the way it should be, but it did mean that attention quite quickly switched to the men&#8217;s race, and the conversation moved on fast. Compound that with the fact that Sunday offered a surprise winner whilst Saturday&#8217;s race was won by the favourite, and we run the risk of remembering this weekend as a thrilling men&#8217;s race, and an as-predicted women&#8217;s race.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-894b4570-bb35-11f1-a9ca-997f9741e95b-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But that would betray the fact that actually, both races over the weekend were gripping, unpredictable and highly competitive in their own way, and neither played out in a way that anyone could have scripted.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand\">Cyclingnews<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If you didn&#8217;t watch the women&#8217;s race, it would be easy to look at the results and think &#8216;Oh, yeah, that&#8217;s exactly what we all predicted would happen&#8217;, and paint a picture in your mind of a straightforward race and a straightforward victory for Demi Vollering. She was the favourite, and she won. The podium was the exact same podium as the Tour de France Femmes. On paper, it all went as expected.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But of course, racing does not take place on paper, and the race itself will always tell you much, much more than the results sheet. In reality, this was a race that was not decided until the final few seconds, with all of the top four in the battle for victory until the final moments and \u2013 crucially \u2013 actually all trying to win, too.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MAM5hc3AzpqiBh7faUKxVh-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">UCI Road World Championships: Demi Vollering outsprints Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney to first world title in women&#8217;s elite road race after gripping final lap duel<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/eo5bkmFSY9e4FcpTsoK8ZQ-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;It&#8217;s the biggest victory of my career&#8217; &#8211; Demi Vollering&#8217;s team-based plan pays off with title in World Championship road race<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4w3qLesyYvCrGoyJcKfVvi-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The best riders who have never won at the Road World Championships \u2013 and who could change that in 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">There was a moment where it looked like Demi Vollering might Tadej Poga\u010dar the race, that is to say, go long and win by brute force, riding everyone well off her wheel to take a solo victory. She capitalised on work from her teammate Puck Pieterse \u2013 which had dropped riders like Lotte Kopecky and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney \u2013 to attack solo with 38km to go, catch lone leader Maeva Squiban, and pull out a gap because no one followed her.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Except Vollering is not Poga\u010dar, and so something happened that so rarely happens to her Slovenian peer; she was caught. It wasn&#8217;t race over, no one was conceding their chances were over and racing for the medals. Niewiadoma-Phinney and Elisa Longo Borghini regrouped and went in pursuit of the Dutchwoman, joining her with 15km to go. Not long after the catch, Longo Borghini attacked on her own, but again, there was no marking each other out behind \u2013 Niewiadoma-Phinney and Vollering brought her back, and then dropped her.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-Dv52YqrqNCS8KdUoC8jVSS\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-Dv52YqrqNCS8KdUoC8jVSS slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In the finale, Niewiadoma-Phinney, who is so often derided for her tactical decisions, did everything right. She couldn&#8217;t just sit on Vollering and do no work, because then Longo Borghini would almost certainly come back. But she also had to save enough energy to be able to try one of the only two things that would help her win: a late solo attack, or the sprint of her life at the line.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">So that&#8217;s what she did, she managed her efforts with Vollering, she put in one big attack on the penultimate climb, and then when that didn&#8217;t work, she sat on to save herself for the sprint. She timed her sprint really well, too, going late on one of the steeper points, giving herself the best possible chance of winning. And no, it wasn&#8217;t enough, because Vollering&#8217;s acceleration was simply better, but Niewiadoma-Phinney gave herself every possible chance to win, racing for the victory and believing she could until the very last moment, which isn&#8217;t something we can always say in cycling.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-894b4688-bb35-11f1-8583-13aab63268c2\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TjPgJ4jqnXTjxKvLFkLXeS-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Vaughn Ridley\/SWpix.com)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-894b470a-bb35-11f1-9410-f1c2f442e1e9\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Elisa Longo Borghini, too, pushed all the way until the line, very nearly catching the leading pair on the finishing straight, and in contention to win herself until the last few metres.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ucnW4C33CudyUarHcb5GJ-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Vallieres Mill&#8217;s title defence, Kopecky&#8217;s comeback and is Demi Vollering actually unstoppable? &#8211; Analysing the World Championships elite women&#8217;s road race contenders<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/JQxDTX3Tn2awqXyRcqXphD-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">North American crowds deliver, the juniors deserve better, and the Dutch get it so right \u2013\u00a0Our key takeaways from the Road World Championships 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/nL9WzQvccqENhvX5vvLLJR-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The World Championships moments we will always remember \u2013 Iconic victories, crushing heartbreaks, dramatic twists, and more<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The same is true for Marlen Reusser, who came from nowhere to appear round the final corner only a few seconds behind the leaders as they started the climb to the finish line, seeing rainbow within reach and going for it until the very end.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">So yes, it was a race where the favourite won, but at no point did it feel like that was the only option, or a foregone conclusion, and Vollering&#8217;s rivals made sure that nothing was over until it was over.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"racing-for-second-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Racing for second?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-894b47f0-bb35-11f1-95ef-d713c62fc866\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Cycling, be it men&#8217;s or women&#8217;s, can often fall victim to what many have playfully dubbed &#8216;group two syndrome&#8217;. It&#8217;s a catch-all for those occasions when the chase group seems close enough to catch whoever is in the lead, but they look at each other and hesitate to chase, unwilling to bring each other to the front, and instead they all lose. It&#8217;s frustrating to watch, and must be even more frustrating to be a part of.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s what happened last year when Magdeleine Vallieres surprised the world with her win in Kigali. Not to take anything away from Vallieres&#8217; bold and strong ride \u2013 certainly no one &#8216;let&#8217; her win \u2013 but behind her, the pre-race favourites just looked at each other, marked each other out, and ultimately all missed out on even a consolation medal.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It&#8217;s not an unusual occurrence, and one that can really put a dampener on the race. On Sunday, whilst the top three were beaming on the podium with their medals, no one overly disappointed because they all seemed to finish the race with no regrets, fourth-placed Reusser made some striking comments.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I had the feeling that I&#8217;m the only one racing for first place,&#8221; she told<em> Eurosport<\/em> after finding herself in the chasing group behind the top three, having missed the decisive attack as she desperately needed to take a feed.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I thought &#8216;let&#8217;s go for first&#8217; but I had the feeling that there were a lot of teammates around, everybody racing for second. It&#8217;s short after the race, this is just what&#8217;s in me now and I still need to watch it back, but my feeling is that we raced for second.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-894b4868-bb35-11f1-ae8a-db3a1c546fc2\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/4JS8CSJho33FCW69GFAtbD-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-894b48d6-bb35-11f1-860c-4f32202b5cfe\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;If somebody like Demi is out, you cannot just pull a bit. You [either] pull, or the race is over. I think I showed full commitment to pull, and most of them didn&#8217;t. If people are just sitting in and not really pulling then nothing is going, so then Demi just wins.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Except, I&#8217;m not sure that&#8217;s really what happened. Reusser often has a really sharp, no-holds-barred take on racing, but this time, I don&#8217;t think she got it quite right. It&#8217;s hard to know exactly what was going on in the chasing group that Reusser found herself in, because we didn&#8217;t see much of that in the finale, and equally it&#8217;s hard for her to know what was happening up front.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Perhaps the group Reusser was in in the finale \u2013 which included Juliette Berthet, riding for France but Vollering&#8217;s teammate usually \u2013 did not give it their all, but even if that&#8217;s the case, they were riding for fourth at that point, not second. Maybe what she said was in the heat of the moment of frustration and disappointment, and once she has watched the race back she may think differently.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Reusser may have rued missing the key move, but up the road, no one was there settling or racing for silver \u2013 the three leaders were all there for the win, and Vollering certainly did not &#8216;just win&#8217; as if she were unchallenged.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-894b494e-bb35-11f1-add0-0bb01bc245cb\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Y7Y42J9of2ut9UKT2Wu2hN-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-894b49c6-bb35-11f1-85a3-c795cf4a007f\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">We absolutely do see days where riders race for second or third with a frustrating lack of ambition or risk-taking, but Saturday was not one of those days.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">And in truth, the fact that every top rider was racing for the win until the very end is what made this race so special, so memorable, and far from a predestined Vollering win.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Because she&#8217;s the Tour de France Femmes champion, and the winner of so many big Classics already this year, her win won&#8217;t go down in the history books as a big surprise or underdog triumph like Brandon McNulty&#8217;s will. But don&#8217;t let that trick you into thinking Saturday wasn&#8217;t also a very special race, with the best riders in the world all giving everything they had to go for the rainbow jersey.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-894b4a34-bb35-11f1-928b-935199b73ffa\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><em><strong>Subscribe to Cyclingnews for comprehensive race coverage of both the UCI Road and Gravel World Championships, alongside the final monument of the season, Il Lombardia. Subscribers get unlimited access to exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! <\/strong><\/em><u><em><strong>Join today.<\/strong><\/em><\/u><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/yes-the-favourite-won-but-the-womens-world-championships-road-race-was-a-thriller-where-everyone-was-racing-for-the-win\/&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hBKXkBsi7rwycedA57aLmS-2400-80.jpg&#8221;] 1 As it happened: American wins men road title after stunning 32km solo ride at Road World Championships 2 As it happened: Dutch star secures first road title in illustrious career at World Road Championships women&#8217;s road race 2026 3 UCI Road World Championships: Brandon McNulty shocks the favourites to win solo [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,68],"class_list":["post-2167956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-cyclingnews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2167956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2167956"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2167956\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2167956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2167956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2167956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}