World Cycling Championships 2026: Vollering outsprints Niewiadoma in thriller finale

fotobureau Cor VosDemi Vollering attacks with 37 kilometres to go, but she is caught just before the final lap by Elisa Longo Borghini, Kasia Niewiadoma and Juliette Berthet. The Italian attacks, and when Vollering and Niewiadoma catch her, they ride straight past her. In the sprint, the Dutchwoman takes the win. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results women's road race 2026 Worlds

1. Demi Vollering (nld) 4:45:09
2. Kasia Niewiadoma (pol) s.t.
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (ita) + 0:04
4. Marlen Reusser (swi) + 0:08
5. Juliette Berthet (fra) + 0:39
6. Puck Pieterse (nld) + 1:36
7. Célia Gery (fra) + 2:55
8. Dominika Wlodarczyk (pol) + 4:16
9. Maeva Squiban (fra) + 5:48
10. Franziska Koch (ger) + 5:51

Race report
After around 20 kilometres, Marte Berg Edseth, Natalie Quinn, Beatriz Roxo and Gergana Stoyanova join forces to form the breakaway. They race to a lead of over 4 minutes, before Stoyanova is the first to be dropped, with Roxo following shortly afterwards. At that point, 65 kilometres have been covered.

Just before the second passage of the finish line, defending world champion Magdeleine Vallieres, Niamh Fisher-Black and Kim Le Court are caught up in a crash and are forced to chase back. Shortly afterwards, Paula Blasi, who crashed earlier in the race, calls it a day.

At the third passage of the finish line, Edseth and Quinn’s lead is down to just 20 seconds, prompting the Norwegian to go it alone on the Voie Camillien-Houde. It only delays the inevitable, however, as Edseth is caught with more than 75 kilometres to go. The peloton is then down to around 35 riders, while by that point it is also clear that Le Court, Fisher-Black and Vallieres are out of contention.

Two laps later, Maeva Squiban attacks and, after riding solo for one round lap, she is 45 seconds clear.

On the next ascent of the Voie Camillien-Houde, Puck Pieterse splits the peloton, after which Demi Vollering attacks. She catches Squiban, who manages to hang on for a while before Vollering finally drops her with 37 kilometres to go.

With two laps to go, Demi Vollering has a 20-second lead over a chasing group containing Puck Pieterse, Elisa Longo Borghini, Marlen Reusser, Kasia Niewiadoma, Dominika Wlodarczyk, Juliette Berthet, Célia Gery and Maeva Squiban. On the Voie Camillien-Houde, she adds another 10 seconds to her lead, but when Longo Borghini launches the chase with Niewiadoma on her wheel, they pull back 14 seconds.

With 22 kilometres to go, Reusser, Berthet and Pieterse rejoin the two chasers, but they are dropped when Niewiadoma accelerates again. Longo Borghini immediately follows, with Berthet bridging across a little later.

On Avenue Pagnuelo, Niewiadoma and Longo Borghini join forces once again. They almost reach Vollering’s rear wheel and close the gap with just over 15 kilometres to go. Berthet catches back on with 1 kilometre to go before the penultimate passage of the finish line.

Longo Borghini attacks 800 metres later and crosses the line five seconds ahead of the three chasers, but 250 metres from the top of the Voie Camillien-Houde, she sees Vollering and Niewiadoma come alongside. The Tour de France champion keeps on pushing with the Polish rider in her wheel.

On Chemin de la Polytechnique, Longo Borghini closes to within 5 seconds of the two leaders, but after the final climb, Avenue Pagnuelo, the gap sits at 15 seconds.

more to come

Other interesting reads: route and start list 2026 UCI Worlds road race.