Paul Seixas leads France at 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montreal

The Demanding Montreal Circuit and Early Breakaways

The race kicked off with an early breakaway group establishing a significant gap of over seven minutes before the field entered the metropolitan circuit in Montreal on September 27, 2026. According to live reporting, the leading group featured Norway’s Andreas Leknessund, Germany’s Felix Engelhardt, Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay and Henok Mulubrhan, Ireland’s Jamie Meehan, Latvia’s Emils Liepins, and Cyprus’s Andreas Miltiadis. As the race progressed through the 12 required laps around Mont Royal, national teams began to shred the peloton. Bruno Armirail spearheaded the French pace-setting alongside Swiss riders such as Stefan Bissegger, significantly shrinking the gap to the escapees. The punishing positive elevation gain, highlighted by the 1.6-kilometer Côte Camillien-Houde averaging 7.5%, quickly took its toll on the field. Portugal’s Afonso Eulalio, who placed ninth at the Grand Prix de Montréal, and Belgium’s Alec Segaert were among the notable riders distanced by the high-speed chase.

Contenders and Tactical Stakes in Canada

France Télévisions notes that with double defending champion Tadej Pogacar absent following a crash on the Vuelta, the path to the rainbow jersey remains wide open. Remco Evenepoel enters as a top favorite aiming for an unprecedented double after securing his fourth world time-trial title. The Belgian star shares leadership ambitions with compatriot Wout van Aert, with both riders indicating readiness to collaborate for national glory. Meanwhile, France has pinned high hopes on 20-year-old Paul Seixas, who celebrated his birthday just days prior and stands among the youngest riders in the field alongside Italy’s Lorenzo Finn and Spain’s Markel Beloki. Selected by coach Thomas Voeckler to lead the French squad, Seixas aims to become the youngest world champion in history. Observers also eye dangerous individual entries such as Mexican rider Isaac Del Toro, who captured the Grand Prix de Montréal ahead of Seixas earlier in the month and was singled out by Evenepoel as a primary threat.