Cycling talents are hidden in all corners of the globe. The World Championships are an annual opportunity for them to step into the spotlight.
An unmissable feature at the UCI Road World Championships each year is the vibrant splash of colour in the peloton, as racers from around the world proudly wear kit representing their nations.
While the top level of professional cycling is dominated by a few countries, the World Championships provides an opportunity for those from the sport’s emerging nations to put themselves out there while the eyes of the world are watching.
The likes of Mexico’s Isaac del Toro and Mauritius’ Kim Le Court-Pienaar will vie for the rainbow jersey, but there is also a vast amount of unseen talent in the hidden corners of the professional cycling world. Often, the World Championships is their biggest opportunity to show it.
Riders from 62 different countries are due to take part in the elite men’s road race on Sunday, while 56 nations will be represented in the women’s race. The Montréal Worlds is even more diverse than last year’s event in Kigali, when 57 nations competed in the men’s race and 44 in the women’s.
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After conducting some in-depth scouting of the World Championships start-lists, here are some hidden gems to look out for during the road races in Montréal. Many of these riders are unlikely to contest for the win, but they will add their own unique stories to the wider World Championships narrative.
Elite Men
Rising out of the shadow of his absent trade team-mate Tadej Pogačar, Mexico’s Isaac del Toro has established himself as one of the firm favourites for the elite men’s title on Sunday. Last year, Del Toro attacked alongside Pogačar on the brutal Kigali course and paid for his efforts. In 2026, he comes into the race full of confidence after winning the GP Montréal. Much has been said about his support team, and while the Mexican squad can’t compare to the French or Belgians, Edgar Cadena (10th at the 2026 Lidl Deutschland Tour) is a solid rider. Mexico has never won a medal at the UCI Road Worlds. Del Toro could break that curse, but there are other Mexican riders who also stand a chance of climbing onto the podium in Montréal.
Del Toro was 6th in the elite men’s TT
If last year we had a natural over-representation of African nations at the Worlds due to the event being held in Rwanda, this year we have the same from nations across the Americas. Riders from 16 North and South American nations will take part in the elite men’s race — a high proportion given the UCI’s qualification rules for the elite road races.
Colombia will approach the difficult course with a strong climbing team, which includes the retiring Nairo Quintana. XDS-Astana’s Harold Tejada and Bahrain Victorious’ Santiago Buitrago will lead the team. Neighbours Ecuador also boast WorldTour talent including Jhonatan Narvaez, although headliner Richard Carapaz has pulled out.
Looking a little deeper, one name that sticks out is former XCO mountain bike world cup winner Henrique Avancini. After more than a decade at the very top of the mountain bike world, the Brazilian pivoted to the road last year, competing in lower-level UCI races in Europe with continental team Factor Racing. This year, he switched to Brazilian team Localiza Meoo / Swift Pro Cycling. He won the Tour of the Gila Men in May and also raced the Tour du Rwanda and Volta Portugal. The now 37-year-old told reporters in Montréal this week “It’s been hard to be a newbie again. A very very nice experience to put myself in an uncomfortable place … To stop and retire and then restart a new career, it’s a massive challenge.”
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