Zoe Bäckstedt opts to compete in the elite ranks, leaving the under-23 women’s time trial world title wide open, and the list of contenders is long

The 2026 UCI Road World Championships kicks off on Sunday, September 20, with the elite individual time trials, making way for the younger categories to compete in their wake.

On Monday, September 21, the under-23 women’s time trial will begin on the Avenue du Parc, one of central Montréal’s major streets, and return for a scenic and demanding finish at the Jeanne Mance Park, where a new winner will be crowned.

UCI Road World Championships 2026 – Under-23 Women’s Time Trial (Image credit: UCI Road World Championships 2026)

While the 39.9km elite time trials crossed the St. Lawrence River to visit the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, home of the Formula 1 Grand Prix, a shortened version of 20.2km for under-23 women sees them racing south along the river (but not crossing over) before backtracking on the same route and then returning to Old Montreal and heading to the uphill finish.

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UCI Road World Championships 2026 – Under-23 Women’s Time Trial (Image credit: UCI Road World Championships 2026)

After winning the under-23 title in Kigali last year, Zoe Bäckstedt (Great Britain) had opted to compete in the elite women’s time trial instead. Her absence leaves the race for the under-23 title wide open for the taking, and Cyclingnews highlights a handful of the powerful contenders who will take the starting ramp on Monday.

Viktória Chladoňová (Slovakia)

Viktória Chladoňová, 19, delivered a standout performance last year at the Worlds in Kigali, securing silver medals in both the under-23 women’s time trial and road race. A standout junior rider the year before, she had already signed a contract to race on the WorldTour with Visma-Lease a Bike through 2027.

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Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Australia)

Australia field three contenders for the under-23 women’s time trial, led by national champion Felicity Wilson-Haffenden. Now 21, she is a former junior world champion who finished fourth in the under-23 time trial and formed part of the Australian team that won the world title in the Team Relay last year in Kigali.

Wilson-Haffenden competes on the WorldTour with Lidl-Trek, with her contract expiring at the end of this year. She had strong time trials this year at the Baloise Ladies Tour, where she was fourth in the prologue and second in the stage 3 time trial, finishing third in the overall classification. More recently, she was second to reigning time trial World Champion, Marlen Reusser, in the Chrono Gatineau.

Australia will also field under-23 time trial national champion Sophia Sammons and elite road race champion Mackenzie Coupland in Montreal.

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Megan Arens (Netherlands)

Megan Arens, 19, secured the rainbow jersey in the junior women’s time trial in Kigali last year, and will carry that unforgettable success into the under-23 time trial in Montreal.

Racing for the AG Insurance-Soudal Team through 2029, Arens regularly competes on the WorldTour. This year, she placed third in the youth classification at the Itzulia Women and Tour de Suisse and won the Limburg Cycling Chrono Trofee Well.

She will be competing in a very different type of time trial in Montreal, as compared to the hilly Kigali route, this one is flatter and riders will capitalise on full time trial aero equipment.

Paula Ostiz (Spain)

At just 19, Paula Ostiz has built a growing list of accolades that would impress anyone, even in the elite ranks. She joined Movistar as a trainee in August last year and is contracted with the WorldTour outfit through 2028.

She also had a standout season in 2025, with victories at Ronde van Vlaanderen Junior and the Watersley Ladies Challenge, along with junior title wins at the National Championships (road race), World Championships (road race), and European Championships (road race and time trial).

She not only won the junior women’s road race world title in Kigali last year, but also secured the silver medal in the time trial behind Arens. This year in Montreal, she heads into the under-23 women’s time trial and road race as one of the outright favourites.

Ava and Isabella Holmgren, Sidney Swierenga (Canada)

Luca Vierstraete (Belgium)

Oda Aune Gissinger (Norway)

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