Spanish cyclist Benjamín Noval claimed the junior men’s time trial world title at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, Canada, clocking a winning time of 25 minutes and 17.35 seconds over a 20.3-kilometer course, according to race results reported by El País.
Mastering the Technical Course in Montreal
The 17-year-old Spaniard secured the gold medal by defeating silver medalist Vic de Smet of Belgium by 6.35 seconds, while Denmark’s Malthe Risbjerg took the bronze, finishing 16.97 seconds behind the winner.
“Era un objetivo desde el principio de la temporada, pero para la crono no tenía tan claro que tenía estas posibilidades. Sabía que era posible, pero aún no me lo creo y estoy asimilándolo todavía,” Noval stated after his victory, as reported by El País.
The race demanded precise tactical execution on a demanding, corner-heavy route. Noval admitted that he initially held back to preserve his energy and avoid crashes on the slick, technical bends. At the first intermediate check point, he sat in fourth place, trailing the pace set by Netherlands rider Gijs Winters by 3.30 seconds. However, once the course opened up into favorable terrain, the Asturias native pushed his limits all the way to the finish line, overtaking his competitors in the second half of the race to lead by 10.08 seconds over De Smet at the second split.
Building Toward the World Championship
Noval’s triumph in Canada represents redemption and steady progress following his 11th-place finish in the junior time trial at the 2025 World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, where he finished 57.05 seconds behind the gold medalist, Michiel Mouris. Reflecting on the months of rigorous preparation with his support system, Noval noted that the team focused heavily on sharpening his time-trial capabilities for this specific event.
Domestically and regionally, the young star has sharpened his craft across multiple setups. Formed initially at the MMR Academy, Noval recently transitioned to compete with older amateur riders under the Surne Bilbao banner, securing solo victories in demanding Basque calendar races like Zegama and Oñati, according to reporting by El Correo.
Looking Ahead to the Road Race and Professional Future
With the time trial gold secured, Noval turns his attention immediately toward the junior road race, where outlets like El Correo highlight him as a major favorite for another podium finish. Spain’s strong showing in Montreal also complements earlier success in the championships, following the bronze medal won by Héctor Álvarez in the under-23 men’s time trial.
Beyond the international stage, Noval’s career trajectory is already set for the highest level of professional cycling. The Asturian rider—whose father famously raced alongside Alberto Contador—is scheduled to join the professional ranks with WorldTour squad Ineos next season. Because of current regulations surrounding neo-pros moving from the junior ranks, Noval will not wear his rainbow time-trial jersey in elite WorldTour pelotons immediately, mirroring a similar situation faced by previous Spanish world champion Iván Romeo.
Fans and federation officials will monitor Noval closely as he contests the remaining events of the Montreal World Championships before making his highly anticipated professional debut.
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