Spanish cyclist Benjamín Noval secured a historic junior world championship double on Thursday, September 24, 2026, winning the road race gold medal at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, Canada. Noval completed the 134-kilometer course in 3 hours, 3 minutes, and 36 seconds, finishing 42 seconds ahead of silver medalist Simon Defrance of France, according to race results reported by El País. The victory comes just 48 hours after his triumph in the junior time trial event at the same world championships.
A Decisive Attack in Montreal
The 17-year-old rider from Pola de Laviana, Asturias, made his decisive move with two laps remaining in the 134-kilometer race. Up to the eighth lap, Noval and France’s Simon Defrance had driven the pace at the front of the peloton, while Germany’s Owen Kings and Italy’s Brandon Davide Fedrizzi chased six seconds back, as detailed by El País. Noval ultimately broke away from his remaining pursuers and maintained a solo advantage all the way to the finish line, securing his second rainbow jersey of the week.
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Building on Time Trial Gold
Noval’s road race victory caps an extraordinary week of competition in Canada. On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, he won the junior men’s time trial world championship, covering the 20.3-kilometer course in 25 minutes, 17.35 seconds, edging Belgium’s Vic De Smet by 6.35 seconds, as noted by Sport. That initial victory marked the first junior men’s time trial world title in Spanish cycling history.
Teamwork and Preparation
Following his road race victory, Noval credited the collective effort of the Spanish national team, which included teammates Raúl López, Luca Martínez, and Aitor Martínez. In remarks reported by El País, the young rider explained that the strategy unfolded exactly as planned. “The plan salió a la perfección. Creo que los cuatro nos entendimos perfecto desde el principio. Sabíamos muy claro lo que teníamos que hacer,” Noval stated, adding that he felt strong from the opening kilometers and realized the winning moment had arrived when he chose to accelerate toward the front.
Looking Toward the Future
The stellar performances in Montreal elevate Noval to an elite tier within international junior cycling, rebounding from an eleventh-place finish in the time trial at the 2025 World Championships in Kigali. Reporting from Sport indicates that the Asturiano prodigy is set to make the jump to the professional ranks with Ineos Grenadiers in 2027, concluding a historic junior career characterized by his dominant performances in both disciplines across the Canadian world championships.
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