Pidcock and Bäckstedt lead stacked British squad for 2026 Road World Championships in Montreal
CyclingTuesday, 15 September 2026 at 17:47
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Follow us on GoogleBritish Cycling has named a 36-rider squid to represent Great Britain at the 2026 Road World Championships in Montreal, Canada. Over eight days of racing, from Sunday 20 to Sunday 27 September, Tom Pidcock (Q36.5), Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM) and Cat Ferguson lead a squad packed with both established stars and future talent. The goal is very clear: to win a rainbow jersey.
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Pidcock and Yates lead the British men’s team
Tom Pidcock leads the elite men's line-up on the back of a ninth-place finish at this year's Tour de France and winning the MTB World Championships. Alongside him will be Adam Yates, a key lieutenant to Tadej Pogačar and a seasoned grand tour rider in his own right.
Oscar Onley arrives in similarly strong form after winning the white jersey at the Vuelta a Espana last week. National road race champion Fred Wright joins world championship regulars Finlay Pickering and Mark Donovan, with James Shaw adding further experience to the group.
The time trial sees national champion Ethan Hayter paired with Callum Thornley, who also rides the road race. Both come into the event in good form. Hayter took second in the Vuelta a España's opening time trial, while Thornley finished second in the stage 18 test against the clock.
- Elite men (road race and/or time trial): Mark Donovan, Ethan Hayter, Oscar Onley, Finlay Pickering, Tom Pidcock, James Shaw, Callum Thornley, Fred Wright, Adam Yates
Bäckstedt doubles up for the women’s team
Zoe Bäckstedt leads the elite women's squad as the reigning under-23 time trial world champion, and will contest both the road race and time trial in Montreal.. She's supported by Pfeiffer Georgi, Josie Nelson and Lauren Dickson, all fresh from strong showings at the Tour of Britain Women.
Olympic time trial silver medallist Anna Henderson and Flora Perkins add experience to the team. World Championship debutant Anna Morris joins Backstedt in the time trial, arriving off the back of a three-medal Commonwealth Games campaign for Wales this summer.
- Elite women (road race and/or time trial): Zoe Bäckstedt, Lauren Dickson, Pfeiffer Georgi, Anna Henderson, Anna Morris, Josie Nelson, Flora Perkins
Performance director Stephen Park CBE told British Cycling:
"The road world championships are always one of the standout events in the cycling calendar, and we are excited to return with a highly competitive Great Britain Cycling Team squad. This squad showcases the very best of British road racing, at a time when more British riders are making their mark across Europe and on the wider international stage than ever before."
Read on below the photo!
Next generation of British talent given their chance
Fifteen of the 36 riders named will make their world championship debut, with strength in depth across the under-23 and junior ranks. Ben Wiggins, the 2023 junior world time trial silver medallist and newly-crowned national champion, is the sole under-23 men's time triallist. He will also support Elliot Rowe, the newly crowned Best Young Rider at the Tour of Britain Men, in the road race. William Smith, Jacob Bush and Mattie Dodd all make their Worlds debuts.
Cat Ferguson returns from injury for the under-23 women's road race, having already won the Navarra Women's Classic this season as a former junior world champion. She's joined by Imogen Wolff, Awen Roberts and Abi Miller, plus National Road Series winner Morven Yeoman on her own Worlds debut.
- U23 men: Jacob Bush, Mattie Dodd, Elliot Rowe, Will Smith, Ben Wiggins
- U23 women: Cat Ferguson, Abi Miller, Awen Roberts, Imogen Wolff, Morven Yeoman
Ben Wiggins is following in father Bradley's footsteps
In the junior ranks, Evander Wishart and Leon Atkins both double up in the road race and time trial as national junior champions in their respective disciplines, supported by Dexter Townsend, Gus Dutton and Finlay Storrie. Gabby McHugh is the only junior with previous Worlds experience and rides both events alongside national junior time trial champion Aalia Clay, with Zoe Roche, Peggy Knox and Scottish national road race champion Melanie Rowe completing the road race squad.
- Junior men: Leon Atkins, Gus Dutton, Finlay Storrie, Dexter Townsend, Evander Wishart
- Junior women: Aalia Clay, Peggy Knox, Gabby McHugh, Zoe Roche, Melanie Rowe
Talent Development Pathway led to such a deep British squad
British Cycling credited the depth of the squad to its Talent Development Pathway, funded by Sport England, which has supported 24 of the 36 riders selected at some stage of their careers., including Pidcock, Bäckstedt, Onley and Ferguson.
Park added: "We're proud of the balance in this squad, from established world-class performers to riders taking the next step in their development, and we're looking forward to seeing them test themselves against the very best in Montreal."
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David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - Grande artículo, pero una duda: if “you don’t have to be the strongest to win,” does that mean we’ll see more negative racing? Seems a bit defeatist, no?raceready715-09-2026
- - Pidcock managing his efforts will be key. He was too eager in Montreal; hold fire until the final lap and he’s dangerous. Also, no Pogačar = more tactical chaos. Brilliant.davidm15-09-2026
- - Can someone explain why the Worlds route is that much longer than Montreal GP but on a similar circuit? Is it just extra laps, or are there added climbs too?patriciaw15-09-2026
- - Not sure about naming Del Toro and Seixas as top favorites over MvdP and WVA. Feels a tad contrarian—class usually tells in a 270k attrition day.michael5415-09-2026
- - Love the honesty from Pidcock. Montreal GP as a dress rehearsal makes sense—those last two laps bite. If GB keeps numbers late, he’s got a real medal shout.julien15-09-2026
- No matter the results, the intervening difficulties, or even the crashes, including two within minutes of each other last month when Sepp appeared headed for a long-hoped for stage win at the Tour de France, Seth Kuss always finds a reason to be grateful, an an ability to project positivity and a smile. Chapeau to Sepp,rjb13-09-2026
- Pogi is the Road Warrior par excellence. Come back even stronger much to the chagrin of all other competitors.
Brucegel12-09-2026 - - Félicitations in advance si ça se concrétise. Line-up looks très britannique mais con ambición grande. Tour 2027 en Edimbourg sería épico si les invitan.gearguru3310-09-2026
- - Vamos Ethan! Breakaway king of this Vuelta and super combative. Today’s flat chrono is perfect terrain—just keep it clean through the Jerez crosswinds.breakawaybikerd10-09-2026
- - Bit cautious here. Hayter’s had stop-start seasons with crashes/illness and I still don’t know if he’s a GC week-long guy or a TT/sprint hybrid. Curious whether they build around him or Pidcock first.pedalpowe2910-09-2026
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