Visma's Chladonova won the U23 world championships despite still being at school: 'I couldn’t train properly'
CyclingThursday, 24 September 2026 at 21:24
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Follow us on GoogleViktoria Chladonova has finally done it: she’s become world champion. The talented Slovakian, just 19 years old, stood on the podium in both the road race and time trial in the youth categories in 2024 and 2025, but finally added a rainbow jersey to her collection on Thursday in Montreal. After the race, the friendly young woman shared her story with IDL Pro Cycling, among others.
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Chladonova, who is under contract with Visma | Lease a Bike through 2027, has been regarded as a top prospect for several years now. In 2024, she finished second in the time trial and third in the road race in the junior category in Zurich, while last year in Rwanda she placed second in both disciplines.
On Monday, she finished fourth in the time trial in Canada, which brought her to tears afterward. Those tears were there again on Thursday, but this time they were tears of joy.
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Read more below the photo!
Viktoria Chladonova in the rainbow jersey.
Interview with World Champion Viktoria Chladonova
Viktoria, congratulations!
"Yes, it was my dream after finishing second last year. I really, really wanted that first world title. I had a plan in mind and tried to attack in as small a group as possible. And yes, it was perfect; Isabella (Holmgren, ed.) and I worked together really well, and then it came down to the final sprint. So yes, I’m super happy I was able to pull it off.”
Can you describe the final lap, when Isabella tried to get away from you? What was your strategy, and what were you thinking at the time?
"It was tough to keep up with her, but I managed to stay on her wheel. Then I knew my chances in the sprint were better, so I was so happy that we could ride together and that I could stay on her wheel and felt really good. When she started sprinting, I tried to react immediately and get on her wheel. It was a very tough sprint, so it came down to the legs.
What was it like to race against the Canadian Holmgren, on Canadian soil and in front of a Canadian crowd, in the final lap?
"Yeah, it was amazing—the crowd was really cheering us on. It means a lot to the Canadian team, and they had a really strong team too, so I knew they were the best. I tried to focus on them, but the crowd was amazing, and that gave me some extra watts."
Read more below the photo!
Viktoria Chladonova defeated Isabella Holmgren in Canada.
You haven't raced for your team, Visma | Lease a Bike, since July in preparation for this World Championship. Can you tell us what you've been up to in the meantime?
"Yes, that's right, I haven't raced for two months. I trained during that time because this World Championship was my biggest goal of the season. Before the start of the season, I had school commitments, so I couldn’t train properly and didn’t perform very well in the races. So after that, I decided to focus on training, and I’m really glad that approach has paid off now.”
Have you finished school yet?
"Yes, I graduated from high school this spring, so now I can focus entirely on cycling. This gives me even more motivation to be even more successful next season."
You've achieved good results in several disciplines, including a second-place finish at this year's Cyclocross World Championships. Will you focus more on a single discipline in the future, or will you continue competing in multiple disciplines?
"Yes, I still want to do cyclocross and road racing, so I think I'll still be doing cyclocross next year, too. I think it's good for my development and also for my skills on the bike."
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Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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Latest Comments
- - Question: when they say there were no race radios, how do teammates coordinate on the course? Are there time gaps shown or boards from commissaires, or is it all just shouting and hand signals?sprocketspiny24-09-2026
- - Mooi man! Groningen en Drenthe verdienen dit. Wind, waaiers, smalle wegen… echte koers. Succes voor 2034!tourdeforce924-09-2026
- - Not convinced by the “5 million spectators” number in Pune. Feels a bit inflated tbh. Infrastructure spend is great, but can they guarantee closed roads, heat protocols and neutral service at Worlds level? Montréal learned the hard way in the rain a few years back—details matter.julien24-09-2026
- - Question: how do the UCI categories work? The article mentions2 and moving to1—does that mean stronger teams can enter and more UCI points, or is it just about stage count? Also, will India have a velodrome ready for track or is this strictly road?gearguru3324-09-2026
- - Properly chuffed for Drenthe and Groningen. Mollema’s involvement is a lovely touch—his TT recon brains could shape a savage course across the Hunebedden routes and VAM-berg style ramps. Please tell me there’ll be echelons and a finish in the city centre?cadencekingm24-09-2026
- - Huge news all round. India 2032 is a brave call from the UCI but it fits the 2030 Agenda perfectly. If Pune can pull5 million roadside for a2 this year, imagine the Worlds atmosphere. And Groningen-Drenthe in 2034 is a brilliant consolation—iconic winds, dykes, and narrow farm roads will make elite RR tactics so spicy.davidm24-09-2026
- - Great read, but a tad harsh to say Pidcock “didn’t really impress in Kigali” without context on travel/MTB load and Vuelta legs. He’s clearly calibrated. If the weather turns soggy and it’s stop–start, he’s my pick. If it’s a pure watts war, Yates for the podium.gearguru3324-09-2026
- - Onley as “shadow leader” feels a touch sensational. He’s brilliant — white jersey at the Vuelta is massive — but Worlds is about timing the move with 2 to go in Montreal. If he marks Ciccone/Skjelmose types while Pidcock waits, perfecto. If they fight each other, GB loses. Sencillo.michael5424-09-2026
- - Donovan is the sleeper pick here. His late-season form always peaks nicely, and those punchy climbs lap after lap could be perfect for keeping Pidcock out of the wind till the final 2 laps. Just please no early hero pulls.pedalpowe2924-09-2026
- - Wait, I’m a bit confused — did Pidcock really ride the Worlds road race in 2024 and underperform, or is that mixing up with the Olympic year calendar? Also, Pinarello - Q5 for Wright… is that a rebrand I missed?davidm24-09-2026
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