Ireland’s junior contingent put in solid individual time trial efforts at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montréal before turning their focus to the road races.
Junior Men’s Individual Time Trial
Freddie Winkley completed the 20.3km 2026 Men’s Junior Individual Time Trial in 27:39.65 at 44.033 km/h finishing +2:22.30 in 46th, while Rían McCrystal rode the course in 28:00.53 at 43.486 km/h finishing +2:43.18 behind Gold medalist Benjamín Noval of Spain.
Hugh Óg Mulhearne did not contest the time trial.
Junior Men’s Road Race
Freddie Winkley (Bib 108) has enjoyed a strong first-year junior season with Harrogate Nova Race Team. The 17-year-old claimed the Irish Junior Men’s Road Race national title and took bronze in the national time trial.
He recently finished an excellent second at GP Plouay Junior Men, fifth overall at the Watersley Junior Challenge (with second in the youth classification), and notched consistent top-10 results in British and European races including the Tour du Carmausin Segala U19 and the Youth Classification of the Internationale Cottbuser Junioren-Etappenfahrt.
Rían McCrystal (Bib 106), riding for Cannibal – Victorious U19 Development Team, has had an exceptional season. He dominated the Junior Tour of Ireland with overall victory and 2 stage wins.
The 17-year-old also secured multiple wins (Nieuwerkerken Wijer (NAT) and Slag der Zilveren Helmen – Halen (NAT)) and podium places in Belgian national races, finished fifth in the Irish Junior Men’s Road Race nationals and fourth in the time trial, and showed consistent form across the season.
Hugh Óg Mulhearne (Bib 107), AS Villemur Cyclisme, has built a solid season with his 50th on GC with Team Ireland in the 2026 Rás Tailteann, and his campaign based in France. The 18-year-old took third in the Irish Junior Men’s Road Race nationals and sixth in the national time trial.
Highlights include third overall at the Tour des Landes (with a stage 2 TTT win), strong showings at Liège-Bastogne-Liège MJ and Gipuzkoa Klasikoa, and regular top results in French and Irish races.
Looking ahead to the Junior Men’s Road Race (MJ), Thursday 24th September, 18:30 Irish time (13:30 local Montréal/EDT) the hilly Mount Royal circuit (134 km, approximately 2,690 m of climbing) is expected to favour strong climbers and punchy all-rounders.
Pre-race favourites include riders such as Belgium’s Vic De Smet (ITT Silver medallist), Enzo Hincapie, USA, and Benjamin Noval (ITT Gold medallist), who have dominated key junior races this season.
Irish chances:
With three riders in a field of 157, a realistic target is for the best-placed Irish rider could be to finish in the Top 40 – 50. A Top-30 result would be an ambitious but achievable goal on this selective course.
Given the depth of the international field and our recent junior Worlds history, where finishes inside the top 30 have been relatively rare outside of Mark Scanlon’s 1998 victory, anything inide the Top-20 would be an exceptional ride!
Junior Women’s Individual Time Trial
Emer Heverin delivered a solid performance completing the 10.7km 2026 Women’s Junior Individual Time Trial in 16:43.62 +1:26.11 at 38.38 km/h finishing 24th behind Gold medalist Maria Okrucińska of Poland.
Junior Women’s Road Race
The 17-year-old CAMS Majaco rider has had an outstanding season. She completed the Irish junior double by winning both the national road race and time trial titles.
Heverin also claimed overall victory and a stage win at the Vuelta a Cantabria Femenina, placed highly at Rás na mBan (including stage podiums), finished 11th at Grand Prix de Plouay Women Junior, and recorded strong international results including fifth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège Women Juniors and 17th at the Ronde van Vlaanderen WJ.
Looking at the junior women’s road race which covers 80.4 km with around 1,600 m of climbing on the same Montréal circuit, favourites are expected to come from the usual strong nations, with riders who have excelled in the junior women’s calendar this year likely to feature prominently.
Poland’s Maria Okrucińska, the new junior women’s time trial world champion, is among the clear favourites for the road race, joined by strong contenders such as Belgium’s Yana Decruyenaere and Great Britain’s Aalia Clay.
Irish chances:
As Ireland’s sole starter in a field numbering ~ 70 riders, a realistic goal for Heverin is a top-30 finish. A top-20 placing would be a strong result that builds on her solid time trial and season form. Top-10 contention would be a stretch, while a podium remains highly unlikely given the competitive depth at this level. But… bike racing!
Wishing all 4 riders the very best of luck. A proud moment for them individually, and for their families and supporters as they pull on the Green Jersey to represent Ireland. Go n-éirí go geal leo!
