Brandon McNulty won the elite men’s UCI Road World Championship in Montréal on September 30, 2026, ending a 33-year American drought in the event with a 32-kilometer solo victory. Team USA deployed a full eight-rider roster that executed a tactical team race to neutralize major favorites including Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, as reported by FloBikes and Eurosport.
Building a Stacked U.S. Roster in Montréal
USA Cycling fielded its strongest elite men’s team in years for the Montréal course, bringing a triple threat of proven WorldTour winners in Brandon McNulty, Matteo Jorgenson, and Quinn Simmons. No American male had won the rainbow jersey since Lance Armstrong secured the title in 1993. While pre-race hype focused heavily on riders from France, Belgium, Mexico, and the Netherlands, the U.S. squad maintained depth and multiple options to win. Larry Warbasse, Kevin Vermaerke, Riley Sheehan—who substituted for Nelson Powless—Sean Quinn, and Artem Shmidt rounded out the eight-rider lineup.
“I knew if we had the perfect day, I thought one of the guys could win, any of the three guys we had as leaders,” Larry Warbasse told FloBikes. “It obviously was the perfect day.”
Executing a Collective Team Plan
With Tadej Pocačar absent due to injury, the U.S. squad entered the race without a single designated leader, opting instead to set individual ambitions aside. Matteo Jorgenson prepared a detailed tactical document during training in Vermont the week prior and shared it with his teammates. Team USA missed an early, non-threatening breakaway in the opening kilometers, keeping their energy in reserve while protecting their leaders from wind and crashes on the flat approach before the Mount-Royal finishing circuits.
“We made a plan [Saturday] night, we set our egos aside a little bit and we decided, okay, we just want an American to win this race,” Matteo Jorgenson told Eurosport.
Quinn Simmons Neutralizes Van der Poel’s Attacks
The race dynamic shifted with approximately 90 kilometers remaining when Wout van Aert attacked and Mathieu van der Poel drove the move. Quinn Simmons, the 2019 junior world champion, marked Van der Poel’s acceleration on the Camillien-Houde climb with roughly 74 kilometers remaining, staying with the Dutch rider even as Van Aert was gapped. Simmons’ presence in the front group allowed McNulty and Jorgenson to sit behind and force teams from Mexico, France, and Belgium to spend energy chasing.
“When we had Quinn ahead, it allowed me and Matteo to follow,” Brandon McNulty said. Quinn Simmons ultimately finished fourth at the finish line, just missing a podium spot behind Van der Poel.
McNulty Secures the Historic Solo Victory
As the leaders came together with just over two laps remaining, McNulty launched his decisive attack with 32 kilometers to go. While Tom Pidcock reduced the gap to around ten seconds on the final lap and Isaac del Toro attempted to close distances, the U.S. tactical structure ensured rivals could not chase McNulty without aiding another American rider. McNulty crossed the finish line alone to claim the elite men’s road world championship.
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