Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney is Poland's premier female road cyclist - and one of the discipline's most successful and consistent professionals in the world. Her successes so far included winning the Tour de France Femmes in 2024, the 2021 World Road Championships bronze won in Belgium's Leuven, as well as claiming the European Championships silver twice, in 2016 and 2025.
Now, the Pole extended her impressive achievements' list by grabbing the silver medal at the 2026 World Cycling Championships in Montreal. In Saturday's title-deciding road race, Niewiadoma-Phinney fought for the highest honour till the end - but she was beaten in the final sprint by her Dutch arch-rival (and friend) Demi Vollering, while Italy's Elisa Longo Borghini took third place.
It's a historic success, as since the distinction between professionals and amateurs was abolished in 1996, no Pole of either gender reached the World Championship podium more than once. Apart from Niewiadoma-Phinney, the only other Polish riders to win World Championship medals in elite events were Michał Kwiatkowski (gold in Ponferrada in 2014) and Zbigniew Spruch (silver in Plouay in 2000).
The race, held on a demanding 180-kilometer course, was full of drama. A major crash approximately 95 kilometers from the finish line knocked over a dozen riders out of contention, including one of the favorites - Spanish Vuelta a España winner Paula Blasi, and the defending champion, Canada's Magdeleine Vallieres. Poland's Marta Jaskulska was also caught up in the incident.
It is worth mentioning that Poland's Dominika Włodarczyk also finished the 2026 World Championships women's road race in a very respectable eighth place. The entire event will conclude on Sunday with the elite men's road race.
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Source: PAP