Thompson rides bravely against world’s best

Teenage cycling sensation Ryan Thompson lined up for the Men’s Junior Individual Time Trial at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montreal and acquitted himself brilliantly again last week.

Thompson was facing a highly technical 20.3-kilometre course with 145 metres of elevation gain in cool, overcast 16°C conditions.

He reached the official checkpoints in 8:11.61 at 6 kilometres and 20:02.78 at 14.5 kilometres before driving to the finish in 29:13.14—an average speed of 41.685 km/h—to place 59th among 69 riders representing 41 nations.

From the final preparations and warm-up beneath the Cayman flag to the silence of the countdown and the explosive launch from the ramp, Ryan embraced every part of the World Championship experience.

Following Alyssa Burgess and Chris Bodden, Ryan’s ride added another proud chapter to Cayman’s week against the clock—and an important milestone for one of the islands’ emerging riders.

Thompson, 16, brought Cayman’s 2026 UCI Road World Championships campaign to a close two days later in the Junior Men’s Road Race.

It was a brutally demanding 83-mile course with more than 8,800 feet of climbing.

Thompson fought hard from the start against a field of 157 riders from 64 nations but ultimately was one of 72 whose race ended before the finish.

Nevertheless, taking the start line alongside the world’s best young cyclists is a tremendous achievement. He did Cayman proud on cycling’s biggest stag, as did the entire team in flying the flag throughout the Championships.