Héctor Álvarez culminates his magical World Cup with a sub-23 silver in the online event

It is about doublets, in its different forms. At least, for the Spanish delegation. After the two brilliant triumphs of Benjamín Noval in the junior category of the World Cup in Montreal, the second repetition has arrived for the Spanish team on Canadian soil. This time, in the form of a silver medal.

Héctor Álvarez, brand new world sub-23 bronze in the time trialhas also reached the podium in the online test after crashing a hard-fought silver of enormous value. Because, at nineteen years old, the Alicante cyclist from Lidl-Trek He has been the best of mortals on the Canadian streets and has achieved a second medal on his counter in the championship: There are already four Spaniards.

Because the World Cup in Canada is about doubles, but also about exhibitions. If Noval executed it the day before, The American Ashlin Barry has continued in this fight with another enormous recital in the intermediate category. It is not within the reach of many people to complete a flight of no less than one hundred and thirty-four kilometres, but it has been for the Visma-Lease a Bike rider, fourth in the time trial, second in the junior time trial last year and, finally, after a lot of knocking on the door, under-23 world champion at only twenty years old.

He turned twenty this Friday, the day on which he gave himself a career that he will remember for his entire life. Ashlin Barry has been crowned in Montreal, a special city for her family because her mother, Dede Demet-Barrya former cyclist, also achieved one of the most important triumphs of his career there, in the 2002 World Cup. Twenty-four years later, Montreal launched his son’s sporting career.

But alsogives more luster to that of Héctor Álvarez who continues to shine in categories. At only nineteen years old, he also has many pages left to write at the under-23 level, but he leaves Canada with a giant world silver and bronze. unites them his online European bronze in 2025 and his junior continental silver in 2024 to give continuity to a progression that continues to evolve without brakes and without limits.

Álvarez has been brave and has had his reward. Active throughout the event, he attacked on several occasions, trying to continue the work of his teammates, trying to be attentive to all the movements that were taking place at the front in the fight for the medals. He has reached fifty-three seconds from 4:17:35. with whom Ashlin Barry has traveled the 174.2 kilometers with departure and arrival in Montreal. Álvarez has won the sprint for the medals against the Norwegian Jesper Stiansen (bronze) and the Frenchman Aubin Sparfel, with the Belgian Niels Driesen and the Italian Matteo Scalco two seconds behind this trio.

He has done it to crown the good work of the Spanish team, which has been seen in many of the cuts of the test. Eñaut Urkaregi finished fifty-sixth, 8:33 behind the winner, while Markel Aranaz, Manuel Sanromáwho has suffered a fall, Francisco Jesús Fernández and Daniel Cepa They pushed Álvarez from outside the race in the final sprint.

A devilish pace from the start and a lethal escape 134 kilometers from the finish line

I was expecting a circuit with twelve laps and thirteen climbs to Voie Camillien-Houde (1.7 kilometers at 7.7%) to cover those 174.2 kilometers of the day. In them, the attacks have come from the starting line, where, after attacks and counterattacks, a breakaway of thirteen runners has formed. Spain has moved behind, hand in hand with Urkaregiwho has filtered into the middle group. However, the peloton has worked to control the distances and has neutralized all the escapees after completing the third lap, 134 kilometers from the finish line.

By then I had already suffered a fall Manuel Sanromá in the peloton, a setback for the Spanish team. Unforeseeable racing situations, just as what was about to happen also seemed unpredictable at the time: The breakaway that formed 134 kilometers from the finish line ended up being the good one due to the blessed madness of Ashlin Barry.

The American jumped alongside Samuel Novak (Slovenia), Matthew Dodd (Great Britain), Kristian Egholm (Denmark) and William Heffernan (Australia). The peloton gave up distances of between a minute and a half and two minutes, in the midst of a succession of collaborations first in front and some attacks to try to select the leading group. Of course, the distances were not reduced with the large chasing group.

Maybe that’s why the attacks happened from behind. Eñaut Urkaregi tried to filter into the first, in which Markel Aranaz was left behind and he put his foot down, no longer having any options. But Héctor Álvarez was the most incisive of the Spanish team. He tried again and again, despite the opposition of the platoon. Several attempts by the Spaniard were denied by the group of favorites.

But insistence had a reward. The pace of the peloton was enough to hunt down all the men in front, except for Barry who, determined, refused to slow down despite being alone in the lead. The race reopened and the Italian Matteo Scalco He launched his bet at twenty-five from the finish line. Alvarez He saw his opportunity again and went for it with the Frenchman Aubin Sparfel, to the belgian Niels Driesen and to Norwegian Jesper Stiansen. A group of five was formed that the platoon could no longer follow.

Duel Barry-chasing group

The five tried to close the gap on Barry, but the American simply flew away. With extremely fast passing times, without giving up even an iota, a distance of between thirty-four and forty seconds, Barry starred in an absolute time trial in the online test to culminate a race to remember.

Neither on the slopes nor on the plain did their pursuers reduce the distance, as they knew that their fight was to distance the peloton. Once this was accomplished, they prepared to face a fight for two medals in the last kilometers. In them Álvarez tried to increase the pace, without success. Thus, Sparfel attacked, but his three rivals arrived ready to sprint for two medals among five men.

I saw it from ahead Barry, who allowed himself the enormous luxury of entering the finish line visualizing himself wearing the rainbow jersey. The American culminated a tremendous exhibition to expand his family’s love story with Montreal and to leave a victory to remember. He is, with complete authority and deservedly, the new under-23 world champion in the online event.

But there was a lot of work left behind. The 174.2 kilometers of the race were reduced to the final straight. In it, Álvarez positioned himself behind his rivals, waited for the perfect moment to launch the sprint and shot out for the medal that he had fought so hard: a silver, with Stiansen third, which gives even more luster to his brilliant resume in the lower categories. He leaves Montreal with two medals. He leaves Canada after having signed a magical World Cup.