Remco Evenepoel claimed the rainbow jersey after victory in the Cycling World Championships elite men’s road race
, the Deceuninck–Quick-Step rider, now 22, put his head down and time trialled towards the beachside finish. There would be no catching Evenepoel. A new world champion was crowned in glorious sunshine, cheered on by a boisterous local crowd.
“It’s incredible, the things I achieved this year,” Evenepoel said. “A season cannot be better – to win a monument, a rainbow jersey and a grand tour. I think you cannot do better than the year I’m having right now.” It was a thrilling end to a dramatic last day at the World Championships. As the peloton rolled out from Helensburgh and towards the picturesque coastline, news broke that pre-race favourite Mathieu van der Poel had been
The French then lit up the major climb of the course, Mount Keira, causing a split in the peloton. Although the two groups soon came back together, it set the tone for the energetic racing to come, with barely a relaxed moment in almost seven hours of racing.