The Frenchman did it
Julian Alaphilippe attacked on the last climb and kept the chasers behind him all the way to the finish line. He is the first Frenchman to win the men’s road race since Laurent Brochard’s triumph in 1997. Wout van Aert (Belgium) won the sprint for second and Marc Hirschi (Switzerland) beat Michał Kwiatkowski (Poland) on the line to take bronze.
The race really started on the last lap of the course when Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) attacked, trying to set things up for Primož Roglič. Then the attacks kept on coming. Julian Alaphilippe timed his effort perfectly and went clear with 17km to go. The chasers were reluctant to bring Wout van Aert with them to a sprint for the finishing line and so the gap held.
“It was a dream of my career, you know,” Alaphilippe admitted at the finish. “Already some times I was so close and…I’ve never even been on the podium. I came here with a lot of ambition and I just…it’s just a dream day for me.”
Congratulations, Julien!
Imola 2020 World Championships – Elite men’s road race
1. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) – 6:38:34
2. Wout van Aert (Bel) + 24s
3. Marc Hirschi (Sui)
4. Michał Kwiatkowski (Pol)
5. Jakob Fuglsang (Den)
6. Primož Roglič (Slo)
7. Michael Matthews (Aus) + 53s
8. Alejandro Valverde (Esp)
9. Max Schachmann (Ger)
10. Damiano Caruso (Ita)
Anna van der Breggen wins it all
The Dutchwoman took two gold medals in three days. She first won the time trial and then on Saturday, she attacked with 40km to go. And never looked back. Anna van der Breggen soloed to a victory after being set up perfectly by her teammates Marienne Vos and Annemiek van Vleuten. It was her second win in the road race following her win in 2018. Annemiek van Vleuten battled her injured wrist and Elisa Longo (Italy) to take the silver. Marianne Vos finished fourth.
Imola 2020 World Championships – Elite women’s road race results
1. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) – 4:09:57
2. Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) + 1:20
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita)
4. Marianne Vos (Ned) + 2:01
5. Liane Lippert (Ger)
6. Lizzie Deignan (GBr)
7. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol)
8. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) + 2:41
9. Lisa Brennauer (Ger) 3:08
10. Marlen Reusser (Sui)
Congratulations to Filippo Ganna as well
His time trial performance was amazing!
