08:53
It’s a second place that’s a bit deceptive for France…
…which did not influence the race enough, especially with the forces present. It’s a great medal for Christophe Laporte, but a disappointment for France, which had with Madouas, Cosnefroy, Alaphilippe or Laporte the means to win in all race scenarios. Except this one.
08:46
Christophe Laporte vice world champion!!!
Unbelievable ! The Frenchman, who came out of nowhere with the peloton of favorites in the last few meters, ruled everyone in a sprint and took 2nd place in this race.
08:43
The phenomenon Evenepoel world champion!!!!
He crosses the line alone, all alone in the world. A perfect race tactically and physically. He was three tones above everyone else.
08:40
2 kilometers from the finish for Evenepoel
And there it would take a magpie attack or worse to prevent him from being titled. The Belgian will soon be world champion.
08:36
Meanwhile, among the pursuers…
We play the medal. Eenkhorn attacks, followed by the Italian Rota. There are two medals at stake and for now it is still Lutsenko who holds the silver. It will be, anyway, surprise medalists behind Evenepoel.
08:34
Van der Poel, an abandonment and the night at the police station
Before the arrival of Evenepoel, 8 terminals from the finish, the other story of the night is the abandonment of Mathieu Van der Poel. The Dutchman spent the night at the station after an altercation with teenage girls at his hotel. Here is the story :
08:32
Pogacar, Van Aert also absent…
Like the French, the Slovenian champion was also trapped by running movements and attacks from Evenepoel. The race was indeed decided around 70 kilometers from the finish, when an acceleration of which the French are at the origin allowed Evenepoel to find themselves in the lead in front of the peloton. The rest, you know it… Van Aert, he played the collective on the Belgian side and remained in the wheel of the favorites, in marking.
08:28
How to explain the failure of the French?
Hot, it’s a bit complicated. No doubt it will be necessary to ask the question of the management of the Evenepoel case. Hard to think he was underestimated, but he should never have found himself lonely up front, with only Romain Bardet marking on the French side. Moreover, it seems that the Blues have also lacked legs. Alaphilippe, for example, was far from 100%. Madouas and Cosnefroy seemed the fittest, but not in the same category as Evenepoel for example.
08:23
It’s the last round for Evenepoel!
A lap of honor, a lap of glory for Evenepoel. 15 kilometers from the finish, the peloton has completely given up. Too easy !
08:22
Evenepoel on the royal road
Alone in the world on Australian roads, the Belgian prodigy will become world champion for the first time in his career… as a pro. He had already done the double against the clock and road race among the juniors, in 2018. At the time, he had attacked 100 kilometers from the finish and won with… 10 minutes in advance!
08:15
Cosnefroy suit Van Aert
It is the only one to have the legs on the French side, it seems. It’s over for Julian Alaphilippe, who will not do the triple. For France, Romain Bardet is still in an intercalated group, for the moment 1 ‘from Evenepoel.
08:13
Van Aert attacks in the peloton
Difficult to understand… The Belgian attacks while his compatriot is in the lead. Maybe he tells himself that the race is already won and that he wants to get a medal? As a reminder, there are no headsets…
08:10
Evenepoel part all the way!
As he knows how to do so well, Evenepoel raises his voice and takes out Lutsenko without even attacking. The Belgian set off for a 25 kilometer solo towards his first world title. Still 2’30 ahead of the group of favourites.
08:07
Race update
- 27 kilometers from the finishThe Lutsenko-Evenepoel duo at 23 seconds, a first group of pursuers without leading riders
- at 53 seconds, a third group with Romain Bardet
- at 2’30, the peloton of favorites with Van Aert, Pogacar, Alaphilippe, Cosnefroy
2’30 lead for Evenepoel – Lutsenko
And the question that arises, 28km from the finish, is how can we hope to see Evenepoel again? It would seem that the race is already, perhaps, folded. The Belgian is a time trial specialist and besides, nobody seems to have the weight to come back.
30km from the finish and the race is already well advanced
And the scenario is not very favorable to the French. Remco Evenepoel appears to be the big favorite in the race. The recent Vuelta winner has dated Alexey Lustenko. The leading group has more than two minutes ahead of the peloton of favorites where in particular Wout Van Aert, Tadej Pogacar, Julian Alaphilippe or Benoît Cosnefroy seem trapped. The French had however taken the reins of the race by slipping in particular Pavel Sivakov in the first breakaway of the day.
07:45
07:30
Hello everyone and welcome to this live.
It’s early in France, but it’s already the afternoon and the last kilometers of the road race for the World Cycling Championships. Julian Alaphilippe dreams of a hat-trick on this very demanding circuit.