Brandon McNulty shocked competitors by winning the men’s elite road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal. The 28-year-old took the lead 33 kilometers from the finish line and maintained it, completing the race in six hours, 17 minutes, and four seconds. McNulty expressed his disbelief at his victory, stating that he kept pushing despite feeling exhausted.
This victory marked McNulty as the first American to claim an elite road race world title since Lance Armstrong in 1993. McNulty credited his team’s strong performance for the win, emphasizing the teamwork and strategic planning that led to their success.
Australian Michael Matthews secured the silver medal with a late surge, finishing in 6:17:17, while Dutch cyclist Matthew van der Poel took home the bronze. Despite facing challenges on the final climb, McNulty managed to maintain his lead, with none of his pursuers able to capitalize on the opportunity.
In the Canadian contingent, Michael Leonard from Oakville finished in 32nd place with a time of 6:23:43, followed by Michael Woods from Toronto in 35th place with a time of 6:23:52. Nickolas Zukowsky from Sainte-Lucie-des-Laurentides crossed the finish line in 45th place with a time of 6:23:57. Unfortunately, Pier-André Côté, Guillaume Boivin, and Hugo Houle did not finish the race.
The absence of Derek Gee-West from the Canadian team due to injury and the unexpected performance of French rider Paul Seixas added to the drama of the event. The race was particularly intense without two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar, providing an open field for competitors to showcase their skills.
Despite not being a favorite before the race, McNulty’s victory received praise from former champion Lance Armstrong, who described the race as “a thing of beauty” and lauded McNulty as a deserving winner.