Brandon McNulty claimed victory in the men’s elite road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, surprising many with his performance. McNulty, 28, took the lead 33 kilometers from the finish and maintained it, crossing the line in six hours, 17 minutes, and four seconds. Reflecting on his win, McNulty, who had previously won the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, expressed his disbelief at his success.
The triumph marked a significant moment as McNulty became the first American since Lance Armstrong in 1993 to win an elite road race world title. McNulty credited his strong team for the victory, emphasizing their exceptional performance throughout the race.
Australian rider Michael Matthews secured the silver medal with a late surge, finishing in 6:17:17, while Mathieu van der Poel from the Netherlands claimed the bronze. Despite facing challenges on the final climb, McNulty managed to retain his lead, with none of his pursuers capitalizing on his struggles.
Among the Canadian riders, Michael Leonard finished as the top performer in 32nd place with a time of 6:23:43. Michael Woods from Toronto and Nickolas Zukowsky from Sainte-Lucie-des-Laurentides finished 35th and 45th, respectively. Unfortunately, Pier-André Côté, Guillaume Boivin, and Hugo Houle from Canada did not finish the race.
The absence of Tadej Pogacar, the two-time defending champion recovering from an injury, added an element of unpredictability to the race. The event, held over a 273.4-km course with enthusiastic fans lining the circuit, proved to be a thrilling and chaotic competition.
Despite not being a pre-race favorite, McNulty’s victory drew praise from former champion Lance Armstrong, who hailed the race as a “thing of beauty.” Armstrong congratulated McNulty on his win, acknowledging the excitement and skill displayed during the competition.