Brandon McNulty caused a stir by clinching victory in the men’s elite road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal. The 28-year-old surged ahead with 33 kilometers to go and maintained his lead, crossing the finish line in six hours, 17 minutes, and four seconds.
Expressing his disbelief, McNulty, who previously won the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, admitted he kept pushing despite feeling drained until the final 300 meters. He became the first American to win an elite road race world title since Lance Armstrong’s triumph in Oslo in 1993.
Acknowledging his strong team’s effort, McNulty highlighted their exceptional performance in marking every move and staying ahead. He described his victory as a miracle, especially after facing challenges on the last significant climb where his lead narrowed to 10 seconds with 10 kilometers remaining.
Australian Michael Matthews claimed the silver medal, finishing in 6:17:17, while Dutch rider Matthew van der Poel secured the bronze. Among the Canadians, Michael Leonard from Oakville, Ont., achieved the best result, coming in 32nd with a time of 6:23:43. Toronto’s Michael Woods finished 35th in his final race, and Nickolas Zukowsky from Sainte-Lucie-des-Laurentides placed 45th.
Unfortunately, Derek Gee-West from the Canadian team withdrew due to a broken rib, sustained previously in a race. French cyclist Paul Seixas, who won bronze in the men’s elite individual time trial, faced an injury setback during the race, finishing in 15th place.
The absence of defending champion Tadej Pogacar made the competition unpredictable, resulting in a thrilling and chaotic race across the 273.4-km course. McNulty, despite not being a pre-race favorite like other contenders, received congratulations from Lance Armstrong for his remarkable victory in what Armstrong described as a “thing of beauty.”