World Cycling Championships 2023: Van der Poel flies into the rainbow stripes

foto: Cor VosMathieu van der Poel solos to victory in the road race of the Worlds in Glasgow. The Dutch star leaves his fellow-attackers Wout van Aert, Tadej Pogacar and Mads Pedersen behind with 23 kilometres to go. He gobbles op soloist Alberto Bettiol and powers to the rainbow stripes. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 2023 World Cycling Championships

1. Mathieu van der Poel (nld)
2. Wout van Aert (bel) + 1.37
3. Tadej Pogacar (slo) + 1.45
4. Mads Pedersen (den) s.t.
5. Stefan Küng (swi) + 3.48
6. Jasper Stuyven (bel) s.t.
7. Matthew Dinham (aus) s.t.
8. Toms Skujins (lat) s.t.
9. Tiesj Benoot (bel) s.t.
10. Alberto Bettiol (ita) + 4.03

Race report
The breakaway rides clear after 20 kilometres. Owain Doull, Krists Neilands, Patrick Gamper, Matthew Dinham, Harold Tejada, Kevin Vermaerke, Ryan Christensen, Petr Kelemen and Rory Townsend open up a maximum lead of 8 minutes.

Julian Alaphilippe attacks with 133 kilometers to go and Søren Kragh Andersen goes with him. Mattias Skjelmose and Lorenzo Rota are next, while Tobias Johannessen bridges across. The three are brought back with 120 kilometres remaining.

Vermaerke strikes from the breakaway when the lead of the attackers has fallen below 1 minute. And after the other attackers are caught by the remnants of the peloton, Mathieu van der Poel attacks. Alberto Bettiol, Tadej Pogacar, Wout van Aert, Mads Pedersen and Matthew Dinham follow his move and the six rejoin Vermaerke.

Some 30 chasers catch the seven leaders with 70 kilometres remaining and following several unfruitful attacks it is Bettiol who strikes with 55 kilometres to go. The Italian opens a maximum gap of 40 seconds, which he reaches with three laps remaining.

Van der Poel, Van Aert, Pogacar and Pedersen are the first chasers and the stellar quartet halves Bettiol’s lead in the next lap before they make the catch with 22 kilometres left to race. That is, Van der Poel makes the catch and he pushes on alone.

The Dutch star extends his lead to 35 seconds before he hits the deck in a wet corner. He remounts and continues to reach the last lap with a 30 seconds lead.

He flies to victory and wins the rainbow stripes more than 1.30 minutes ahead of the chasers.

Another interesting read: route and start list 2023 World Cycling Championships 2023 in Glasgow.