Stunned McNulty wins ‘miracle’ road race world title

Brandon McNulty of the United States stunned the field by winning the men's road race world title at the UCI Road Cycling World Championships in Montreal, Canada. The 28-year-old American cyclist broke clear with 32km remaining and held off a disorganized chase to cross the finish line 13 seconds ahead of Australian Michael Matthews. Former champion Mathieu van der Poel finished third.

McNulty expressed his disbelief, stating that he didn't believe he could win until the last 100 meters. He acknowledged that he had considered the possibility of a miracle, saying, "I knew something could happen, but it would take a miracle, and I guess miracles happened."

The last American rider to claim the world title was Lance Armstrong in 1993. McNulty celebrated his victory by pointing out that his UAE Emirates-XRG team-mate, Tadej Pogacar, would now wear the coveted rainbow jersey. McNulty expressed his hope that Pogacar would be proud of his achievement.

Throughout the race, McNulty faced challenges from a succession of chase groups, including Briton Tom Pidcock and Irishman Ben Healy. However, he managed to maintain his lead and triumphed after 273.4km and six hours 17 minutes in the saddle.