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After yesterday’s UCI Cycling World Championships , there is no longer any doubt that Mathieu van der Poel is the best classics rider in the world. The Dutchman had already taken two monuments this year at Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix, adding to his list of road palmarès that includes Amstel Gold Race, Strade Bianche, and two Ronde van Vlaanderen.
But this, in Van der Poel’s own words, is maybe his “biggest victory on the road.”
In stunning style with the panache you’d expect from a five-time world cyclocross champion and all-around superstar, Van der Poel went clear of the best one-day riders in the world with 23 km to go on the horrendous Glasgow circuits. But before we talk about the finish, let’s rewind to the start in Edinburgh.
Also read: Mathieu van der Poel, the one-day racer of his generation? ‘This almost completes my career’
Seven hours before the rainbow jersey would be awarded in Glasgow, the UCI Cycling World Championships road race began under the cloudy skies of Edinburgh, Scotland. While the post-race drama has focused on the Glasgow street circuits, the efforts made beforehand cannot be discounted.
Jasper Stuyven (6th) and Neilson Powless (11th) are the highest-placing finishers who posted their power data from the World Championships road race. Wout Van Aert (2nd) and Tadej Pogačar (3rd) also uploaded their rides to Strava but without power data.Throughout […]
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