Julian Alaphilippe the new world champion after sensational road race victory at Imola 2020

The Frenchman attacked on the final climb and kept the chasers at bay all the way to the finish

Julian Alaphilippe wins the men's road race at Imola 2020 (Marco Bertorello/AFP via Getty Images)

(Image credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Julian Alaphilippe took a sensational victory in the men's road race at the 2020 Imola World Championships, attacking on the final climb and holding off the chasers all the way to the finish line.

The Frenchman's face crumpled in emotion as his victory became reality in the finishing straight, eventually coming to a stop and falling to the floor after becoming the first rider since Laurent Brochard in 1997 to take the rainbow bands for his nation.

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Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.


Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).


I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.