Brandon McNulty wins World Championship in chaotic race

Brandon McNulty claimed his first World Championship and the biggest win of his career in Montréal this afternoon.

In a chaotic and attritional race the American timed his move to perfection attacking with 33km left to race and despite clearly lacking energy in the final stages held on to take the rainbow jersey.

The American team used their strength in Montréal well and were present at the front of the race throughout first with Quinn Simmons, then Matteo Jorgenson and finally McNulty.

The 28 year-old from Phoenix had not entered the race as one of the favourites but newly crowned time trial world champion Remco Evenepoel, aggressive-riding Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel and young Mexican Isaac del Toro all rode strongly but ultimately came up short.

Behind McNulty the closing stages were marked by the chasers trying to escape and claim the remaining medals but it came to a sprint with Michael Matthews taking silver and Mathieu van der Poel taking bronze.

At the finish McNulty said he was “lost for words”. He said: “The last lap I was in zone two I was just dying but I kept pushing.”

He added he had joked with his wife this morning about winning. He said: “I knew something could happen but it’d take a miracle and today, I guess, miracles do happen.”

McNulty is the first American to win the World Championship road race in 33 years. The last American to wear the rainbow jersey was Lance Armstrong who won in 1993 in Oslo.

The race in Montreal had been a chaotic affair. Soon after the flag dropped a group of 17 riders went clear. The biggest name among them was Biniam Girmay from Eritrea, but the sprinter was, rightly, not considered a serious threat for the win on the hill course.

With 106km to go the remains of the break was finally caught, thanks mostly from the pressing of Frenchman Bruno Armirail, he was distanced once the junction was made.

A few kilometres later France forced a split in the peloton drawing away a group that by the top of the climb numbered 11 riders. It was made up of Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, Brit Oscar Onley, Irishman Ben Healy, Belgian Maxim van Gils, Frenchman Alex Baudin, Norwegian Jørgen Nordhagen, Colombian Santiago Buitrago, Danes Anthon Charmig and Andreas Kron and Italians Christian Scaroni and Giulio Pellizzari.

But eventually it was shut down and with 87km to go Wout van Aert went on the offensive. His move was covered by Van de Poel and Onley.

The leading trio were soon joined by Charmig and Primož Roglič of Slovenia and Quinn Simmons from the USA.

As they crossed the finish line with six laps to go they had a gap of 40 seconds.

As the climb approached Tom Pidcock, among the outside contenders for the win, was seen making his way back to the back of the peloton after suffering a crash. It was bad timing as the pace was high.

On the climb Isaac del Toro came to the front and slashed the break’s advantage to 15 seconds, dropping much of the peloton, including Pidcock, in the process.

Perhaps sensing the vulnerability, van der Poel attacked the front group. Simmons and Onley responded and with 73km to go the three were alone at the front of the race.

The third group on the road, containing pre-race favourite Remco Evenepoel and del Toro, was now 27 seconds behind the leaders. The trio of van Aert, Charmig and Roglič were halfway between them.

The following laps were marked by attack and counter attack from the groups behind the leaders.

With three laps to go all the groups could see each other in the finishing straight. And up the main climb Irishman Ben Healy, who had been busy animating the race, joined the front and on the descent the chase group finally came across. The USA’s Matteo Jorgenson immediately attack and took Giulio Ciccone and Pidcock with him.

They were brought to heel but no sooner had the group reformed than Brandon McNulty launched and swiftly built a buffer of 30 seconds.

As co-operation proved elusive in the chase with attacks and counter attacks McNulty’s advantage spiralled out to nearly a minute.

The final ascent of the main climb of the circuit saw Ciccone and Pidcock accelerate off the front in a bid to claim the remaining medals behind McNulty but they couldn’t build much of a gap.

McNulty was fading now but never let the chase get within 10 seconds of his rear wheel

At the finish, as McNulty looked over his shoulder, they sprinted behind and Michael Matthews came out on top ahead of Mathieu van der Poel.

Results

UCI Road World Championships 2026, men’s Elite Road Race: Brossard > Montréal (273km)

1. Brandon McNulty, United States in 6:17:04
2. Michael Matthews, Australia, +13s
3. Mathieu van der Poel, Netherlands
4. Quinn Simmons, United States, all at same time
5. Isaac del Toro, Mexico, +14s
6. Mads Pedersen, Denmark
7. Tom Pidcock, Great Britain
8. Matteo Jorgenson, United States
9. Giulio Ciccone, Italy
10. Ben Healy, Ireland, all at same time