'I thought I was going to get caught with a lap to go' – Great Britain's Harry Hudson storms to historic junior men's road race victory at Road World Championships after attack from 36km out

Great Britain's Harry Hudson stormed to victory in the men's junior road race at the UCI Road World Championships on Friday, escaping with 36km to go and soloing to the line.

The 18-year-old, a winner of junior Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the junior CiCLE Classic, is the first ever British rider to be junior world champion in the men's road race.

Backing up a strong effort by the British men, Max Hinds finished fourth and Matthew Peace fifth, meaning there were three Brits in the top five in Kigali, Rwanda.

Hudson's attack came on the antepenultimate lap on the Côte de Kimihurura, just after Beckam Drake of the USA had been caught. Despite attempts from behind, he held off the charging peloton. Johan Blanc of France finished second and Jan Michal Jackowiak of Poland third.

"It's probably still settling in, I don't really know what's happening. I dunno," Hudson, national junior hill-climb champion, said when asked for his thoughts on TV at the finish line.

Asked if the attack from so far out was the plan, he said: "No. I just saw in the moment that people were sitting up and it had been quite hard up that climb so I just went, thought someone else would go. I just settled in and saw how far I could go. I thought I was going to get caught with a lap to go or something, because there were people quite close, but I just ended up staying away. I was really suffering on the final climb, I think there was a French guy behind, but I just managed to stay away."

"Just after the cobbles, or maybe the flat bit in the cobbles, I just realised that a French person was dropping back and it looked like I was going to the line," he continued.

"In Africa is crazy, this is my first time in Africa. Just winning a world title, I don't really know what to say."

As for his future plans, Hudson said: "Making cycling a career, we'll see where it goes. Just riding my bike, it's what I love."

While winning the junior men's road race is no guarantee of future success, previous winners include Mathieu van der Poel, Felix Gall, Remco Evenepoel and Quinn Simmons. Hudson currently rides for the Harrogate Nova Race Team.

It is the second rainbow jersey for Great Britain this week, after Zoe Bäckstedt triumphed in the under-23 women's time trial.

Results

1. Harry Hudson (GBr), in 2:55:19
2. Johan Blanc (Fra), +16s
3. Jan Michal Jackowiak (Pol), at same time
4. Max Hinds (GBr), +22s
5. Matthew Peace (GBr), +24s
6. Édouard Claisse (Bel)
7. Elias Wändel (Swe)
8. Daan Dijkman (Ned)
9. Moritz Mauss (Ger)
10 Benedikt Benz (Ger)