Gall claims junior men's world title for Austria

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Austria’s Felix Gall won the junior men’s road race at the World Championships after a late solo attack and strong finish to hold off chaser Clement Betouigt-Suire of France.

Britain’s Nathan Draper finished tenth at 13 seconds with, with the USA’s Adrien Costa –one of the most aggressive riders in the race, finishing 18th at 36 seconds. Both had been part of the front group that formed in the final two laps but were unable to go with the decisive attacks on the climbs in the final five kilometres of the circuit.

Crashes on the wet cobbles

The 130km, eight-lap race start in the rain, meaning the cobbled sectors and corners on Libby Hill and 23rd Street were slippery and potential crash locations. Numerous riders went down early on in the race. Some lost hope of performing well but others got up and rode on despite injuries.

Attacks kept the pace high early on but the first serious split and attack came after five laps. Costa was in it and it the group opened a gap of 30 seconds but the peloton was quickly all back together.

A more decisive developed came with just over two laps to go. Costa was again one of the driving forces and five riders opened a gap with several groups of chasers fighting to get across to them. A front group of 14 riders eventually formed, hearing the bell ringing out the last lap with a hand full of seconds on a chase group.

The race came back together on the flat roads of the circuit but then exploded in the final kilometres. Gall made his move before Libby Hill and took the best line in the gutter on the cobbled climb. He kept his lead over the top and on 23rd St but faded in the final kilometres and the climb up to the finish.

Betouigt-Suire and Rasmussen managed to distance the other chasers and close on Gall on the long finishing straight. However the Frenchman made the fatal error of worrying about Rasmussen rather than focusing on beating Gall, allowing the Austrian to win the world title and pull on the rainbow jersey.

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