A look back at the road race from previous decades
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Claude Criquielion picks up his bike after being barged by Steve Bauer in the finale
(Image credit: John Pierce/Photosport International)
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Franco Ballerini enjoying a lighter moment before the Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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1987 Worlds winner Stephen Roche
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Russian Dimitri Konychev shows off his silver medal from 1989
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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The 1989 Worlds podium in Chambéry
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Sean Kelly makes his way to the podium after the 1989 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Greg LeMond wears a pink cap after winning the 1989 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Steve Bauer of Canada before the 1998 Worlds. He would eventually be disqualified from the race
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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1998 Worlds winner Maurizio Fondriest with Ivano Fanini in Ronse
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Denmark's Rolf Sorenson ahead of the 1998 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Denmark's Brian Holm ahead of the 1991 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Miguel Indurain looking relaxed ahead of the 1991 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Sean Kelly chats the Belgians ahead of the 1991 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Franco Ballerini was a constant presence in the Italian team at the Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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The French duo of Luc Leblanc (gold) and Richard Virenque (bronze) after the 1994 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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A young Lance Armstrong at the 1993 Worlds winners press conference
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Irish duo Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche at the 1993 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Gianni Bugno shows off his 1992 rainbow jersey
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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The podium from the 1992 Worlds with Bugno backing up his 1991 victory
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Francesco Moser shakes the hand of Gianni Bugno after the later's 1991 Worlds triumph
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Gianni Bugno on the podium bout to collect his first rainbow jersey in 1991
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Greg LeMond with his family after the 1998 Worlds in Ronse
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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1987 Worlds winner Stephen Roche of Ireland
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Just in case you weren't sure where the 1985 Worlds were hosted...
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Spainards Miguel Indurain and Abraham Olano chat before the 1995 Worlds
(Image credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Sport)
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A spectacular fall for Lars Michaelsen during the 1993 Worlds
(Image credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Sport)
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1997 Worlds winner Laurent Brochard in the rainbow jersey
(Image credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Sport)
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The 1986 Worlds podium with Moreno Argentin in the rainbow jersey
(Image credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Sport)
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Johan Museeuw of Belgium wins the 1996 Worlds
(Image credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Sport)
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Claude Criquielion hits the deck in the 1988 Worlds in a move that would see Steve Bauer disqualified with Italian Maurizio Fondriest taking the win
(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The first rainbow jersey of the 2000s went to Romāns Vainšteins of Latvia
(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Bernard Hinault leads the peloton during the 1986 Worlds
(Image credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Sport)
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Pedro Delgado with Spain at the 1987 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Juan Fernández Martín goes on the attack at the 1984 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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The peloton climbing during the 1984 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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The front end of the race at the 1983 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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The Italian team at the front of the race during the 1983 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Claudio Corti at the 1984 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Adri van der Poel of the Netherlands at the 1984 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Franceso Moser goes full gas at the 1984 Worlds
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Robert Millar in an exclusive bunch during the 1984 Worlds in Barcelona
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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It's hard to miss Laurent Fignon and his headband
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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1996 Worlds winner Johan Museeuw with three-time rainbow jersey winner Eddy Merckx
(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
This Sunday marks the 83rd running of the elite men's UCI Road World Championships and the first time the event has been held in the middle east. Since the first edition of the Worlds was held back in 1927 with Nürburgring playing host and Italian Alfredo Binda claiming the gold, the event has travelled the world with editions being held in Europe, North America, South America and Australia.
Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbergen, Óscar Freire and Eddy Merckx hold the record for the most wins with three rainbow jerseys while Rik van Looy and Greg LeMond both won the race on two occasions and also finished with silver on two other occasions.
Peter Sagan will be aiming to emulate Belgians Georges Ronsse (1928–29), Rik Van Steenbergen 1956–57), Rik van Looy (1960–61), and Italians Gianni Bugno, and most recently Paolo Bettini in 2006-07, in defending the title he won in Richmond last September. The first sprint friendly parcours since Copenhagen in 2011 has provided several talking points with the hot weather and potential for cross-winds ensuring that there is no clear favourite for the gold medal. You can read Cyclingnews' full race preview by clicking here for your one-stop guide to the Doha Worlds.
Cyclingnews has looked back through our archives to bring you some of the most memorable photos from the World Championships, starting with the early 1980's through to the late 1990's.
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