Julian Alaphilippe won the men’s road race at the road cycling world championships on Sunday, becoming France’s first holder of that rainbow jersey since 1997.
Alaphilippe had time to punch the air before raising his arms above his head as he crossed the finish line on Imola’s auto racing circuit.
Belgian rider Wout van Aert won a sprint for second, 24 seconds behind Alaphilippe, with Marc Hirschi of Switzerland third at the end of the tough course.
France's Julian Alaphilippe celebrates after winning the men's elite event, at the road cycling World Championships, in Imola, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP PhotoAndrew Medichini)
The final race of the championships featured a total of 5,000 meters climbing in 258.2 kilometers (160 miles). Nine laps of a circuit started and finished on the city’s auto racing track.
The race took place exactly a week after the Tour de France ended.
The worlds were moved to Imola after Swiss host Aigle-Martigny backed out because of a government ruling limiting mass gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Belgium's Wout van Aert sprints ahead of Switzerland's Marc Hirschi and Poland's Michal Kwiatkowski, right, to clinch the silver medal in the men's elite event, at the road cycling World Championships, in Imola, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP PhotoAndrew Medichini)
The revised event featured only elite men’s and women’s categories, eliminating junior and under-23 races.
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Riders pedal under a cloudy sky during the men's elite event, at the road cycling World Championships, in Imola, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP PhotoAndrew Medichini)