Before the elite men’s road race began at the World Championships in Yorkshire, many commentators and riders believed about 30 men in the start list were medal possibilities.
However, the name Mads Pedersen was on precisely nobody’s list. Yet it was the 23-year-old Dane who not only won the title, but did so with ease in the end.
Coming to the end of a season that will in time be seen as historic for the changing of the guard – with many riders in their early 20s and one still in his teens breaking through; it seems fitting the new champion is one of the emerging generation.
Pedersen was among the first to light it up when the finale began in earnest with five of the nine laps around Harrogate remaining.
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However, when the two Italians in the shape of Gianni Moscon and Matteo Trentin also made the breakaway, along with pre-race hot favourite Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands); the odds seemed stack against the others.
Also in the move, along with Pedersen, was Stefan Kung (Switzerland); with Mike Teunissen (Netherlands) and Lawson Craddock (USA) were both there for a time initially.
However, it soon came down to five; Pedersen, Kung, Van der Poel, Trentin and Moscon, the latter looking the weakest.
However, incredibly it was van de Poel who cracked first; blowing with just under 13km to go and losing 11 minutes during that final segment of the race.
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Deep into the final lap, and after sacrificing himself to help keep the breakaway clear of what remained of the peloton not far behind, Moscon lost his place
That left three out front and the smart money was on Trentin. However, when the finish came after 6½ hours in wet and cold conditions, it was Pedersen who had by far the most in the tank.
Trentin kicked and found he had nothing left as just behind him Kung was consigned to bronze immediately the final sprint started with just 200 metres to go.
But it was Pedersen who sprinted in, opening a huge gap on the two he was with and taking the most iconic jersey in the sport.
The Irish team unfortunately failed to make an impression; Sam Bennett surviving longest in the reduced peloton but slipping off the back of it with 75km to go.
His team mates – Dan Martin, Eddie Dunbar, Rory Townsend, Ryan Mullen and Conor Dunne – had climbed off long before him; along with most of the field.
Bennett had looked comfortable early in the race, appearing to hold his place near the front with ease thanks to the word done by Mullen and Dunne escorting him all the way.
However, those efforts were to come to no avail; Bennett simply lacking the firepower on an epic day near the end of a long season and when only 46 riders finished.
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