GLASGOW, SCOTLAND: Mathieu van der Poel crashed while leading the road race at the world championships, breaking his shoe and tearing his jersey, yet the Dutch cyclist maintained his poise, quickly remounted and pulled away for a remarkable victory Sunday.
Van der Poel had been riding with two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar, one-day specialist Wout van Aert and Mads Pedersen, a former world champion.
They pulled back Alberto Bettiol’s solo breakaway, then van der Poel headed off on his own, flying through the rain and over the wet roads to victory in downtown Glasgow, Scotland. “It was one of the biggest goals I had left, and to win it today is amazing,” he said. “I almost completed my career, in my opinion, so for me it’s maybe the biggest victory on the road.
I cannot imagine yet riding in the rainbow (jersey) for the next year.” That includes the Paris Olympics, where van der Poel will be among the favorites next summer.