Brandon McNulty claimed a landmark victory at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, becoming the first American to secure the men’s road race title in 33 years. The 28-year-old cyclist completed the demanding 273.4km route in six hours and 17 minutes, crossing the finish line 13 seconds ahead of his closest challengers.
Reflecting on the final stages of the race, McNulty admitted he remained uncertain of his success until the very end, stating that he did not believe victory was possible until the final 800 meters due to extreme fatigue. He described the win as a miracle, expressing that he was at a complete loss for words following his performance. I knew something could happen but it would take a miracle and I guess today a miracle happened”.
McNulty’s path to the gold medal began with a decisive move during the final 30 kilometers of the race. He managed to build a 50-second lead heading into the last lap, though he began to show clear signs of exhaustion on the final climb. Despite his lead shrinking to just 10 seconds, the chasing group failed to catch him before the finish.
Australian rider Michael Matthews secured second place, while former champion Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands took third. The event featured a strong field of competitors, including Tom Pidcock, who finished seventh, Ben Healy in 10th, and Remco Evenepoel in 12th place.
The competition remained highly anticipated even in the absence of injured cycling star Tadej Pogacar. Riders like Van der Poel, Van Aert, and Seixas actively animated the race, pushing to break away under the autumnal Canadian maples. However, McNulty’s strategic timing proved to be the decisive factor over pure power.
A previous winner of the 2025 Montreal Grand Prix, McNulty is widely viewed as a popular champion for what is considered one of the season’s premier races. His historic triumph serves as the first time an American has won the event since Lance Armstrong captured the title in 1993.
