Julian Alaphilippe has held the men’s street race title at the Road World Championships in Belgium.
The 29-year-old Frenchman completed the 268.3km race in five hours 56 minutes 34 seconds.
There was a run finish for silver which was taken by Dutchman Dylan van Baarle, while Denmark’s Michael Valgren completed third.
Extraordinary Britain’s Tom Pidcock dealt with a 6th put finish, 49 seconds behind the hero.
Pidcock, 22, said: “Alaphilippe did an unbelievable ride and reasonable play to him. I was simply saving it for one assault and I stood by excessively long and I missed the train.”
Alaphilippe guaranteed the rainbow shirt for the subsequent year pursuing winning in Italy last year.
