Remco Evenepoel is proclaimed world champion after a colossal escape

Portentous display of

's heir .

The Belgian

was proclaimed champion of the long-distance road world after signing a memorable exercise of power and courage in the championship in Wollongong (Australia).

The winner of the last edition of the Tour of Spain broke the race with an attack with 70 kilometers to go.

The silver medal went to Frenchman

and the bronze went to local idol

.

A championship that will always be remembered for the scandal involving the Dutchman

, who was arrested the night before the race for a brawl with a group of teenagers at the hotel where his team was staying.

The runner took to the start but retired 30 kilometers from the start.

He will now have to stay in Australia for several days until his case is resolved.

In this strange environment, the Spanish team played a very discreet role, without dominating the test at any time.

The maneuver manual of the coach

was clear.

should be aware of the movements of Evenepoel and the Slovenian

in the last laps and stick with them if they jumped out of the main group.

, attentive, without letting go of the chasing pack.

But many times, the tactics and the responses of the legs and head do not tune.

No bubo truce in the World Cup in Australia.

In the absence of 100 kilometers, the Belgian

and

showed their intentions in the ascent to Monte Keira.

The key moment came with 70 kilometers to go, when Belgium shook up the race, as planned, with an attack from Evenepoel.

A rush that was joined by about twenty runners, including the Australian

, the Kazakh

and the French

.

The difference in the absence of 55 kilometers amounted to 1.40.

Behind, they threw Spain, Slovenia and Germany without force.

The broken route, with a total of 267 kilometers, and 12 laps of a circuit through Wellongong that included 12 ascents of Mount Pleasant, of 1.2 kilometers, made neutralization difficult.

Pogacar was restless.

Van Aert awaited events.

, latecomer.

García Cortina, without options.

With two laps to go, Evenepoel picked up the pace again.

Lutsenko followed in the wake of the winner of the Tour of Spain.

The Kazakh was then neutralized by Italy's

, Denmark's

and Switzerland's

.

At 25 kilometers, the Belgian was left alone in the lead.

A splendid exhibition of a new phenomenon, which signs a memorable year, with triumphs also in Liège-Bastoña-Liège, the San Sebastián Classic and in the Spanish round.

The 'Little Cannibal', at the age of 22, enters the history of the World Cups with golden letters.

Since 1989, no winner of one of the three Grand Tours had won the World Road Championship in the same year.

The last one, the American

, in 1989.

After Evenepoel's ride, the rest fought for the capture of the medals.

The escapees were hunted with 300 meters to go, the fastest in the sprint was Frenchman Christophe Laporte, followed by Michael Matthews.

Van Aert, fourth.

García Cortina, the best Spaniard, eleventh.

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