LONDON (Dispatches) -
Julian Alaphilippe has retained the men’s road race title at the Road World Championships in Belgium.
The 29-year-old Frenchman finished the 268.3km race in five hours 56 minutes 34 seconds.
There was a sprint finish for silver which was taken by Dutchman Dylan van Baarle, while Denmark’s Michael Valgren finished third.
Great Britain’s Tom Pidcock managed a sixth-placed finish, 49 seconds behind the champion.
Pidcock, 22, said: “Alaphilippe did an unreal ride and fair play to him. I was just saving it for one attack and I waited too long and I missed the train.”
Alaphilippe claimed the rainbow jersey for the second year running after winning in Italy last year.