Tadej Pogacar defended his title as the best rider in the world in fine style, going solo with nearly 70km left to race and storming to victory alone on what had been dubbed the hardest World Championships course in history.
The reigning rainbow jersey made his first attack with 104km to go, establishing a two-man breakway with Mexican starlet Isaac del Toro, before dropping him with 67km remaining and holding off an elite chasing group to win by one minute and 29 seconds.
