UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race
Race details | |
---|---|
Date | End of season |
Discipline | Road race |
Type | One-day |
Organiser | UCI |
History | |
First edition | 1927 |
Editions | 88 (as of 2021) |
First winner | Alfredo Binda (ITA) |
Most wins |
|
Most recent | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) |
The UCI Road World Championships Elite Men's Road Race is a one-day event for professional cyclists that takes place annually. The winner is considered the World Cycling Champion (or World Road Cycling Champion) and earns the right to wear the Rainbow Jersey for a full year in road race or stage events. The event is a single 'mass start' road race with the winner being the first across the line at the completion of the full race distance.
The road race is contested by riders organized by national cycling teams as opposed to commercially sponsored or trade teams, which is the standard in professional cycling.
History[]
The first professional World Cycling Championship took place in 1927 at the Nürburgring in Germany and was won by Alfredo Binda, of Italy. In recent years, the race is held towards the end of the European season, usually following the Vuelta a España. The event can be held over either a relatively flat course which favors cycling sprinters or over a hilly course which favors more of a climbing specialist or all-round type of cyclist.
The elite men's race is usually won by riders on the UCI World Tour or its predecessors. However, in the past there were separate events for amateur riders, mainly from Eastern bloc countries.
For men at the elite professional level, the World Cycling Championship, along with the Tour de France, and the Giro d'Italia, forms the Triple Crown of Cycling.
Medalists[]
Seven cyclists have successfully defended their title (three Belgians, two Italians, a Slovakian and a French): Georges Ronsse (Belgium, 1928–29); Rik Van Steenbergen (Belgium, 1956–57); Rik Van Looy (Belgium, 1960–61); Gianni Bugno (Italy, 1991–92); Paolo Bettini (Italy, 2006–07), Peter Sagan (Slovakia, 2015–17) and Julian Alaphilippe (France, 2020–21). Sagan is the only rider with three straight titles (2015–17). Spaniard Alejandro Valverde has the most total medals by any individual rider with seven (1 gold in 2018; 2 silver in 2003, 2005; 4 bronze in 2006, 2012–14).
Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1927 Nürburgring |
Alfredo Binda (ITA) | Costante Girardengo (ITA) | Domenico Piemontesi (ITA) |
1928 Budapest |
Georges Ronsse (BEL) | Herbert Nebe (GER) | Bruno Wolke (GER) |
1929 Zürich |
Georges Ronsse (BEL) | Nicolas Frantz (LUX) | Alfredo Binda (ITA) |
1930 Liège |
Alfredo Binda (ITA) | Learco Guerra (ITA) | Georges Ronsse (BEL) |
1931 Copenhagen |
Learco Guerra (ITA) | Ferdinand Le Drogo (FRA) | Albert Büchi (SUI) |
1932 Rome |
Alfredo Binda (ITA) | Remo Bertoni (ITA) | Nicolas Frantz (LUX) |
1933 Montlhéry |
Georges Speicher (FRA) | Antonin Magne (FRA) | Marinus Valentijn (NED) |
1934 Leipzig |
Karel Kaers (BEL) | Learco Guerra (ITA) | Gustave Danneels (BEL) |
1935 Floreffe |
Jean Aerts (BEL) | Luciano Montero (ESP) | Gustave Danneels (BEL) |
1936 Bern |
Antonin Magne (FRA) | Aldo Bini (ITA) | Theo Middelkamp (NED) |
1937 Copenhagen |
Eloi Meulenberg (BEL) | Emil Kijewski (GER) | Paul Egli (SUI) |
1938 Valkenburg |
Marcel Kint (BEL) | Paul Egli (SUI) | Leo Amberg (SUI) |
1946 Zürich |
Hans Knecht (SUI) | Marcel Kint (BEL) | Rik Van Steenbergen (BEL) |
1947 Reims |
Theo Middelkamp (NED) | Albert Sercu (BEL) | Sjef Janssen (NED) |
1948 Valkenburg |
Briek Schotte (BEL) | Apo Lazarides (FRA) | Lucien Teisseire (FRA) |
1949 Copenhagen |
Rik Van Steenbergen (BEL) | Ferdinand Kübler (SUI) | Fausto Coppi (ITA) |
1950 Moorslede |
Briek Schotte (BEL) | Theo Middelkamp (NED) | Ferdinand Kübler (SUI) |
1951 Varese |
Ferdinand Kübler (SUI) | Fiorenzo Magni (ITA) | Antonio Bevilacqua (ITA) |
1952 Luxembourg |
Heinz Müller (FRG) | Gottfried Weilenmann, Jr. (SUI) | Ludwig Hörmann (FRG) |
1953 Lugano |
Fausto Coppi (ITA) | Germain Derycke (BEL) | Stan Ockers (BEL) |
1954 Solingen |
Louison Bobet (FRA) | Fritz Schaer (SUI) | Charly Gaul (LUX) |
1955 Frascati |
Stan Ockers (BEL) | Jean-Pierre Schmitz (LUX) | Germain Derycke (BEL) |
1956 Copenhagen |
Rik Van Steenbergen (BEL) | Rik Van Looy (BEL) | Gerrit Schulte (NED) |
1957 Waregem |
Rik Van Steenbergen (BEL) | Louison Bobet (FRA) | André Darrigade (FRA) |
1958 Reims |
Ercole Baldini (ITA) | Louison Bobet (FRA) | André Darrigade (FRA) |
1959 Zandvoort |
André Darrigade (FRA) | Michele Gismondi (ITA) | Noël Foré (BEL) |
1960 Karl-Marx-Stadt |
Rik Van Looy (BEL) | André Darrigade (FRA) | Pino Cerami (BEL) |
1961 Bern |
Rik Van Looy (BEL) | Nino Defilippis (ITA) | Raymond Poulidor (FRA) |
1962 Salò di Garda |
Jean Stablinski (FRA) | Shay Elliott (IRL) | Jos Hoevenaers (BEL) |
1963 Ronse |
Benoni Beheyt (BEL) | Rik Van Looy (BEL) | Jo de Haan (NED) |
1964 Sallanches |
Jan Janssen (NED) | Vittorio Adorni (ITA) | Raymond Poulidor (FRA) |
1965 San Sebastián |
Tom Simpson (GBR) | Rudi Altig (FRG) | Roger Swerts (BEL) |
1966 Nürburgring |
Rudi Altig (FRG) | Jacques Anquetil (FRA) | Raymond Poulidor (FRA) |
1967 Heerlen |
Eddy Merckx (BEL) | Jan Janssen (NED) | Ramón Sáez (ESP) |
1968 Imola |
Vittorio Adorni (ITA) | Herman Van Springel (BEL) | Michele Dancelli (ITA) |
1969 Zolder |
Harm Ottenbros (NED) | Julien Stevens (BEL) | Michele Dancelli (ITA) |
1970 Leicester |
Jean-Pierre Monseré (BEL) | Leif Mortensen (DEN) | Felice Gimondi (ITA) |
1971 Mendrisio |
Eddy Merckx (BEL) | Felice Gimondi (ITA) | Cyrille Guimard (FRA) |
1972 Gap |
Marino Basso (ITA) | Franco Bitossi (ITA) | Cyrille Guimard (FRA) |
1973 Barcelona |
Felice Gimondi (ITA) | Freddy Maertens (BEL) | Luis Ocaña (ESP) |
1974 Montreal |
Eddy Merckx (BEL) | Raymond Poulidor (FRA) | Mariano Martínez (FRA) |
1975 Yvoir |
Hennie Kuiper (NED) | Roger de Vlaeminck (BEL) | Jean-Pierre Danguillaume (FRA) |
1976 Ostuni |
Freddy Maertens (BEL) | Francesco Moser (ITA) | Tino Conti (ITA) |
1977 San Cristóbal |
Francesco Moser (ITA) | Dietrich Thurau (FRG) | Franco Bitossi (ITA) |
1978 Nürburgring |
Gerrie Knetemann (NED) | Francesco Moser (ITA) | Jørgen Marcussen (DEN) |
1979 Valkenburg |
Jan Raas (NED) | Dietrich Thurau (FRG) | Jean-René Bernaudeau (FRA) |
1980 Sallanches |
Bernard Hinault (FRA) | Gianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) | Juan Fernández (ESP) |
1981 Prague |
Freddy Maertens (BEL) | Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) | Bernard Hinault (FRA) |
1982 Goodwood |
Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) | Greg LeMond (USA) | Sean Kelly (IRL) |
1983 Altenrhein |
Greg LeMond (USA) | Adri van der Poel (NED) | Stephen Roche (IRL) |
1984 Barcelona |
Claude Criquielion (BEL) | Claudio Corti (ITA) | Steve Bauer (CAN) |
1985 Giavera del Montello |
Joop Zoetemelk (NED) | Greg LeMond (USA) | Moreno Argentin (ITA) |
1986 Colorado Springs |
Moreno Argentin (ITA) | Charly Mottet (FRA) | Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) |
1987 Villach |
Stephen Roche (IRL) | Moreno Argentin (ITA) | Juan Fernández (ESP) |
1988 Ronse |
Maurizio Fondriest (ITA) | Martial Gayant (FRA) | Juan Fernández (ESP) |
1989 Chambéry |
Greg LeMond (USA) | Dimitri Konychev (URS) | Sean Kelly (IRL) |
1990 Utsunomiya |
Rudy Dhaenens (BEL) | Dirk De Wolf (BEL) | Gianni Bugno (ITA) |
1991 Stuttgart |
Gianni Bugno (ITA) | Steven Rooks (NED) | Miguel Induráin (ESP) |
1992 Benidorm |
Gianni Bugno (ITA) | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | Dimitri Konychev (RUS) |
1993 Oslo |
Lance Armstrong (USA) | Miguel Indurain (ESP) | Olaf Ludwig (GER) |
1994 Agrigento |
Luc Leblanc (FRA) | Claudio Chiappucci (ITA) | Richard Virenque (FRA) |
1995 Duitama |
Abraham Olano (ESP) | Miguel Induráin (ESP) | Marco Pantani (ITA) |
1996 Lugano |
Johan Museeuw (BEL) | Mauro Gianetti (SUI) | Michele Bartoli (ITA) |
1997 San Sebastián |
Laurent Brochard (FRA) | Bo Hamburger (DEN) | Léon van Bon (NED) |
1998 Valkenburg |
Oscar Camenzind (SUI) | Peter Van Petegem (BEL) | Michele Bartoli (ITA) |
1999 Verona |
Óscar Freire (ESP) | Markus Zberg (SUI) | Jean-Cyril Robin (FRA) |
2000 Plouay |
Romāns Vainšteins (LAT) | Zbigniew Spruch (POL) | Óscar Freire (ESP) |
2001 Lisbon |
Óscar Freire (ESP) | Paolo Bettini (ITA) | Andrej Hauptman (SLO) |
2002 Zolder/Hasselt |
Mario Cipollini (ITA) | Robbie McEwen (AUS) | Erik Zabel (GER) |
2003 Hamilton |
Igor Astarloa (ESP) | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Peter Van Petegem (BEL) |
2004 Verona |
Óscar Freire (ESP) | Erik Zabel (GER) | Luca Paolini (ITA) |
2005 Madrid |
Tom Boonen (BEL) | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Anthony Geslin (FRA) |
2006 Salzburg |
Paolo Bettini (ITA) | Erik Zabel (GER) | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) |
2007 Stuttgart |
Paolo Bettini (ITA) | Alexandr Kolobnev (RUS) | Stefan Schumacher (GER) |
2008 Varese |
Alessandro Ballan (ITA) | Damiano Cunego (ITA) | Matti Breschel (DEN) |
2009 Mendrisio |
Cadel Evans (AUS) | Alexandr Kolobnev (RUS) | Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP) |
2010 Geelong |
Thor Hushovd (NOR) | Matti Breschel (DEN) | Allan Davis (AUS) |
2011 Copenhagen |
Mark Cavendish (GBR) | Matthew Goss (AUS) | André Greipel (GER) |
2012 Valkenburg |
Philippe Gilbert (BEL) | Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) |
2013 Florence |
Rui Costa (POR) | Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP) | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) |
2014 Ponferrada |
Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) | Simon Gerrans (AUS) | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) |
2015 Richmond |
Peter Sagan (SVK) | Michael Matthews (AUS) | Ramūnas Navardauskas (LTU) |
2016 Doha |
Peter Sagan (SVK) | Mark Cavendish (GBR) | Tom Boonen (BEL) |
2017 Bergen |
Peter Sagan (SVK) | Alexander Kristoff (NOR) | Michael Matthews (AUS) |
2018 Innsbruck |
Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Romain Bardet (FRA) | Michael Woods (CAN) |
2019 Yorkshire |
Mads Pedersen (DEN) | Matteo Trentin (ITA) | Stefan Küng (SUI) |
2020 Imola |
Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | Wout van Aert (BEL) | Marc Hirschi (SUI) |
2021 Flanders |
Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | Dylan van Baarle (NED) | Michael Valgren (DEN) |
Most successful riders[]
Rank | Name and country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Winning years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alfredo Binda (ITA) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1927, 1930, 1932 |
Rik Van Steenbergen (BEL) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1949, 1956, 1957 | |
Óscar Freire (ESP) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1999, 2001, 2004 | |
4 | Eddy Merckx (BEL) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1967, 1971, 1974 |
Peter Sagan (SVK) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2015, 2016, 2017 | |
6 | Rik Van Looy (BEL) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1960, 1961 |
Greg LeMond (USA) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1983, 1989 | |
8 | Freddy Maertens (BEL) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1976, 1981 |
Paolo Bettini (ITA) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2006, 2007 | |
10 | Georges Ronsse (BEL) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1928, 1929 |
Gianni Bugno (ITA) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1991, 1992 | |
12 | Briek Schotte (BEL) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1948, 1950 |
Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2020, 2021 | |
14 | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 2018 |
15 | Learco Guerra (ITA) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1931 |
Louison Bobet (FRA) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1954 | |
Francesco Moser (ITA) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1977 | |
18 | André Darrigade (FRA) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1959 |
19 | Theo Middelkamp (NED) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1947 |
Ferdinand Kübler (SUI) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1951 | |
Felice Gimondi (ITA) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1973 | |
Giuseppe Saronni (ITA) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1982 | |
Moreno Argentin (ITA) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1986 |
Medals per country[]
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Belgium (BEL) | 26 | 12 | 12 | 50 |
2 | Italy (ITA) | 19 | 21 | 16 | 56 |
3 | France (FRA) | 10 | 12 | 15 | 37 |
4 | Netherlands (NED) | 7 | 5 | 6 | 18 |
5 | Spain (ESP) | 6 | 6 | 12 | 24 |
6 | Switzerland (SUI) | 3 | 6 | 6 | 15 |
7 | United States (USA) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
8 | Slovakia (SVK) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
9 | Germany (GER)[1] | 2 | 7 | 6 | 15 |
10 | Great Britain (GBR) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
11 | Australia (AUS) | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
12 | Denmark (DEN) | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
13 | Norway (NOR) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
14 | Ireland (IRL) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
15 | Poland (POL) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
16 | Latvia (LAT) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Portugal (POR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
18 | Russia (RUS)[2] | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
19 | Luxembourg (LUX) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
20 | Canada (CAN) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
21 | Lithuania (LTU) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Slovenia (SLO) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Totals (22 nations) | 88 | 88 | 88 | 264 |
- Notes
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "UCI Road World Championships, Men Elite - Road race" (PDF). UCI. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race
- Events at the UCI Road World Championships
- Recurring sporting events established in 1927
- Men's road bicycle races
- Lists of UCI Road World Championships medalists
- Super Prestige Pernod races