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Julian Alaphilippe on the track, the spectators next to them
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David Stockman / dpa
As in the previous year, the French cycling star Julian Alaphilippe took the title of road world champion.
The 29-year-old prevailed in the title fights in Flanders after 267.7 kilometers from Antwerp to Leuven ahead of the Dutchman Dylan van Baarle and the Dane Michael Valgren (both +0: 32 minutes behind).
Alaphilippe had already triumphed at the World Cup in Imola, Italy, last year.
Again he won after a courageous attack as a soloist and thwarted the hosts' hopes for a home win.
Hundreds of thousands of fans flocked to the streets in cycling-crazy Belgium on Sunday to watch the race.
The Belgian co-favorite Wout van Aert was cheered on on the classics course, but he ended up in eleventh place, clearly behind Alaphilippe.
He started the decisive attack 17 kilometers from the finish.
He was only the seventh cyclist to successfully defend the world title.
"I think the Belgian fans were hoping for Van Aert, and many of them found less nice words for me as I neared the finish line," said Alaphilippe, and said with a grin on his face: "That makes it twice as nice to win here. "
"I fell on my head too and my helmet was broken"
The German professional cyclists around Captain Nils Politt went away empty-handed. Politt presented himself aggressively, but did not make it into the top ten. Classic specialist John Degenkolb retired after a fall 115 kilometers from the finish. "It was a very uncomfortable fall, I fell on my head and my helmet broke," said Degenkolb. Year-olds spared fractures or other major injuries. The two-time Paris-Nice champion Maximilian Schachmann was also involved in a fall 165 kilometers from the finish and gave up the race shortly afterwards.
The German starters won gold in the mixed relay at Tony Martin's last race last Wednesday.
Antonia Niedermaier secured bronze in the time trial of the juniors and Linda Riedmann in the road race in the same age group.
Track cycling Olympic champion Lisa Brennauer finished ninth on Saturday when Italian Elisa Balsamo won the women's road race.
mon / dpa / sid