France earns second road gold at Glasgow 2023, Pickrell top Canadian U23
France jumps over Australia at top of table before Sunday's final race
France earned its second road gold in Saturday’s penultimate road race of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow. All day in the breakaway, Axel Laurance went solo on the sixth of seven laps and raised his hands in victory. It was France’s second gold after Julie Bego’s victory in the Junior women’s race. Australia having knocked France out of the Women’s World Cup of Football on Saturday, France will get some satisfaction by jumping over Australia to the top of the road table with two golds and two silvers. Riley Pickrell was the top Canadian in 48th.
The Course
Like the Elite Women on Sunday, the U23 Men would start in Loch Lomond and finish in Glasgow. Before reaching the Glasgow city circuit, the field would ride 81 kilometres, including the 5.5-km climb of Crow Road. In the city, the riders had seven, twisting, turning laps for a total of 168 km. It was a rainy day.
The Canadian contingent was Michael Leonard, Riley Pickrell and Philippe Jacob.
Soon after the start, a group of ten containing the U23 time trial champion Lorenzo Milesi and Laurance got away. There were crashes galore behind in the peloton, including one for Michael Leonard, who eventually abandoned. By the time it reached the city circuits, the breakaway was down to an octet.
By Lap 3, the fugitive group was 40 seconds ahead of a chasing quartet and 55 seconds ahead of the remains of the peloton. Frenchman Axel Laurance, who will race for Alpecin-Deceuninck next season, went solo from the leading quartet, Brit Jack Rootkin-Gray his closest pursuer. Rootkin-Gray received reinforcements, but could they bring back the Frenchman? When he heard the bell, Laurence was 27 seconds ahead of a quintet.
Even with the multiple corners, Laurance stayed within sight of the five chasers. By the final climb, Montrose Street, the Frenchman knew that he had the gold medal wrapped up. UAE-Emirates’ Portuguese rider António Morgado took silver and Soudal-Quick Step’s Martin Svrček gave Slovakia its first road medal of Glasgow 2023.
The road races conclude on Sunday with the Elite Women’s road race.
2023 Road Race World Championships, U23 Men
1) Axel Laurance (France) 4:04:58
2) António Morgado (Portugal) +0:02
3) Martin Svrček (Slovakia) s.t.
48) Riley Pickrell (Canada) +8:16
58) Philippe Jacob (Canada) +10:01
