Brandon McNulty Ends 33-Year US Drought by Winning World Road Race

Brandon McNulty has pulled off a surprising victory at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships held in Montréal, becoming the first American to win the men’s elite road race in 33 years. The 28-year-old from Phoenix, Arizona, rode solo for the last 32 kilometres to cross the finish line 13 seconds ahead of his rivals.

The race covered about 273 kilometres, starting in Brossard and finishing in Montréal. It was a tough and chaotic event with many attacks and shifts in the leading group. McNulty timed his move perfectly, breaking away with just over 30 kilometres left and managing to hold off the chasing pack despite running low on energy in the final kilometres.

His win marks the first U.S. men’s road race world title since Lance Armstrong’s 1993 victory in Oslo. Before McNulty, only Greg LeMond had claimed the title for the U.S., back in 1983 and 1989.

The American team played a strong tactical role throughout the race, with teammates Quinn Simmons and Matteo Jorgenson active in the front groups, helping set the stage for McNulty’s decisive attack.

Michael Matthews from Australia took second place, while Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel finished third. Pre-race favourite Remco Evenepoel, who was aiming to win both the time trial and road race titles this year, ended up 12th.

McNulty had shown strong form earlier in the championships by finishing fourth in the men’s individual time trial, just 12 seconds off a medal. His road race win is considered the biggest of his career so far.

Speaking after the race, McNulty said he didn’t believe he would win until the very last moments, describing his victory as a “miracle” and praising the strength of the American team.