Remco Evenepoel is the 2022 world champion. The Belgian wins after a splendid solo action in Wollongong and leaves no room for any opponent. Second place for Laporte and third Matthews. Race that does not spare the twists from the beginning, with the abandonment of Mathieu Van der Poel . The Dutchman, disturbed in his hotel by some children during the night, would react and after the dispute he was arrested (and then released) by the police. Van der Poel still started the race, but then retired after a few kilometers.

The race is fast and the group splits in two, with Evenepoel staying in front and attempting action 60km from the finish and the other favorites all remaining 2 'behind, including Pogacar , Van Aert , Alaphilippe and the leaders of Italy Trentin , Bettiol and Bagioli . In front, for the blues there are Battistella (active from the first kilometers), Conci and Rota .

At 35 km from the finish Evenepoel tries another attack and leaves with Lutsenko. It is the decisive action, the Belgian detaches Lutsenko 25 km from the conclusion and flies alone towards the finish line.

Behind, the small group of pursuers, with the blue Lorenzo Rota , waits too long and gets caught up by the main group in the last meters. So in the sprint, Laporte takes second position ahead of Matthews. Fourth place for Van Aert, while Trentin arrives fifth (first of the Italians). Another blue, Bettiol, arrives in the top ten and is eighth.

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency

ARRIVAL ORDER:  

1 EVENEPOEL Remco Belgium

2 LAPORTE Christophe France 2:21

3 MATTHEWS Michael Australia ,,

4 VAN AERT Wout Belgium ,,

5 TRENTIN Matthew Italy ,,

6 KRISTOFF Alexander Norway ,,

7 SAGAN Peter Slovakia ,,

8 BETTIOL Alberto Italy ,,

9 HAYTER Ethan Great Britain ,,

10 SKJELMOSE JENSEN Mattias Denmark ,,