Austrian Felix Gall Wins UCI Road World Championships Junior Men’s Road Race – Photo Gallery

October 3, 2015

167 junior men started the 2015 worlds road race in Richmond, Virginia

Junior men started the 2015 worlds road race in Richmond, Virginia in light rain

Morning drizzle created the slickest conditions of the week in Richmond for the junior men’s road world championship race. Crashes over the 130 kilometers tore holes in kits and bloodied knees in the field of 166 starters.

Colombia’s Julian Cardona and American Jack Maddux peeled off the front early on. Like other attacks in the first half of the race, it didn’t stick.

In the second half of the eight lap competition Adrien Costa (USA), a favorite for a podium result, got away with a large group. Once again, what was left of the field – about one third of the starters didn’t finish – pulled them back.

“I was trying to attack early to break things up,” Costa told VeloNews. “I wasn’t feeling super good all race: I think with the time trial I still wasn’t able to recover super well. I don’t know, I guess we had lots of bad luck with my teammates, I’m not sure what happened. I know Ethan [Reynolds] went down and there were mechanicals and stuff.”

Despite feeling less than stellar Costa attacked again with about two laps remaining and drew others into the break attempt. In the final circuit the effort was squashed

“I was kind of isolated so I decided to see what I could do at the end and not waste energy early. A lot of teams had three or four guys still in the front group so it was hard for me to do much,” Costa said. “I led up Libby Hill in the last lap with a group up the road and then up 23rd Street I kind of fell back, I don’t know. I just didn’t have the legs.”

Austrian Felix Gall narrowly beat a disappointed Clement Betouigt-Suire of France who needed just a few additional meters to out-power the exhausted Gall. Rasmus Pedersen (Denmark) placed third. Costa came in 18th, the best of the Americans.