The UCI world road race championships saw one of the finest riders in the sport’s history re-crowned as world road race champion, the three best male time triallists in the world go head-to-head, and Great Britain’s men’s road team deliver a lacklustre performance criticised even by their manager.
Florence hosted this 86th edition of the professional road race championships, supplying demanding courses and – less predictably – demanding weather conditions, too. Thousands of fans lined the roads for the senior events in one of the few remaining events on the elite road calendar. Here are five observations on the eight days of racing.
