Gilbert escapes pack to win world road title

The 30-year-old left rivals Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway and Spain’s Alejandro Valverde in his wake towards the end of the 267km race through Holland.

The Belgian team had faced an early challenge from both recent Vuelta a Espana winner Alberto Contador and France’s Thomas Voeckler, but Gilbert managed to break away on the final climb.

British rider Mark Cavendish was unable to defend his title after retiring with 111km of the race remaining.

The 27-year-old sprinter had already admitted the hilly terrain was ill-suited to his personal style, in contrast to the flat roads of Copenhagen where he raced to glory last year.

Cavendish’s Team Sky colleagues and Olympic medallists Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome also dropped out of the arduous race before reaching the final stages.

Earlier, Matej Mohoric of Slovenia claimed the men’s world junior title after stunning Australia’s Caleb Ewan with a sprint on the final kilometre.

On Saturday, Marianne Vos became the new women’s road cycling world champion with a late breakaway in Limburg.

The home favourite struggled to escape for much of the 129km eight-lap race, but finally got clear on the intimidating Cauberg Hill to sprint to victory on the last two ascents.

Emma Pooley was the best-placed Briton, almost five minutes down in 15th place.

Mirfield cyclo-cross rider Jake Womersley took his first win of the series in the Yorkshire Points at Thornes Park in Wakefield.

Nicholas Barnes of Leeds offered some early competition for Womersley, but the teenager soon caught him and took charge of the race. Bramley’s Simon Maudsley finished second and Barnes struggled after losing pole position and finished down in fourth.

Dishforth in Thirsk hosted the Army CU Road Race yesterday and it was won by Jason Livesey of Silsden.

The 41-year-old managed to hold off the challenge of Steven Baker and Sunderland’s Craig Stephenson to take the win right on the line.

After an early break was reeled back in, the bunch stayed together for the remainder of the race until the finish line was in sight.

The win gives Livesey enough points to go on and compete as a second category rider – a target which he set himself at the beginning of the season.