Kuss is Team USA top finisher in last day of the 2020 UCI Road World Championships

September 27, 2020

During the final day of competition, four Americans raced in Imola, Italy.

The UCI Road World Championships concluded Sunday with four Americans competing in the Men’s Elite Road Race through the countryside of Italy. Racing 258.2 kilometers over the course of 9 laps with over 5000 kilometers of climbing, this course proved to be difficult for the field of 177 riders.

With an early breakaway on the first climb of the day, a group of 7 riders quickly put distance between themselves and the peloton. Sepp Kuss (Durango, Colo.; Team Jumbo Visma), Neilson Powless (Roseville, Calif.; EF Education First Pro Cycling), Brandon McNulty (Phoenix, Ariz; UAE Team Emirates), Lawson Craddock (Houston, Texas; EF Education First Pro Cycling) sat comfortably in the peloton and kept an eye on the action. On the 5th lap, the pace picked up while the peloton was on the second climb and Craddock couldn’t stay with the group. He was dropped off the back.

During the final two laps of the race, Kuss sat top 50 in the field. Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar (SLO) attacked on the climb and broke away from the peloton extending his lead to 26” in the final 28km of the race. Powless and McNulty weren’t able to hold the pace, they were dropped and eventually abandoned. Pogacar would be absorbed by the peloton at the start of the first climb on the final lap of the 28 kilometer loop. The Belgian team would attack on the final climb of the race and completely shatter the remaining field. At the end, it was Julian Alaphillipe (FRA) to break away with 10km to go and bring home gold for France. The top finisher for Team USA was Kuss finishing 53^rd.

Final Results:

1. Julian Alaphilippe                    FRA    6:38:34
2. Wout Van Aert                          BEL     +:24
3. Marc Hirschi                             SUI      +:24
4. Sepp Kuss                                  USA    +12:35

DNF. Neilson Powless                        USA
DNF. Brandon McNulty                     USA
DNF. Lawson Craddock                     USA

You can watch all the racing live on the Olympic Channel. Follow @USACyclingLIVE on Twitter for live updates throughout the race along with @USACycling and @UCI_cycling. For more information on start times and who to watch, click here.

Please direct all media inquiries to Angelina Palermo at apalermo@usacycling.org

For all on-site media inquiries, please contact Jim Miller at jmiller@usacycling.org

ABOUT USA CYCLING (usacycling.org)

USA Cycling is a proud member of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). Within the United States, USA Cycling is the national governing body for the sport of cycling and oversees the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclocross, and BMX. With a mission to develop the sport of cycling in the United States and to achieve sustained international racing success, USA Cycling supports cyclists at all levels, from those just beginning in the sport and participating in fun rides to seasoned professionals. The organization not only identifies, develops, and selects cyclists to represent the United States in international competition, but also supports amateur bike racing through grassroots development programs and the provision of critical infrastructure to run organized racing.

USA Cycling is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2020. In 1920, the organization began as The Amateur Bicycle League of America and evolved to become the United States Cycling Federation in 1975 and ultimately USA Cycling, Inc. in 1995. USA Cycling’s 100,000+ members are comprised of racers and cyclists of all ages and abilities, coaches, officials, mechanics, and race directors.