London - AFP
Mark Cavendish became Britain's first world road race champion since Tom Simpson in 1965 when he dominated a bunch sprint to win the men's elite race at the road world championships here Sunday. Australian Matthew Goss finished second to take the silver with German Andre Greipel winning the bronze after 260 km of racing. Britain had been at the forefront of racing all day and, in a finale which witnessed no threatening attacks, Cavendish pushed up the inside of the barriers on the 500-metre uphill finish to beat Goss at the line by half a wheel. Greipel was given the nod by judges for the bronze medal after a photo finish decision with Swiss Fabian Cancellara. Reigning world champion Thor Hushovd of Norway was one of several top names who got stuck in a second chasing peloton following a crash on the sixth of the race's 17 laps. The men's race brought an end to the week-long championships