McNulty First US World Road Race Winner in 33 Years: Historic Solo Victory Crowns American Champion in Montreal

Brandon McNulty delivered one of the most stunning performances in recent cycling history on September 27, 2026. The 28-year-old American soloed to victory in the elite men’s road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal, becoming the first US world road race winner in 33 years. His triumph ended a long drought that stretched back to Lance Armstrong’s 1993 win in Oslo and marked a landmark moment for American cycling.

McNulty crossed the line alone after 273.4 kilometers of racing, finishing in 6 hours, 17 minutes and 4 seconds. He held a 13-second gap over Australia’s Michael Matthews in second and the Netherlands’ Mathieu van der Poel in third. The result sent shockwaves through the peloton and instantly elevated McNulty from talented domestique and occasional stage-race contender to rainbow jersey wearer.

A Race Defined by Chaos and Perfect Timing

The Montreal course featured demanding circuits with repeated climbs and technical sections that favored aggressive racing. Favorites including Remco Evenepoel, Tom Pidcock, Isaac del Toro, and van der Poel animated the race throughout the day. Early attacks and counter-moves created a fluid, unpredictable race that gradually thinned the field.

With roughly 32 to 33 kilometers remaining, McNulty launched his decisive move from an elite lead group. The timing proved exceptional. While many of the biggest names had already expended energy on earlier efforts, the Arizona native committed fully. He quickly built a substantial lead that stretched beyond a minute at one point and still stood at around 50 seconds heading into the final lap.

Behind him, the chase remained fragmented. Riders looked at one another rather than organizing a coordinated pursuit. McNulty’s American teammates, particularly Matteo Jorgenson and Quinn Simmons, played key disruptive roles by marking threats and preventing smooth cooperation among the chasers. As the race entered its closing stages, McNulty’s advantage shrank under pressure on the final significant climb. At one stage his lead dwindled to roughly 10 seconds with about 10 kilometers remaining. Yet the chasers never closed the gap completely.

Van der Poel launched a late acceleration with around 6.8 kilometers to go, but it faded. Other attempts by Pidcock, Mauro Schmid, and others similarly failed to produce a sustained bridge. McNulty, visibly suffering and later admitting he doubted the win until the final few hundred meters, simply kept pushing. He reached the uphill finishing straight alone and raised his arms in disbelief as he claimed the title.

The Emotional Aftermath and Historic Context

Immediately after the finish, McNulty struggled to process what he had achieved. “I’m really at a loss for words. Until the last 300 metres I didn’t believe it, I was so tired,” he said. He added that he had joked with his wife about the possibility but knew it would take a miracle. “I guess today a miracle happened.”

The victory carries deep historical weight. Before McNulty, only Greg LeMond (1983 and 1989) and Lance Armstrong (1993) had won the elite men’s world road race title for the United States. The 33-year gap represented one of the longer droughts among major cycling nations. McNulty’s success also arrives exactly a decade after he claimed the junior men’s road race world title in 2016, completing a rare junior-to-elite rainbow jersey progression.

Team USA’s overall performance added further satisfaction. Quinn Simmons finished fourth and Matteo Jorgenson placed eighth, giving the Americans three riders in the top 10. The squad’s collective strength and tactical discipline proved decisive on a day when individual brilliance alone might not have been enough.

McNulty’s Path to the Rainbow Jersey

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 2, 1998, McNulty has long been regarded as one of America’s most promising road talents. He turned professional and eventually joined UAE Team Emirates-XRG, where he spent much of his career supporting Tadej Pogačar. While that role limited his own opportunities for leadership, it also sharpened his race craft and physical resilience.

Prior results hinted at his capability. McNulty won the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal in 2025, a race held on similar terrain, and claimed the Tour of Poland overall the same year. He has also secured national time trial titles and stage victories in Grand Tours. His familiarity with the Montreal circuits clearly contributed to the confidence required for such a long solo effort.

Pogačar’s absence from the World Championships due to injury opened the door for other contenders. McNulty seized the opportunity with both hands. In doing so, he not only claimed personal glory but also kept the rainbow jersey within the UAE Team Emirates-XRG family for another year.

What This Victory Means for American Cycling

McNulty’s win arrives at a moment when US cycling continues to produce strong riders capable of competing at the highest level. The presence of Simmons, Jorgenson, and others in the top 10 underscores growing depth. For younger American riders, seeing a compatriot wear the rainbow stripes provides powerful inspiration.

The result also shifts perceptions. McNulty was often viewed primarily as a reliable domestique and strong time triallist. His world title performance demonstrates that he possesses the tactical intelligence, endurance, and mental toughness required to win the biggest one-day races. Going forward, he will race as world champion while still supporting Pogačar in major stage races—an unusual and potentially fascinating dual role.

A Day That Will Be Remembered

The 2026 Montreal Worlds men’s road race will be remembered as a chaotic, attritional classic decided by one perfectly timed attack and a remarkable display of resilience. McNulty’s solo effort over the final 32-plus kilometers, executed against a field packed with stars, ranks among the most memorable world championship victories in recent decades.

For American cycling fans, the images of McNulty crossing the line in the rainbow jersey end a long wait. The first US world road race winner in 33 years has rewritten the record books and delivered a moment of pure sporting drama. As McNulty himself put it, a miracle happened in Montreal—and the sport is richer for it.

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