New under-23 World Champion Laurance: "I gave everything and saw stars in the last lap"

France had plenty cards to play for the World Championships in the men's under-23 race and it was the rider who attacked first that took the victory. Axel Laurance won the race from the breakaway after a spectacular effort.

"I can't believe it at the moment. It was not the plan to go so early, but because of the rain it was so heavy and so nervous in every corner, that I decided to follow a group," Laurance said in a post-race interview. "In the end it was good to be in the front and ride your own pace there. I waited a long time and knew that the difference was constantly about forty to fifty seconds. I was able to save my legs as much as possible and when men came from behind, I left. I had to try it and my legs felt okay."

The Alpecin-Deceunink Development Team rider was part of B&B Hotels-KTM last year but a late disbandment saw him searching for a contract last minute. He did so for the Belgian team, mixing his racing calendar with the development and elite team. He found himself in the colours of France this afternoon, and in the perfect spot as he rode to the front group which eventually proved the right move.

"I knew it was possible on this course to do something like that, but I didn't believe in it until the last 500 metres," he said. Laurance attacked from the group with 26 kilometers to go as he saw chasers from the peloton coming quite close. The gap was constantly small, but he managed to hold off the quintet by only a few seconds, crossing the line into the biggest victory of his career. "I was completely on the limit. It's unbelievable, I gave everything and saw stars in the last lap," he admits.