Only three non-European riders had previously become World Champions - Brandon McNulty joined the likes of Armstrong and Lemond in Montréal
CyclingMonday, 28 September 2026 at 14:00
Since the creation of the World Championships, European dominance has been overwhelming, with only three men born outside the continent conquering the rainbow jersey in the men's elite road race until this year. Brandon McNulty has become the fourth.
Greg Lemond and Lance Armstrong came before McNulty when it comes to their success at the World Championships, Australia completes a roll that features one of the standout riders of his generation and one of the few cyclists to win both the Tour de France and the Worlds in their careers.
They are all different. LeMond was a complete rider, ahead of his time; Armstrong reached the rainbow jersey as one of America’s top prospects before building a career around the Grand Tours; Evans did it after becoming a global reference in mountain bike.
Their victories also unfolded on very different stages and in contrasting race scenarios. But they all share one remarkable trait: from outside Europe, they broke a hegemony that for decades made the Worlds almost exclusive territory for the major European cycling powers.
Greg LeMond: the pioneer, blazing a trail
Greg LeMond was one of the first great American riders able to go toe to toe with Europe’s elite. Born in Lakewood, California, he developed an exceptionally complete skill set, with the ability to shine in classics, Grand Tours, and time trials. His climbing talent and strength against the clock made him particularly hard to beat.
His first rainbow came in Altenrhein in 1983, when he was still very young. LeMond prevailed in a race marked by a fierce tempo and a finale in which he exploited his attributes to overcome his rivals. That triumph made the American the first road world champion born outside Europe.
The title was no one-off. LeMond reclaimed the Worlds six years later, in Chambéry, in 1989, in a race that confirmed his ability to deliver at the highest level across different scenarios. The American again used his high-speed engine and superb endurance to win on French soil.
The 1983 rainbow also opened an unprecedented chapter for American cycling. LeMond proved that a rider born across the Atlantic could become world champion and later win the Tour de France. The UCI itself notes that he is among the riders who won the Tour while wearing the rainbow jersey.
Lance Armstrong in the rainbow jersey with Motorola
Lance Armstrong, a precocious rainbow
Lance Armstrong was born in Plano, Texas, and arrived in professional cycling after first excelling in triathlon. His explosiveness and physical capacity allowed him to rise quickly and become one of America’s brightest prospects in the early nineties.
In 1993 he won the road Worlds in Oslo at just 21. That victory made him one of the youngest world champions in history and extended the American presence in a competition traditionally dominated by Europeans. The UCI recalls that Armstrong became the youngest world champion from 1993 until Remco Evenepoel in 2022.
The Norwegian race had added weight given the American’s age. Armstrong was not yet the Grand Tour figure he would later become, but an explosive, aggressive rider able to handle demanding courses. His win in Oslo was, at that moment, confirmation that the United States had found another contender for the rainbow.
Cadel Evans, from MTB to road gold
Cadel Evans represents a very different story. Born in Katherine, in Australia’s Northern Territory, he spent his early years in the Aboriginal community of Barunga and began his sporting path far from Europe’s roads. Before becoming one of the premier stage-race specialists, he was a leading figure in mountain bike.
His definitive move to the road turned him into one of the most complete riders of his generation. Evans stood out for his climbing, resilience, and consistency, qualities that kept him in the fight for Grand Tours for years. Before the Worlds he had already shown his level with numerous high finishes at the Tour de France.
The rainbow arrived in 2009, in Mendrisio, at an especially demanding Worlds. Evans prevailed in a race defined by toughness and cumulative fatigue, proving that his climbing and endurance could also make him world champion. His triumph was the first by an Australian in the elite men’s road race.
The world title became one of the great milestones of a career that peaked two years later with his victory at the 2011 Tour de France. Evans thus established himself as one of the most complete riders of his era and as the third and, to date, last male road world champion born outside Europe to appear in the official palmarès.
Brandon McNulty on the podium of the 2026 Montreal World Championships
Brandon McNulty, the new addition
In 2026, Brandon McNulty has added his name to this list. Over 30 years since Armstrong's rainbow jersey, the North American nation has once again reached the top of the sport and the rainbow jersey has been attributed to a rider who was not born in Europe.
The Arizona native is part of UAE Team Emirates - XRG and entered the race as one of the outsiders to take the win. In the absence of his trade teammate Tadej Pogacar, the race became more tactical than what it would otherwise.
In Montréal, close to home, the Americans almost appeared to have a home advantage; with Quinn Simmons and Matteo Jorgenson also putting in astounding performances to complete the USA's masterclass.
McNulty won with a solo attack that came with just over 30 kilometers to go, then holding off a group including the likes of Mathieu van der Poel, Isaac del Toro, Remco Evenepoel and Paul Seixas.
Javier RampeCycling Journalist
Javier Rampe is a sports analyst with more than 15 years of experience. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Rome and a Diploma in Business Studies from the University of Cádiz. Despite coming from an academic background not particularly associated with cycling, his passion for both cycling and journalism was instilled in him from an early age. He grew up following Miguel Indurain and José María “El Chava” Jiménez. An admirer of Michael Robinson’s communication style and journalistic approach, he was inspired to pursue a degree in Journalism at the University of Buenos Aires, which he is currently completing.
He has always maintained close ties with the worlds of sport and culture, contributing from a young age to sports blogs and film and music review websites. His work has appeared in media outlets such as Cope, RAI, and Radio Con Vos. He is also the founder of the cycling-focused podcast El Contraanálisis and the football interview channel Días De Fútbol, dedicated to conversations with professional footballers.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Javier has interviewed some of the most influential figures in modern cycling, including Alejandro Valverde and Tadej Pogačar, as well as key voices in anti-doping policy such as Alberto Yelmo, David Varillas, and Marcelo Milano. Marcos Maynar, in relation to the ‘Operación Ílex’ case, is also among the personalities he has interviewed. He enjoys conducting in-depth analysis of the cycling ecosystem and has attended major events such as Strade Bianche, the Vuelta a Andalucía, and Itzulia, as well as numerous national cyclo-cross races.
His background in economics, combined with extensive experience in marketing and corporate communications, drives his continuous study of positioning strategies and ensures that he always keeps his focus on crafting compelling and evocative headlines.
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- How much was this podium a Pogačar podium, even in his absence? A loyal domestique deservedly wins it after the 1-2 they shared on this circuit. In second is a great friend and training partner who helped Pogačar get to winning MSR. In third is the friend who is the second best monuments winner of this generation, the race rival who has made Pogačar better and better. Not a bad podium for a guy who wasn’t there, and I can only assume that he’s incredibly and genuinely happy for every single one of them.RidesHills28-09-2026
- And mostly fines to countries that don't have money to wasteHills3328-09-2026
- What is it with him and the Canadian races? An incredible result from one of the elders of the peloton (Valverde winning was crazy, Matthews second on this course is crazy in a different way). What a great result for him, what a ride!RidesHills28-09-2026
- With a strategy of following every del Toro move, he placed his fate in the hands of another - and the way the race unfolded was very much because of their 1-2 just two weeks ago on this circuit. His cramps are to me a sign of youth and inexperience (was this his longest ever race?), his disappointment shows how much of a human being he is, what pride he has, and what responsibility he feels toward honoring his team’s work as their leader. An honorable loss from a great and still very young rider.RidesHills28-09-2026
- The most important sentence here is where he ran out of energy when he and Pidcock were so tantalizingly close. Had he been able to take a pull, able to push that one little bit harder, the two of them likely would have reached McNulty and the trio would have possibly ended up on the podium. Instead, chase group politics happened, as they always do in these situations. He tried, and like so many others the legs gave out at the wrong time. Such is racing.RidesHills28-09-2026
- Well said
Rggg28-09-2026 - UCI handing out fines like crazymij28-09-2026
- For sure. And I love WVA. He is a great rider. But watching MVDP attack - Wout can’t hang with him. You can see it in CX all the time too. He lacks Mathieu’s explosiveness. It’s amazing.mij28-09-2026
- Why didn’t he go with McNulty to start with? It wasn’t some kind of blistering attack. But you don’t let a guy that got 4th in the TT worlds a week prior get a gap like that. He can literally TT to the finish and win - which is what he did. And why even mention Simmons. He’s an American. He isn’t going to work to close the gap to his teammate.mij28-09-2026
- Road races are about those that sit on' and win at the end..
leedorney28-09-2026
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