The 2017 UCI Road Cycling World Championships Road Race for elite men was contested in Bergen, Norway under fairly mild and somewhat sunny conditions, with temperatures around 18 degrees Celsius.

The race organizers had crafted a 267.5 kilometer route from Rong to Bergen, Norway for the 196 riders to contest. The race route initially took the riders along a coastal 39.5 kilometer scenic route presenting host nation Norway from its finest, before the riders entered a hilly 17.9 kilometer circuit that included the 1.5 kilometer Salmon Hill offering an average gradient of 6.4 percent.

It didn't take long for the first breakaway group to form. The group of riders eager for some television time featured Willem Kim Magnusson (Sweden), Andrey Amador (Costa Rica), Willem Jakobus Smit (South Africa), Alexey Vermeulen (USA), Matti Manninen (Finland), Elchin Asadov (Azerbaijan), Eugert Zhupa (Albania), Salaheddine Mraouni (Morocco), and Ireland's Conor Dunne and Sean McKenna duo.

Riders from the Belgian, Czech Republic and Norway moved to the front of the peloton in order to set a pace that would suit their own favorites, wear down competitors and not least lead to a reduction in peloton size before the final phase of the long race was to be initiated.

The Australian team, riding for their sprint ace Michael Matthews in today's race, suffered a blow when their road captain Matthew Hayman crashed with 170 kilometers left of the race.

"I am not sure if I actually hit the car. I came pretty close though. I was coming back from a stop and I have the feeling that a lot of the people in the convoy here don't drive the rest of the year at races. The convoy cars stopped quickly and that pushed me onto the wrong side of the road. I had nowhere to go," Hayman explained.

"The bike was a bit of right off and by then I was behind and there wasn't much chance of getting another bike. I was resigned to getting into the Shimano car and coming back to the pits. This is possibly my last World Championships race and this was obviously not the way I wanted to end it, but it's been a wonderful World Championships here in Bergen."

The initial breakaway was ever destined to fail and with about 100 kilometers left of the race, the strongest national teams increased the pace at the front of the main peloton and thereby initiated the decisive phase of the World Championships race.

A high pace was set on Salmon hill with Dutch, Polish and Australian team riders at the front. About 175 kilometers of racing hat taken their toll on the riders, so nine of the ten breakaway contestants were inhaled by the peloton, with only South Africa's Willem Smit carrying on at the front of the race. Following the climb, Belgium's Julien Vermote was quick to take control of the chase.

With four laps left of the race, Vermote crashed from the front of the peloton after having delivered a strong performance for his Belgian team. The Polish riders took to the front of the main group and the fireworks were initiated with attacks from all sides. Riders from Italy, France, Poland, Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand and other nations attacked from the front, but internal rivalry and conflicting interests in the group prevented its success.

Eventually, a group featuring Alessandro De Marchi (Italy), Jarlinson Pantano (Colombia), Tim Wellens (Belgium), Marco Haller (Austria), David de la Cruz (Spain), Jack Haig (Australia), Lars Boom (Netherlands) and Odd Christian Eiking (Norway) escaped from the peloton on Salmon Hill, while banners along the route eagerly promoted Norwegian Salmon, but not the country's planned Arctic oil drilling activities, set to endanger global climate even further. The group worked its way to a 43 second lead, while Poland, France, Australia and Norway led the peloton.

With 45 kilometers to go the situation was status quo with the front group still enjoying a 40 second lead. Then Germany's Nils Politt initiated a powerful solo attack from behind, hoping to bridge the gap to the front group, while riders kept abandoning the race from the back of the peloton.

33 kilometers from the finish line, Great Britain took to the front in order to organize the chase with the Belgians. Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) attacked with Rigoberto Uran (Colombia) and others, but soon regrouped with the main peloton.

Dumoulin attacked again on Salmon Hill and his initiative forced a selection within the peloton, creating a group of about fifty strongmen set to battle it out in the final phase of the road race.

With 23 kilometers left, various riders kept attacking from the front of the remains of the peloton, including riders from Spain, Italy, Germany and Netherlands.

The front group remains included Eiking, De la Cruz, Haig and Wellens, fighting hard not to be caught as a result of the fierce competition in the main peloton behind them.

Paul Martens (Germany) and Sebastian Langeveld (Netherlands), who finished third in this year's Paris-Roubaix for his Cannondale-Drapac team, attacked. The duo, however, was reeled in by a French-led peloton setting the stage for an attack by Tony Gallopin.

The race remained completely opne as the riders tackled Salmon Hill for the last time with 12 kilometers left to race. Denmark's Michael Valgren attacked, but his meagre effort only had the effect to act as a lead-out for France's Julian Alaphilippe, who was since joined by Italy's Gianni Moscon. The Italian would later be disqualified by the race jury.

Valgren and Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) initiated an attack on the duo six kilometers from the finish line. Alaphilippe went solo at the front in pursuit of victory, gold medal and the rainbow jersey.

In the final kilometer all riders had regouped and a unified peloton contested the final meters setting the stage for a group sprint. Denmark's Magnus Cort attacked, but was caught.

Norway's Alexander Kristoff initiated the sprint, Slovakia's defending champion Peter Sagan followed, with Michael Matthews chasing for Australia. Sagan overtook Kristoff to take the victory and his third consecutive World Champion title. Kristoff finished second, while Matthews took bronze.

"In the last 5 kilometers I said to myself it was already done, it's gone. Then it changed at the front, then I tried to go in the breakaway, and then Gaviria tried to close the gap after which we managed to get it all back together for a sprint. It's unbelievable. I feel sorry for Kristoff, he's racing at home after all, but I'm very happy to win again. Three UCI World Championships victories is special for sure. It doesn't change anything, but it's really special," a happy and proud Sagan told Roadcycling.com.

"It's hard to say before a race what will happen. You saw in the climb we were already splitting into two or three groups. We were being caught from behind and then there was a break in the front, but I was lucky to come into the finish where I did. You can’t predict it, if somebody is stronger in the front, they can easily take the win," Sagan added.

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2017 UCI Road World Championships Elite Men's Road Race Results:
1    Peter Sagan (Slovakia)       06:28:11
2    Alexander Kristoff (Norway)         
3    Michael Matthews (Australia)         
4    Matteo Trentin (Italy)         
5    Ben Swift (Great Britain)         
6    Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium)         
7    Michael Albasini (Switzerland)         
8    Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Colombia)         
9    Alexey Lutsenko (Kazakhstan)         
10    Julian Alaphilippe (France)         
11    Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland)         
12    Soren Kragh Andersen (Denmark)         
13    Tony Gallopin (France)         
14    Zdenek Stybar (Czech Republic)         
15    Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus)         
16    Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Russian Federation)         
17    Philippe Gilbert (Belgium)         
18    Sergei Chernetski (Russian Federation)         
19    Rui Costa (Portugal)         
20    Simon Geschke (Germany)         
21    Michael Valgren Andersen (Denmark)         
22    Lukas Postlberger (Austria)         
23    Ilnur Zakarin (Russian Federation)         
24    Niki Terpstra (Netherlands)         
25    Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands)         
26    Daniel Martin (Ireland)         
27    Rigoberto Uran (Colombia)    0:00:05    
28    Alberto Bettiol (Italy)         
29    Magnus Cort Nielsen (Denmark)    0:00:27    
30    Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway)    0:01:04    
31    Jonathan Castroviejo (Spain)         
32    Julien Simon (France)         
33    Nicolas Roche (Ireland)         
34    Bauke Mollema (Netherlands)    0:01:20    
35    Guillaume Boivin (Canada)         
36    Peter Kennaugh (Great Britain)    0:01:22    
37    Warren Barguil (France)    0:01:23    
38    Diego Ulissi (Italy)         
39    Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (South Africa)    0:02:32    
40    Nikias Arndt (Germany)         
41    Michael Schar (Switzerland)         
42    Luka Pibernik (Slovenia)         
43    Aleksejs Saramotins (Latvia)         
44    Stefan Kung (Switzerland)         
45    Juraj Sagan (Slovakia)         
46    Yukiya Arashiro (Japan)         
47    Marcus Burghardt (Germany)         
48    Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic)         
49    Daryl Impey (South Africa)         
50    Silvan Dillier (Switzerland)         
51    Tobias Ludvigsson (Sweden)         
52    Michal Golas (Poland)         
53    Alex Howes (United States Of America)         
54    Imanol Erviti (Spain)         
55    Nelson Oliveira (Portugal)         
56    Odd Christian Eiking (Norway)         
57    Elia Viviani (Italy)         
58    Jose Rojas (Spain)         
59    Sonny Colbrelli (Italy)         
60    Simon Clarke (Australia)         
61    Jan Polanc (Slovenia)         
62    Mitchell Docker (Australia)         
63    Eduardo Sepulveda (Argentina)         
64    Tiago Machado (Portugal)         
65    Ricardo Vilela (Portugal)         
66    Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain)         
67    Jarlinson Pantano Gomez (Colombia)         
68    Stefan Denifl (Austria)         
69    Tony Martin (Germany)         
70    David De La Cruz Melgarejo (Spain)         
71    Bob Jungels (Luxembourg)         
72    Dylan Teuns (Belgium)         
73    Oliver Naesen (Belgium)         
74    Sebastian Langeveld (Netherlands)         
75    Michael Morkov (Denmark)         
76    Christopher Juul Jensen (Denmark)         
77    Vegard Stake Laengen (Norway)         
78    Andrey Grivko (Ukraine)    0:03:13    
79    Jan Barta (Czech Republic)         
80    Zhandos Bizhigitov (Kazakhstan)         
81    Hugo Houle (Canada)         
82    Pawel Poljanski (Poland)         
83    Natnael Berhane (Eritrea)         
84    Anthony Roux (France)         
85    Lilian Calmejane (France)         
86    Cyril Gautier (France)         
87    Jens Keukeleire (Belgium)         
88    Salvatore Puccio (Italy)         
89    Jasper Stuyven (Belgium)    0:05:49    
90    Paul Martens (Germany)         
91    Matej Mohoric (Slovenia)         
92    Luka Mezgec (Slovenia)         
93    Heinrich Haussler (Australia)         
94    Jack Haig (Australia)         
95    Tiesj Benoot (Belgium)    0:06:33    
96    Lukasz Wisniowski (Poland)    0:06:37    
97    Scott Thwaites (Great Britain)    0:07:33    
98    Mark Christian (Great Britain)         
99    Rick Zabel (Germany)         
100    Fabian Lienhard (Switzerland)         
101    Amund Grondahl Jansen (Norway)         
102    Ignatas Konovalovas (Lithuania)         
103    Luis Guillermo Mas Bonet (Spain)         
104    Lars Boom (Netherlands)    0:07:35    
105    Daniele Bennati (Italy)         
106    Jesus Herrada (Spain)         
107    Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spain)         
108    Marc Soler (Spain)         
109    Kiel Reijnen (United States Of America)    0:09:21    
110    Tim Wellens (Belgium)         
111    Gregory Rast (Switzerland)    0:09:24    
112    Marco Haller (Austria)         
113    Alessandro De Marchi (Italy)    0:09:26    
114    Nils Politt (Germany)    0:10:21    
115    Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Colombia)         
116    Jasha Sutterlin (Germany)         
117    Tao Geoghegan Hart (Great Britain)         
118    Johannes Frohlinger (Germany)         
119    Koen De Kort (Netherlands)         
120    Antoine Duchesne (Canada)         
121    Primoz Roglic (Slovenia)         
122    Olivier Le Gac (France)         
123    Mihkel Raim (Estonia)    0:11:53    
124    Joseph Rosskopf (United States Of America)         
125    Daniel Hoelgaard (Norway)         
126    Ryan Mullen (Ireland)         
127    Jiri Polnicky (Czech Republic)         
128    Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kazakhstan)         
129    Dion Smith (New Zealand)         
130    Jose Goncalves (Portugal)         
131    Maximiliano Ariel Richeze (Argentina)         
132    Jean-Pierre Drucker (Luxembourg)         
DNS    Damien Shaw (Ireland)
DSQ    Gianni Moscon (Italy)         
DNF    Krists Neilands (Latvia)         
DNF    Truls Korsaeth (Norway)         
DNF    Michal Kolar (Slovakia)         
DNF    Jack Bauer (New Zealand)         
DNF    Luke Durbridge (Australia)         
DNF    Wout Poels (Netherlands)         
DNF    Conor Dunne (Ireland)         
DNF    Andrey Amador (Costa Rica)         
DNF    Nairo Quintana (Colombia)         
DNF    Stanislau Bazhkou (Belarus)         
DNF    Ruben Guerreiro (Portugal)         
DNF    Tejay Van Garderen (United States Of America)         
DNF    Maciej Paterski (Poland)         
DNF    Jos Van Emden (Netherlands)         
DNF    Rory Sutherland (Australia)         
DNF    Juan Sebastian Molano Benavides (Colombia)         
DNF    Jay Mc Carthy (Australia)         
DNF    Alexey Vermeulen (United States Of America)         
DNF    Erik Baska (Slovakia)         
DNF    Marek Canecky (Slovakia)         
DNF    Maciej Bodnar (Poland)         
DNF    Sebastian Henao Gomez (Colombia)         
DNF    Alex Kirsch (Luxembourg)         
DNF    Alexander Porsev (Russian Federation)         
DNF    Willem Jakobus Smit (South Africa)         
DNF    Jan Tratnik (Slovenia)         
DNF    Alexis Gougeard (France)         
DNF    Adam Blythe (Great Britain)         
DNF    Owain Doull (Great Britain)         
DNF    Jonathan Dibben (Great Britain)         
DNF    Sean McKenna (Ireland)         
DNF    Julien Vermote (Belgium)         
DNF    Kim Magnusson (Sweden)         
DNF    Petr Vakoc (Czech Republic)         
DNF    Kristoffer Skjerping (Norway)         
DNF    August Jensen (Norway)         
DNF    Maxim Belkov (Russian Federation)         
DNF    Nelson Andres Soto Martinez (Colombia)         
DNF    Jhonatan Restrepo Valencia (Colombia)         
DNF    Danny Van Poppel (Netherlands)         
DNF    Alo Jakin (Estonia)         
DNF    Aksel Nommela (Estonia)         
DNF    Serghei Tvetcov (Romania)         
DNF    Mads Pedersen (Denmark)         
DNF    Charalampos Kastrantas (Greece)         
DNF    Salaheddine Mraouni (Morocco)         
DNF    Patrik Tybor (Slovakia)         
DNF    Ian Stannard (Great Britain)         
DNF    Ivan Savitckii (Russian Federation)         
DNF    Josef Cerny (Czech Republic)         
DNF    Elchin Asadov (Azerbaijan)         
DNF    Kostyantyn Rybaruk (Ukraine)         
DNF    Nathan Brown (United States Of America)         
DNF    Valens Ndayisenga (Rwanda)         
DNF    Mekseb Debesay (Eritrea)         
DNF    Eugert Zhupa (Albania)         
DNF    Yauhen Sobal (Belarus)         
DNF    King Lok Cheung (Hong Kong, China)         
DNF    Patrick Bevin (New Zealand)         
DNF    Matti Manninen (Finland)         
DNF    Mathew Hayman (Australia)         
DNF    Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier Werkilul (Eritrea)