Filippo Colombo had nothing to do with the medals, but the man from Ticino cheered after the race as if he had won one. "Unbelievable, I never expected this," he shakes his head with a smile on his face. He had been suffering from a knee injury for three weeks, "almost couldn't train" and had to miss the World Cup in Val di Sole, among others. "My goal was top 20, but I didn't know at all what my condition was like," explains Colombo, whose inclusion in the BMC Racing Team was announced the day before. Colombo got off to a good start, came out of the start lap in 14th place and then climbed into the chasing group of the seven leading riders at the time. They had to let the Dutchman Milan Vader go, but Colombo won the sprint for seventh place against the Austrian Maximilian Foidl and the New Zealander Ben Oliver. "Perhaps the key was that I approached the race more defensively than usual because I didn't know how good I was. It's just incredible," said Colombo.

Vital Albin, runner-up in the Junior World Championships last year, finishes in 16th place. In the final lap, he was still struggling with cramps and was no longer able to fight for positions in his group at full speed. "Top 20 was my goal and I achieved that. That's why I can be really satisfied," Albin sums up. "Riding a World Championship in Australia was a great experience." Simon Vitzthum did not quite match his recent performances and finished in 23rd place.

In the battle for the title, Sam Gaze breaks out of the leading group, which still comprises six riders after the overall World Cup winner Martins Blums from Latvia broke down. The South African Alan Hatherly remained within striking distance until the end, but Gaze was not to be denied his second U23 title.

Complete ranking list U23 men:

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