Hushovd silences opposition

Norway’s Thor Hushovd claimed victory in the UCI Road World Championships road race in Geelong, Australia today.

The 32-year-old won the 257.2-kilometre race from Melbourne to Geelong to claim the world champion’s rainbow jersey in a brutal event which saw 79 of the event’s 178 starters, including Great Britain’s Mark Cavendish, fail to finish.

Matti Breschel (Denmark) was second and Australia’s Allan Davis took third ahead of Italy’s Filippo Pozzato.

Hushovd said: “It’s hard to understand that I’ve won the worlds. ”It’s a dream. I’m speechless.

“I had this chance and maybe it will never happen again.”

Cavendish was among the pre-race favourites but a challenging course accounted for the Manxman.

He and British team-mates David Millar, who was second in the time-trial, and Jeremy Hunt all failed to finish.