Rui Costa crowned world road race cycling champion
Costa is first Portuguese to win men's elite race as favourites find going tough in rain-affected event in Florence
Portugal’s Rui Costa kept his composure in a tense finale to upset the favourites and clinch the cycling world championships road race on Sunday.
Costa made his move some 1.5 kilometres from the finish to bridge the gap with Joaquim Rodriguez and beat the Spaniard in a sprint finish.
Another Spaniard, Alejandro Valverde, took third place for his fifth podium at the event although he has never won the coveted rainbow jersey.
Home favourite Vincenzo Nibali, who launched the decisive attack in the Fiesole climb despite crashing earlier in the 272.3-kilometre race, had to settle for fourth.
The move left one-day race specialists Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, Peter Sagan of Slovakia and defending champion Philippe Gilbert of Belgium stuck on the tarmac on the final of 10 laps on a 16.6km circuit.
About half of the peloton had already abandoned midway through the race, and the whole British team had gone out with five laps to go on an woeful day for Tour de France champion Chris Froome and his teammates.