Lance Armstrong congratulates Brandon McNulty after worlds

Brandon McNulty has become the first American since Lance Armstrong to wear the world champion’s rainbow jersey, creating a symbolic link between the two riders. Armstrong responded shortly after the finish by praising McNulty’s victory and calling his performance a masterpiece, while adding three North American flags to his social media message.

McNulty won the world road race in Montreal on Sunday after turning his outsider status into a decisive escape. Remco Evenepoel and Paul Seixas had been viewed among the leading contenders, but the American separated himself from the field and held on for the title. He succeeds Tadej Pogacar, his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate, as world champion.

The result also revives an unusual connection with Armstrong’s past. Armstrong won the world title in 1993, and that result was not removed because it came before 1998, the year from which his results were invalidated after his doping admission. His seven Tour de France titles were among the honours stripped from him. McNulty’s victory prompted criticism of Armstrong online, with some commenters arguing that Greg LeMond should be regarded as the previous American world champion. Despite that response, Armstrong publicly recognised McNulty as his successor in the rainbow jersey.