‘We put our egos aside’ – How the USA harnessed selfless teamwork to deliver Brandon McNulty to World Championships gold

“It is a big one today, we have a really strong team, we have eight riders that are all world-class level, and I think we’re going to try to have numbers in the final. That’s our main objective: to have the three of us, Brandon, Quinn and I, in the final and lay our cards from there,” he told Eurosport before the start.

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As the day’s 16-rider breakaway established itself on the 110km opening loop, the British, Dutch, Belgians, Italians and even Isaac Del Toro’s Mexican team, on which he was the only WorldTour rider, all used their resources on the front of the he peloton, while the Americans were notable by their absence, sensibly saving themselves.

Simmons played a key role in McNulty’s victory (Image credit: Getty Images)

France were also notably hiding, but as the race reached its 12 closing laps of the Montreal circuit, they appeared in force, setting an infernal pace around in support of their favourite, Paul Seixas, the Swiss also lending a hand. All this time while other teams were using energy, USA bided their time, using their domestiques to do the donkey work, while their favourites stayed sheltered, close to, but never at the front.

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They covered the French-led attacks at the start of the sixth lap, but Team USA would only be seen on the front the next time across the line, when, with 94km to go they moved up en masse. With Quinn Simmons now nestled safely on Larry Warbasse’s wheel, they were now ready to make their statement, however, it was here they made their only misstep.

They’d been there for Mathieu van der Poel’s first move halfway around the previous lap, but missed it when the Dutchman tagged on the back of Alex Baudin’s effort of the Voie Camillien-Houde. However, so did Wout van Aert, McNulty following the Belgian across the gap, and being joined by Simmons shortly afterwards.

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From that moment on, Team USA were in control. Simmons managed – only just – to stay with Van der Poel, while in the favourites’ group the presence of McNulty and Jorgenson meant they always outnumbered the opposition.

When Simmons and Van der Poel were finally caught, the Americans deftly executed the next phase of their plan, Jorgenson attacking, before McNulty made the race-winning move. For the next 32.5km Simmons and, in particular, Jorgenson covered every threat, proving the capable anchor to others’ ambitions.

Throughout the regular season, we see such amazing rides by the likes of Tadej Pogačar, Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel, it’s perhaps sometimes easy to forget that road cycling is a team sport. On Sunday, the US team’s approach was a brilliant example of teamwork.

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