Copenhagen 2011: France's Lecuisinier wins men's junior road race from the break

France this morning got its second gold medal of the 2011 UCI Road World Championships in Copenhagen as Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier won the men's junior road race to follow Arnaud Demare's victory in the Under-23 event yesterday. Belgium's Martijn Degreve was second and Steven Lammertink of the Netherlands third as the chasing bunch just failed to catch the trio on the drag up to the finish.

The three men who contested the finale of the 126 kilometre race had been in a six-man escape group that got away on the seventh of nine laps of the 14-kilometre circuit, each of them having a team mate for support.

The six riders had an advantage of some 20 seconds as they entred the final lap, with Italy leading the chase, but not long after passing the bell the pursuing group was disrupted after a German rider misjudged a corner, around 20 riders hitting the tarmac behind him.

The front group still had an advantage of around a quarter of a minute with 3 kilometres left to race, and the second Belgian at the head of the race, Rob Leemans, made a brave solo bid for victory but was caught and passed as the road kicked up with the line tantalisingly in sight.

French rider Florian Senechal finished fourth, with Rick Zabel, who once occupied the Champs-Elysees podium in the green points jersey - albeit in the arms of his father, Erik - fifth. Owain Doull was the top British finisher, in 24th place.