Paolo Bettini (capture-the-peloton.com)

STUTTGART, Sep 30 (CP) - Italian Paolo Bettini has won the World Championship Road Race for the second consecutive year. Silver and Bronze went to Alexandr Kolobnev and Stefan Schumacher respectively.

The 2007 edition of the Elite World Championship Road Race consisted of 14 laps, together forming a 267 kilometers long course.

A very large front group was formed with riders as Bruseghin, Cunego, Tankink, Voigt, Julich, Hincapie, Bodrogi, Fischer, Turpin, Hushovd, Flecha and Sastre.

The Dutch, even though they did have two riders in that front group as well, did most of the work in the peloton in order to neutralize the breakaway.

With five laps to go, the lead had been brought back to just two minutes and after a few desperate attacks up front, all riders were eventually caught in the 11th lap.

With 60 kilometers left, the amount of participants had been brought back to less than one hundred, half of the amount at the start.

An attack of Siutsou at the 30km banner was countered by Rebellin, who was then joined by Kolobnev to form a new lead duo.

At the start of the last lap, the two had a lead of 18 seconds, which was not likely to be enough.

The two were reeled in on the climb, and a dangerous new group formed with Samuel Sanchez, Boogerd, Wegmann, Bettini, Evans, Leukemans, Gilbert, Pozzato, Dekker, Kroon, Rebellin, Elmiger, Kolobnev, Fränk Schleck and Schumacher.

Bettini, the reigning world champion, showed why he won that title and launched a powerful attack. Only Schleck and Stefan Schumacher managed to keep up with the Italian.

The three were joined by Schumacher and Evans in the descent, and a new group of five was formed.

While Bettini set the pace up front, a pursuit group with the other favorites tried to close in.

But the five stayed ahead and the new world champion appeared to be one of these riders.

The Russian Kolobnev initiated the final sprint but was surpassed by Paolo Bettini in the last fifty meters. The Italian turned out to be unbeatable and took his second consecutive World Championship title.

Kolobnev did take the silver medal, and the bronze medal went to Stefan Schumacher. Fränk Schleck and Cadel Evans completed the top five.

© Jonathan Roorda