Brandon McNulty stunned the cycling world by winning the UCI Road World Championships men's race on Sunday, September 24, 2023, in Montreal, marking the first title for American men since 1993. The 28-year-old crossed the finish line with an impressive time of 6 hours, 17 minutes, and 4 seconds.

Australia's Michael Matthews finished in second place, while Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands took third. McNulty expressed his disbelief after the race, stating, "I'm really at a loss for words. Until the last 300 metres I didn't believe it, I was so tired."

He acknowledged the crucial support from his teammates, emphasizing their strength and strategy:

We've said for weeks that we have a super strong team and that it's possible. We rode crazy well. We marked everything, had guys ahead.

McNulty's victory came after he launched an attack with 32 km remaining, initially building a 50-second lead. Despite struggling on the last significant climb, where his lead dwindled to 10 seconds with 10 km left, the chasing pack failed to capitalize, even as Van der Poel attempted an attack with 6.8 km to go.

The absence of two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar, recovering from a recent crash, allowed for a more chaotic and unpredictable race. McNulty was not among the pre-race favorites, facing competition from former world champion Remco Evenepoel and rising stars Isaac del Toro and Paul Seixas.

Lance Armstrong congratulated McNulty on social media, calling it "the most exciting race of the year and a deserved winner. A thing of beauty." This victory marks a significant milestone for American cycling, ending a lengthy drought in the prestigious event.