Moscon rides to fourth at Yorkshire Worlds

The race was shortened before the start, with heavy rain causing parts of the course to be closed off, but at 261 kilometres it remained a serious test, twisting out of Leeds, over the Yorkshire Dales, and into Harrogate.

The day's early break, containing Grand Tour winners Primoz Roglic, Nairo Quintana and Richard Carapaz, was kept on a tight leash by the peloton, before being swept up on the first of nine laps on Harrogate's 14km finish circuit.

The race then settled into a steady rhythm, before attacks started to fire with 60km to race. Stefan Kung - who went on to finish third - and Lawson Craddock hit out, prompting Team INEOS rider Dylan van Baarle to put in a strong stint at the head of the bunch to keep the duo in check for his Dutch teammates.

Moscon, Trentin, Pedersen and Mathieu van der Poel eventually bridged across and with the peloton dwindling behind the chase lost impetus. It quickly became apparent the world champion would come from the leading quintet.

When Van der Poel cracked Trentin looked to be the favourite, but it was Pedersen who prevailed on the drag to the line in central Harrogate.

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Ben Swift: "That was a hard day today. My body didn’t ;et me have it. I’ve been fighting something a little bit and gave it my best shot. It was a grim old day and I just had nothing left at the end.

"It’s what I wanted [the weather]. It was the best scenario for me really but in the end my body just didn’t have it.

"The crowds were incredible. The atmosphere was building and building each lap. It’s never nice to ride those last few kilometres on your own but they gave me amazing support.

"It’s not the result we wanted but it’s been a great week for cycling in the UK."