UCI Road World Championships 2012: Belgium's Philippe Gilbert blasts to men's road race victory on the Cauberg The 30 year-old, who last year became only the second rider to win all three Ardennes one day classics in the same season, broke away on the final climb to come home clear of Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen while Alejandro Valverde of Spain took the bronze. Spain's two-time Tour de France champion, and recent Tour of Spain winner Alberto Contador, had livened up the race with 81km of the race to go, breaking away with a group including France's leading hope Thomas Voeckler. None of the pursuing riders were able to orchestrate a co-ordinated counter attack and the Belgian, who had warmed up for the race with two stage wins in the Vuelta A España, was able to start his race celebrations well before the finishing line. British rider Mark Cavendish's defence of his title ended in when he retired from the race with 111km to go. The 27 year-old had not been expected to be a contender for the title this time round as the undulating course was less suited to his talents than the one he won on in Copenhagen last year. Cavendish, who last year became the first British rider since the late Tom Simpson in 1965 to win the world title, had set the pace on several occasions at the head of the peloton before finally giving up. He was joined on the sidelines later in the race by Tour de France and Olympic time-trial champion champion Bradley Wiggins and Tour de France runner-up and Olympic time-trial bronze medalist Chris Froome, both exhausted from their long seasons.