MADRID, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Polish rider, Michael Kwitakowski was rewarded for a decisive attack five kilometers from the end of the marathon 257 kilometers men' s road race by winning the gold medal in the Cycling World Championships celebrated in the Spanish city of Ponferrada on Sunday.

The race was conditioned by the continual rain, which made some of the short descents around the circuit exceptionally dangerous, while the route itself, which lacked any major climbs meant it was relatively easy for the peloton to control any breakaways

Finally, however, the 257 kilometers took their toll and a four man break, including the dangerous Italian, Alessandro Di Marchi broke clear and the peloton, pulled along by the Spanish team, were forced to work to reel them back.

Poland' s Kwiatkowski was able to join that escape with five kilometers remaining and launched a solo attack a kilometer later, while Alejandro Valverde and Joaquin Rodriguez both tried their luck from the main group.

Three of the last four kilometers were downhill and taken at breakneck speed with Kwiatkowski followed by an elite group including Valverde, Simon Gerrans and Philipe Gilbert, but a lack of cooperation allowed Kwiatkovski to maintain his lead as he went head down for the finish line, followed home by Gerrans, who took silver and Valverde who was rewarded with the bronze medal.