2021 Road World Championships - ‘Out of the race!’ – Lithuanian riders turn up late for World Champs race, given DNS

Updated 24/09/2021 at 10:57 GMT

Jomantas Venckus and Edgaras Zekas each recorded a 'Did Not Start' after failing to make the start line in Flanders in time. The pair were seen at the side of the road as the peloton rode by after about 30 kilometres of the junior road race, which began at 8.15am local time. It was won by Per Strand Hagenes of Norway.

WATCH - Lithuanian riders miss start of the race and are given a DNS

Lithuania's competitors in the Junior World Championship Road Race were unable to compete after missing the start in Leuven.

Edgaras Zekas and Jomantas Venckus were due to compete for the nation over the 121.4km course in Flanders.

However, the pair were seen at the side of the road beyond the barriers as the peloton rode by after about 30km of the lumpy course.

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The official results from the UCI confirmed that each recorded a 'Did Not Start', with Rob Hatch - not realising that they had not started the race - on commentary saying:

Out of the race! Both Lithuanian riders are out of the race!

Neither finished the European Championships road race in Trento, Italy two weeks ago, but the pair finished third (Venckus) and fourth (Zekas) in the junior event at the Lithuanian National Championships in June.

The race was won in outstanding fashion by Norway's Per Strand Hagenes ahead of France's Romain Gregoire.

The Norwegian, his country's first junior world champion in the road race, powered away from Gregoire on the penultimate climb to reverse the result of the European Championships in Italy.