While the course, designed by Steve Bauer, was praised as dynamic and one of the best Worlds circuit in years, neither the pace nor the parcours proved to be as selective and attritious as previously thought. The final few laps were fast and furious and saw the finish come to the wire. Astarola attacked from the lead group of eight on the final climb as moments before Canada's Michael Barry had bridged incredibly from the pack and countered the break. Barry's group had all the favourites: World Cup winner Paolo Bettini (ITA), Michael Boogerd (NED), Peter Van Petegem (BEL), Vuelta star Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Denmark's Bo Hamburger, and Luca Paolini (ITA).

After Barry caught the group he countered and was quickly chased down by Bettini and Van Petegem. Down the final descent the breakaway chased Astarloa with the pack hot on their heels. Astarloa held off all the chasers, and his compatriot Alejandro Valverde made it a Spanish 1-2 finish. Canada's Barry finished off strongly after his decisive move, taking 7th. Bettini, the heavy pre-race favourite, was pushed off the podium by Van Petegem.

Canadians Mark Walters, Dom Perras and Eric Wohlberg, after riding in the main group for almost the entire race, were unable to maintain the faster pace in the final laps fastest and finished 95th, 104th and 105th respectively.