Australia's Ben O'Connor has grabbed silver but was unable to prevent Tadej Pogacar, cycling's biggest world star, from emerging out in front at the world championships in Zurich.

Pogacar, the three-time Tour de France champion, produced a stunning solo attack to win the men's road race title to bring the curtain down on the championships on Sunday.

The Slovenian took off with 100km of the 273km ride left and won by 34 seconds to add the rainbow jersey to the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France crowns he won this year.

The 26-year-old was able to cruise the last 500 metres to the line with his arms raised in the air as he became the first Slovenian rider to win the world title on the road.

Pogacar has achieved the rare treble of winning the worlds, the Tour and the Giro d'Italia in the same year. He also won the prestigious Li?ge?Bastogne?Li?ge classic and the Strade Bianche, both with similar solo attacks.

"I can't believe what has happened. After this sort of season I put a lot of pressure on myself for today," Pogacar said.

"The race unfolded pretty quickly. There was a dangerous breakaway in the front, and I maybe did a stupid attack.

"We had plans to keep the race under control but the race went quite early and I don't know what I was thinking but I went with the flow and luckily I made it."

His rivals were left to fight for the silver and it was O'Connor, who helped Australia win the mixed team relay in Zurich, who launched out of a high-quality chase group to finish second on the podium.

Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, who won the title last year in Glasgow, took the bronze medal.

The final race of the championships was overshadowed by Friday's death of Swiss teenager Muriel Furrer from head injuries sustained in a crash at the women's junior road race the previous day.

A minute's silence was observed before the men's start, with the Swiss team in the first row.

A memorial site was set up at a church near the course, and a memorial ride open to all took place on Sunday morning, passing the wooded section where Furrer crashed in a descent.

The cause of the crash remains unclear, with Swiss police investigating.