Aussie Simon Clarke produces superman effort on the bike

SIMON Clarke has stamped himself a future world championship contender by salvaging a top-10 finish for Australia in Italy.

Portugal's Alberto Rui Costa crosses the finnish line of the elite men's road race UCI World Championship in Florence first.

SIMON Clarke has stamped himself a future world championship contender by salvaging a top-10 finish for Australia in a chaotic and crash-marred road race in Florence, Italy on Sunday.

With team leaders Cadel Evans and Richie Porte forced to abandon after crashing on wet roads during the 270km epic, Clarke toughed it out while many riders opted to call it quits around him.

"I knew it was my turn to step up and try to deliver a result for Australia. I did everything I could," Clarke said.

"I just really wanted to go well for Australia and make up for our early bad luck.

"This is my ninth worlds now and it all came down to reflecting on what I've learned from Cadel and the other guys over the years and making sure I did everything right out there today.

"I just had to make sure I was in the top 10 over that climb every time, and then on the last lap I just gave it everything I had to try and get a result."

The race was won by Portugal's Rui Costa who beat Spanish pair Joaquin Rodriguez and Alejandro Valverde to the top of the podium.

Australia coach Brad McGee praised Clarke's efforts, in a race previous winner Evans described as "the most dangerous race I remember doing".

"Simon's performance today made a statement that he's not just a wingman, but he can step up to the plate and deliver on the big stage," McGee said.

"He will now be etched into the rat pack of modern one-day race performers and that will be the level he will aspire to for the rest of his career."

Adelaide's Tiffany Cromwell also produced a huge effort in the women's road race on Saturday to finish ninth behind winner Marianne Vos.

It was a largely successful world championship campaign for Australia, headlined by Adelaide 21-year-old Damien Howson winning gold in the under-23 men's time trial.

Howson will return to Adelaide over summer where he will swap the rainbow jersey for that of Team Lightsview for the 2013 Bowden Elite Teams Series which begins in North Adelaide this weekend.

Australia's other two medals from the world champs went to Alexandra Nicholls and Alexandra Manley who claimed silver and bronze respectively in the junior girls individual time trial.

Orica-GreenEDGE (men's) and Orica-AIS (women's) both won silver medals in the trade teams time trials.