American rider Brandon McNulty attacked on the final climb of the Veneto Classic and time-trialled to the finish alone in Bassano del Grappa, securing his first success in the rainbow jersey since winning the world championship in Montreal last month. Teammate Pavel Sivakov finished third to give UAE Team Emirates-XRG two riders on the podium in its final race of the 2026 campaign. The Emirates News Agency reported that the demanding course from Cittadella featured repeated ascents of the cobbled La Tisa climb and steep gravel slopes on the Diesel Farm sector, where McNulty made his decisive move.
McNulty crossed the line in three hours, 32 minutes and 57 seconds, one minute and six seconds ahead of Denmark’s Anthon Charmig in second place, the Emirates News Agency said. The result brought the team’s season total to 78 victories, one of the highest tallies in professional cycling in recent years. According to team statements, the season was affected by crashes and injuries to several key riders yet still produced multiple Grand Tour stages and classic wins.
The world champion told reporters it was special to win wearing the rainbow jersey and credited his teammates for executing the plan perfectly throughout an aggressive day of racing. “It is really special to win with the rainbow jersey,” McNulty said. “The team was very strong and did everything perfectly. I knew that Diesel Farm was the hardest climb so I had to go full gas there and it went well so it was perfect.”
McNulty’s victory capped a strong individual season that included the overall title and a stage win at the Cro Race earlier in October, figures from ProcyclingStats show. The rider also claimed the U.S. national time trial title and several other notable results before taking the world championship in late September. UAE Team Emirates-XRG has established itself as one of the dominant squads in the sport, with stars such as Tadej Pogacar contributing heavily to its win count over the past several seasons.
On the same day, Australian teammate Jay Vine placed second at the Chrono des Nations in France, adding to the team’s closing successes, the Emirates News Agency noted. The Veneto Classic served as the final event on the 2026 calendar after a year that featured consistent performances across one-day races and stage events despite the mentioned setbacks. McNulty indicated he would now take time to rest before joining team training camps to prepare for next season.
The 27-year-old Phoenix native has developed into a versatile contender since joining the squad, with 23 career victories according to the team’s official profile. His time-trialling strength proved decisive on the flat run-in to Bassano del Grappa after the late attack. The Emirates News Agency highlighted that the squad’s aggressive approach positioned McNulty and Sivakov among the main protagonists from the start of the Italian race.