World champion solos to victory in Bassano del Grappa as Sivakov takes third in his final farewell for the team
10/18/2026
UAE Team Emirates-XRG brought the curtain down on their 2026 season in style as Brandon McNulty powered to a solo victory at the Veneto Classic, with teammate Pavel Sivakov taking an impressive third place in his final race for the Emirati squad.
The victory marked McNulty’s first success in the rainbow jersey since becoming world road race champion in Montréal last month and brought UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s final tally for the season to 78 victories.
On a demanding course between Cittadella and Bassano del Grappa, featuring repeated ascents of the cobbled La Tisa climb and the steep gravel slopes of Diesel Farm, McNulty and his crew were among the main protagonists throughout an aggressive afternoon of racing.
With around 80km remaining, a strong group of favourites formed at the front, with McNulty joined by teammates Filippo Baroncini, Benoît Cosnefroy and Pavel Sivakov. The team’s numerical advantage proved decisive as the race entered its demanding final circuits.
McNulty was active in the attacks before eventually going clear alongside Anthon Charmig (Uno-X Mobility) with approximately 40km remaining. The pair quickly established an advantage over the fragmented chasing groups, stretching their lead towards a minute as the kilometres ticked down.
The decisive moment came on the steep slopes of Diesel Farm, where McNulty accelerated clear of Charmig with around 10km remaining. The world champion opened a gap on the gravel climb and, once over the top, put his time trialling strength to full use on the run towards Bassano del Grappa.
With a lead of around 20 seconds at 6km to go, McNulty continued to extend his advantage, eventually crossing the finish line alone to celebrate a memorable first victory in the rainbow jersey.
Behind, Sivakov completed an excellent team performance by securing third place, joining McNulty on the podium in what was an emotional final appearance for UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
The double podium was a fitting conclusion to a season which has tested the team in many ways. Despite a challenging year marked by crashes, injuries and periods without several key riders, the squad continued to challenge at the highest level, ultimately finishing the campaign with 78 victories.
McNulty’s triumph, coming just weeks after his World Championship success, provided a particularly memorable final chapter to the season, while Sivakov’s podium ensured the team ended its final race with two riders among the top three.
Brandon McNulty:
“It’s a really nice way to finish the season. I’ve been enjoying racing in the rainbow jersey these past few weeks, but of course I wanted to get that first win wearing it, so to do it in the last race of the year is pretty special.
“We had a really strong team today and everyone played their part. We had good numbers in the front group, which gave us options, and when I got away with Charmig I knew I had to try to make the difference on the final climbs. I managed to get a gap on Diesel Farm and from there it was just full gas to the finish.
I’ve raced a lot these last few weeks since Montreal and I’v been pushing to get that first win in the rainbow jersey so to do it here on the last day of the season, with my wife on the finish line is pretty perfect.”
Veneto Classic results
Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates–XRG) 3:32:57
Anthon Charmig (Uno-X Mobility) +1’06”
Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates–XRG) +1’32”
