Brandon McNulty debuts rainbow jersey but no Isaac del Toro - UAE name Italian classics line-ups as world champion claims approach to racing won't change
Cycling
Brandon McNulty will face one of the most special moments of his career this week. The American will make his debut in the rainbow jersey of world champion at the Giro dell’Emilia, the first stop in a demanding block of Italian classics where he will defend the colors of UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Isaac del Toro, the dominant force in these races last year, will not compete.
The 28-year-old was crowned world road champion in Montréal, after one of the standout performances of the Worlds. McNulty attacked with more than 30 kilometers to go and held off the chase to Mount Royal, resisting the pursuit of a select group behind.
The win delivered the first men’s road world title for the United States in more than three decades. McNulty also took over from his teammate Tadej Pogacar as the wearer of the rainbow jersey.
Now it is time to race in it. The Giro dell’Emilia will be McNulty’s first event officially wearing the world champion’s jersey, before continuing with the Coppa Agostoni, the Coppa Bernocchi, and Tre Valli Varesine.
Isaac del Toro crosses the line at the Montreal 2026 World Championships
Giro dell’Emilia opens the Italian block
“I’m really excited to make my debut in the rainbow jersey this Saturday. The victory in Montreal was huge for me and I’m still taking it in a bit and letting it all sink,” McNulty said.
The American also made it clear that the world title will not change how he races. “While it’s an honor to wear the rainbow jersey, it doesn’t change my approach. We’ll keep racing as we always do. Whether attacking or helping my teammates, I know my role quite well and we have a great understanding of what works, so we’ll stick to that,” he noted.
The Giro dell’Emilia, scheduled for Saturday, October 3rd, will be McNulty’s first test in the rainbow bands. The American will be joined by Igor Arrieta, Filippo Baroncini, Felix Großschartner, Jhonatan Narváez, Tim Wellens, and Adam Yates.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG arrives with a strong recent record. The squad has won the last two editions, first with Tadej Pogacar and then with Isaac del Toro in 2025. They have also placed a rider on the podium in five of the last six editions.
The race will start this year in Ferrara and again finish on the iconic climb to San Luca in Bologna. Before that final ascent, the peloton will face a new 1.5-kilometer rise in Pianoro, averaging 11%.
San Luca will then take center stage, climbed five times. The last ascent will decide the winner on ramps pitching between 15% and 20%.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG at the Giro dell’Emilia
| Rider | Nationality |
| Brandon McNulty | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Igor Arrieta | 🇪🇸 Spain |
| Filippo Baroncini | 🇮🇹 Italy |
| Felix Großschartner | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Jhonatan Narváez | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
| Tim Wellens | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Adam Yates | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
Adam Yates defends his Coppa Agostoni title
Just one day after the Giro dell’Emilia, on Sunday, October 4th, comes the Coppa Agostoni. Brandon McNulty will also line up there, though the squad will look to reigning champion Adam Yates.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG has won the last three editions. Yates triumphed in 2025, while Marc Hirschi won in 2024 and Davide Formolo in 2023. The Briton will aim to repeat after his spectacular solo win last year, when he went clear over the final 17.5 kilometers. The route will again be demanding, with more than 3,000 meters of elevation gain.
From Lissone, the riders will tackle four laps of a 28-kilometer circuit in Lissolo. Each lap includes the climbs to Sirtori, Colle Brianza, and Lissolo, before leaving the circuit with 35 kilometers to go.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG at the Coppa Agostoni
| Rider | Nationality |
| Adam Yates | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
| Igor Arrieta | 🇪🇸 Spain |
| Benoît Cosnefroy | 🇫🇷 France |
| Luca Giaimi | 🇮🇹 Italy |
| Felix Großschartner | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Brandon McNulty | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Jhonatan Narváez | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
Coppa Bernocchi, the third straight appointment
On Monday, October 5th, it will be the turn of the Coppa Bernocchi, now in its 107th edition. On this occasion McNulty will not be part of UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s seven, which will line up Igor Arrieta, Filippo Baroncini, Luca Giaimi, Jhonatan Narváez, Tim Wellens, Adam Yates, and Ugo Fabries.
The race covers 178.3 kilometres between Legnano and Legnano and is less mountainous than the other fixtures in this block. The route totals just under 2,000 metres of elevation gain.
After the first 35 largely flat kilometres, the peloton will enter the Valle Olona circuit, which it must complete seven times. Each lap includes the climbs of San Pancrazio, Piccolo Stelvio, and Caramamma.
After leaving the circuit, 25 completely flat kilometres remain before the finish in Legnano.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG at the Coppa Bernocchi
| Rider | Nationality |
| Igor Arrieta | 🇪🇸 Spain |
| Filippo Baroncini | 🇮🇹 Italy |
| Luca Giaimi | 🇮🇹 Italy |
| Jhonatan Narváez | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
| Tim Wellens | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Adam Yates | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
| Ugo Fabries | 🇫🇷 France |
McNulty to show the rainbow again at Tre Valli Varesine
The Italian block wraps up on Tuesday, October 6th, with Tre Valli Varesine, celebrating its 105th edition. McNulty will return to the start as world champion, alongside Filippo Baroncini, Benoît Cosnefroy, Luca Giaimi, Jhonatan Narváez, Pavel Sivakov, and Tim Wellens.
The race carries special meaning for UAE Team Emirates-XRG after Tadej Pogacar’s victory in 2025. The Slovenian claimed his second win there, but this year it will be his teammates defending the title.
The start is in Busto Arsizio and the finish in Varese, after 198.3 kilometres. The route is considerably more demanding than Coppa Bernocchi, with close to 3,000 metres of accumulated elevation gain.
The peloton will tackle climbs such as Ronchi, Cinque Piante, Luvinate, and Casciago before facing the six final laps of the finishing circuit. The race ends on Via Sacco, in the centre of Varese.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG at Tre Valli Varesine
| Rider | Nationality |
| Brandon McNulty | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Filippo Baroncini | 🇮🇹 Italy |
| Benoît Cosnefroy | 🇫🇷 France |
| Luca Giaimi | 🇮🇹 Italy |
| Jhonatan Narváez | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
| Pavel Sivakov | 🇫🇷 France |
| Tim Wellens | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
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