15/10/2023

Davide Formolo wins the Veneto Classic in UAE Team Emirates one-two as European road season comes to an end

Davide Formolo has won the 2024 edition of the Veneto Classic after a thrilling finale to the European road season in Italy.

As the riders reached the circuit of La Tisa climbs, the race was already beginning to split up and with 35km to go, a leading trio of Marco Frigo, Joey Rosskopf and Michael Belleri held 40 seconds advantage over a chasing quintet with the peloton just over a minute down.

Profiles & Route Giro d'Italia 2024 - Official profiles revealed; 68Km of time-trial, Gravel, Stelvio and double Grappa ascent included

After they were caught by the chasers, the lead group had swelled to six riders with 25km to go although the peloton was right on their tail at just 22 seconds. With 21km to go the peloton had completed the catch and the race was back together.

As the race went off the public roads and into the private grounds of Diesel Farm, Filippo Zana attacked and soon began to draw away from all his rivals, only Marc Hirschi being able to stay within touching distance.

On the descent, Hirschi managed to join Zana at the front and the pair were soon added to with Davide Formolo also linking up. Only around 10 seconds ahead of their chasers but with two UAE Team Emirates men, Zana was suddenly put into a difficult situation.

As Formolo and Hirschi continued to attack and counter-attack, with every reaction Zana began to struggle more and more.

Eventually, Zana couldn't react and Formolo's attack saw him enter the final kilometre solo. From there, there was no stopping the Italian and with Hirschi out sprinting Zana, it was a UAE Team Emirates one-two.