"I'm riding Il Lombardia, where I will replace Juan Ayuso" - Man in form Marc Hirschi forces late change to UAE Team Emirates plans

The impressive late season form of Marc Hirschi continued at the Gran Piemonte as the UAE Team Emirates man took a close second behind Andrea Bagioli.

"I'm a bit disappointed. When you are so close, you also want to win," Hirschi told Cycling Pro Net in a post-race interview. "However, Bagioli was just a bit faster. I got next to him, but I couldn't get over it. So I can live with that."

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"It was a tough race from the start, which was good for us. We had Davide Formolo in a leading group and Jumbo-Visma, for example, was not with us, so we were able to put some pressure on," he continued. "In the final I followed the men of Soudal Quick-Step, where I was able to save some energy. I didn't know exactly what the situation was at that moment, but I still went up the last hill. This way we could go to the finish with four men."

The impressive form of Hirschi towards the end of the season that has seen the 26-year-old win the Swiss National Championships, the Tour de Luxembourg and the Giro dell'Appennino among other good results has forced a change of tactic for UAE Team Emirates.

"Now I'm riding Il Lombardia where I will replace Juan Ayuso," Hirschi reveals. "I hope I can support Tadej Pogacar and Adam Yates there as best as possible."

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