Repeated ascents of La Tisa and La Rosina gradually thinned the front, and when Marc Hirschi, Tim Wellens, and Romain Gregoire combined behind, the tension mounted. Yet each time the peloton neared contact, another attack reshaped the scenario.
On the gravel of Diesel Farm, the day’s decisive selections were made. Germani launched first, forcing a reaction from De Pretto and Ulissi, while Vermeersch clung on grimly. Meurisse punctured, Teuns faded, and the remainder of the break began to splinter across the hillside.
Moments later, Ulissi, chasing what would have been the 50th win of his professional career, surged clear and briefly bridged to De Pretto, who had carved out a slender gap. But fatigue and small errors proved costly — both riders overshot corners in quick succession, losing rhythm as the road tipped downhill towards Bassano.
Behind them, Loland had quietly paced his effort to perfection. Having been distanced earlier, he clawed his way back into contention inside the final ten kilometres, joining Vermeersch and Germani just as Ulissi and De Pretto began to falter.
The front of the race reshuffled one final time in the closing kilometres. Ulissi managed to rejoin, but his earlier efforts had dulled his sprint, while De Pretto’s local knowledge couldn’t quite compensate for fading legs. Germani, still just 23, continued to ride with composure but lacked the kick to finish it off.
Inside the final kilometre, Loland sensed his chance. The 24-year-old Norwegian hit the front and launched early, using his raw power to hold off Vermeersch’s surge on the line. Ulissi crossed third, Germani fourth, and De Pretto rounded out the top five in a finale that saw six riders within seconds of each other.
For Uno-X Mobility, it marks one of the team’s standout moments of 2025 — a season where they’ve fought hard for WorldTour promotion and finally turned persistence into victory. For Loland, it’s confirmation of his steady rise through the ranks, following wins in the Ringerike GP earlier in the year and strong domestic form in Norway. “He’s a rider who learns fast, and today he played it perfectly,” team staff said at the finish, praising his patience and timing in the finale.