'It doesn't change my approach' - Brandon McNulty announces first races in rainbow jersey

Brandon McNulty will wear the rainbow jersey in competition for the first time when he lines up at the Giro dell’Emilia on Saturday. 

UAE Team Emirates-XRG have confirmed that the new world champion will also compete at the Coppa Agostoni the following day before lining up at Tre Valli Varesine on Tuesday. It is also expected that McNulty will ride Il Lombardia on October 10.

2025 winner Isaac del Toro will not line out at the Giro dell’Emilia this year, but the Mexican is set to lead the line for UAE at Il Lombardia in the absence of five-time champion Tadej Pogačar, whose season was ended by his heavy crash on stage 8 of the Vuelta a España.

McNulty succeeded Pogačar as world champion in Montreal last Sunday after soloing clear with 33km remaining. He became the first American to win the elite men’s road race at the World Championships in 33 years.

“I’m really excited to make my debut in the rainbow jersey this Saturday. The win in Montreal has definitely been something massive for me and I am still coming to terms with it a bit and letting it sink in,” McNulty said in a statement on Thursday.

 “I still have a lot of racing left this season and I’m excited for it. We have a strong group for these races, and we’ll be aggressive as always.”

McNulty will be accompanied by Igor Arrieta, Filippo Baroncini, Felix Großschartner, Jhonatan Narváez, Tim Wellens, and Adam Yates in a strong UAE squad at the Giro dell’Emilia. Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) and Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) will be among their rivals for victory on the climb to San Luca.

The following day, UAE will chase a fourth successive win at the Coppa Agostoni, with Benoît Cosnefroy and Luca Giaimi coming into the line-up in place of Wellens and Baroncini.

McNulty will sit out Monday’s Coppa Bernocchi, where Yates, Narváez and Wellens will lead the line, but he will return to action at Tre Valli Varesine on Tuesday. Narváez and Wellens will join McNulty for a race that Pogačar won in the rainbow jersey a year ago.

“While I’m honoured to wear the rainbow jersey, it doesn’t change my approach,” McNulty said. “We’ll continue to race as we always do. Whether that’s attacking or helping my teammates – I know my role pretty well, and we have a great understanding of what works, so we’ll keep it that way.”

Del Toro sits out the initial slate of Italian racing after placing fifth at last Sunday’s World Championships road race in Montréal, but he will be among the favourites for Il Lombardia, alongside Pidcock, Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).

Despite reportedly pushing to ride the European Championships on home roads this weekend, Pogačar is expected to sit out Il Lombardia after UAE insisted his season was over. 

“The rider’s desire is understandable,” UAE CEO Mauro Gianetti told La Gazzetta dello Sport of Pogačar’s bid to race in Ljubljana on Sunday. “But you have to face the reality of the facts. It’s not possible, you can’t force it.”