Veneto Classic: Davide Formolo and Marc Hirschi go 1-2 for UAE Team Emirates

UAE Team Emirates completed a 1-2 at the Veneto Classic as Davide Formolo attacked inside the final 10km to solo to victory with Marc Hirschi claiming second.

Filippo Zana (Jayco AlUla), who ignited the race on the gravel Diesel Farm climb, came home in third, unable to overcome UAE’s numerical advantage.

The result is an exact reverse of the UAE 1-2 last season, when Hirschi soloed home ahead of his Italian teammate.

"In the last 10km I spoke to my teammate and he said I could attack then he'd just follow the wheel. I gave all I had on the last kick and luckily it was enough for me to solo to the line," he told GCN at the finish line.

The 30-year-old is rumoured to be departing the top-ranked UCI WorldTour team at the end of the season and was philosophical about his situation.

"I'm really happy to end this season in this way. This is the strongest team in the world so its really wonderful for me to end this amazing period in this way."

GCN understands that a move to Movistar for the 2024 season is still on the cards.

Read more: Davide Formolo close to Movistar switch as negotiations reach critical point

Three-man breakaway stands little chance

After rolling out from the hilltop town of Mel with the Dolomite mountain range as its backdrop, the riders headed along the valley to enter a series of circuits around the finishing town of Bassano del Grappa.

A breakaway trio made up of local favourite Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech), Joey Rosskopf (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) and Michael Belleri (Biesse-Carrera) managed to build up a gap of six minutes by the time they tackled the La Rosina for the first time.

This lead would quickly dwindle as La Rosina (2.6km at 6.2%) was climbed a further two times.

By the time the race moved onto its second circuit of the day which included the La Tisa climb, a short 330m cobbled ramp with pinches at 11%, Natnael Tesfatsion (Lidl-Trek), Erik Fetter (EOLO-Kometa) and Milan Menten (Lotto Dstny) had set off in chase.

Over the next two ascents of La Tisa, the shape and size of the leading group would change more than once.

However, with 20km remaining, it was gruppo compacto as the race reached the foot of La Tisa for one final time. Formolo and Andreas Kron (Lotto Dstny) looked the strongest of the bunch on the cobbled climb.

Filippo Zana forces decisive moves but loses out to UAE Team Emirates pair

© Sprint Cycling Agency

Marc Hirschi (left) and Davide Formolo (right) reflect on a job well done in the Italian's final race with the team

However, it was Zana who upped the tempo as the Diesel Farm gravel climb arrived with 10km to go. The former Italian national champion rode everyone off his wheel on the climb that averaged 10.2% over 1.2km.

Last year's winner Hirschi was five seconds in arrears as they crested the climb and eventually able to reel Zana in on the descent.

Also gaining was Hirschi’s teammate Formolo, who wasted no time in counter-attacking as soon as he made contact with the two leaders. The Italian compounded his slender lead over the Contra Soarda and arrived back into town 14 seconds ahead of Hirschi and Zana.

The victory for Formolo marks the end of a strong Autumn Classics campaign that also saw him take the Coppa Agostoni title, once again ahead of his Swiss teammate, just over a fortnight ago.