Better late than losing
McNulty rode a dominant time trial in the race’s concluding stage 7, beating Lorenzo Milesi (Movistar) and Matteo Sobrero (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe) by 12 and 15 seconds respectively. More importantly, he beat the rider who had been leading him by 7 seconds after stage 6, the surprising Victor Langellotti (INEOS Grenadiers), by 46 seconds, killing two birds with one exceptional ride, a first UAE stage win in the race and the GC victory.
The double win was welcome good news to McNulty and the team after a horrific high-speed crash in stage 3 sent teammate Filippo Baroncini to hospital with multiple facial and vertebral fractures. The 24-year-old Italian was put in an induced coma, but the injuries were not life-threatening. Baroncini was on McNulty’s mind as he talked about his victory after the race.
“For sure, we’ve been riding with him [in mind] all week,” he said. “And today it was really nice to get a win for him,” McNulty said after the final stage. “We’ve all been thinking of him a lot since he left.”
A Grand Tour podium in his future?
For the talented American, who finished ninth in the 2025 Giro d’Italia, this was the 18th victory of his career, but only the fourth in a stage race. That’s because he rides for a team that is richer than Croesus in stars and superstars, such as Tadej Pogačar, João Almeida, Juan Ayuso and Isaac del Toro.
“That’s how this team is,” McNulty said. “You have guys that are crazy talented all over that I’m happy to work for and then when my time comes, I try to take it. So it’s nice to seize opportunities for sure. I’m always happy to help. It’s obvious that these guys are better suited [to Grand Tours] like Tadej and Isaac, and it’s a pleasure to work for them.”
After his Grand Tour breakthrough in the Giro this year, he still seemed unconvinced of his ability to become a podium challenger in the big races. “One Grand Tour I think like, no way, and then in the next there’s some signs of hope, so I don’t know. It’s such a different ball game to a week-long race, so I don’t know. I feel like I’m getting better every year, though, and gaining in endurance too, so we’ll see.”
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On Majka’s retirement
He also addressed the imminent retirement of long-time teammate Rafal Majka, who finished eighth in his final home race and was cheered by the Polish spectators at almost every pedal stroke. “I’ve been with him for six years and it’s always been a pleasure,” McNulty said. “He’s one of the best teammates to have around on and off the bike. We’ve all tried to convince him [to stay] for one more year, but I don’t think he’s going to take it, so we’re going to miss him.”
The 35-year-old Majka will retire at the end of this season after spending the last five years of his 16-year professional career as an essential mountain super-domestique for Pogačar and was often the last support rider on a big climb and the one who launched the four-time Tour de France winner on yet another winning ascent. Majka rode in 23 Grand Tours, including eight Tours de France, but sat out this year’s race. His final race will be Il Lombardia, on October 11, where he’ll be helping Pogačar try to win that race for the fifth consecutive time.
A late push to victory
McNulty won the GC by 29 seconds over Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain-Victorious), with Sobrero in third, at 37 seconds. He gained almost all of his winning margin in the final two stages. The explosive stage 6, which featured six short and steep category 1 climbs on its 147.5km course from Bukowina Resort to Bukowina Tatrzańska, came down to the final kilometer, atop an uncategorized climb (1.8km @7.5%). McNulty broke away from a small, select lead group with about 800m left to race and opened what seemed like a winning gap, but was caught and passed by Langellotti, who became the first rider from Monaco to with a WorldTour stage and wear the yellow jersey in a WorldTour race.
“I knew that I had to wait until at least the last 500 meters, that was my strength,” Langellotti said. “I just wanted to wait that final moment to launch my sprint. I’m super happy because everything went according to the plan.” he finished fifth in the GC standings, 39 seconds behind the winner.
Langellotti is one of only two professional riders from the tiny European principality currently on the road and is Monaco’s first and only representative on a WorldTour team to date. To general surprise, he was signed by INEOS Grenadiers last autumn from the Spanish Proteam Burgos–BH. He had already made history by securing Monaco’s first-ever podium finish in a WorldTour race with third place on Tuesday’s stage 2.
That stage was won by another rider that deserves a shout-out, Paul Lapeira (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale). The 25-year-old Frenchman stayed in the yellow jersey for four stages and finished the race despite suffering suspected broken ribs in the stage 3 crash that sent Baroncini to hospital and forced a brief neutralization to allow ambulances access to the injured. Lapeira’s performance and his determination to finish the race was remarkable considering the pain and the fact that he had difficulty breathing. His 34th-place finish, 8:07 behind McNulty, must be considered a kind of victory.
2025 Tour de Pologne Final GC Standings
- Brandon McNulty, UAE Team Emirates–XRG 25:10:57
- Antonio Tiberi, Bahrain-Victorious + 0:29
- Matteo Sobrero, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe + 0:37
- Jan Christen, UAE Team Emirates–XRG + 0:39
- Victor Langellotti, INEOS Grenadiers “
- Alberto Bettiol, XDS Astana + 0:47
- Marco Frigo, Israel–Premier Tech + 0:48
- Rafal Majka, UAE Team Emirates–XRG + 0:59
- Pello Bilbao, Bahrain-Victorious + 1:02
- Filippo Zana, Jayco-AlUla + 1:09
