Giro dell'Emilia: Del Toro beats Pidcock, who is satisfied ahead of a very ambitious double in the season's final weekend

In the absence of his teammate Tadej Pogacar, who was racing in France on Sunday, Del Toro claimed his fifth one-day victory in the Italian autumn.

“I was well protected the whole day, and the team did amazing work for me on each lap,” said the Mexican after the race. "I was able to save energy and focus on the last climb, where in the end it was decided."

“I had the strength to close the last attack and win the race. I wasn’t sure I had it until about 50m to go, and it’s a great feeling,” said Del Toro, who stayed ahead of Pidcock.

“I'm happy to feel good again after La Vuelta,” said Pidcock. Finishing second again is a bitter pill to swallow, but it's always positive to be on the podium and a good way to start the final week of the season."

The Brit has an ambitious schedule for next week, as he will ride the Tour of Lombardy on Saturday and the World Gravel Championships in Valkenburg the following day.

Visma | Lease a Bike finished with two riders in the top ten in Italy: Ben Tulett was sixth and Cian Uijtdebroeks ninth. “The guys put in a strong team performance today. The first important moment in the race was the first passage of San Luca, and we were well positioned there with Ben, Jørgen Nordhagen, and Tijmen Graat,” sports director Marc Reef said.

“Cian also moved up quickly, putting us with four riders at the front. In the final, Cian tried a few good accelerations, but unfortunately, he didn't get enough space. In the end, Ben and Cian gave everything to finish in the top ten, and we are happy with that. They showed that they are in good shape, especially with a view to the upcoming races.”