If it's not Pogacar or Del Toro, it's McNulty winning the Tour of Poland: "That’s how this team works"

McNulty went into the final time trial 7 seconds behind. It was a perfect starting position, but you still have to do it. Moreover, the hilly course around Wieliczka was not easy. “The race was set up in such a way that you just had to go full throttle to the top of the climb,” the winner explained in the post-race interview. “After that, it was a matter of persevering. It wasn’t a complete descent to the finish line, but it was a faster section than at the start.”

Leader Langellotti normally had no chance against the time trial specialist from Arizona, but the UAE team leader was not counting his chickens yet. “At the intermediate point, I knew I was ahead. But you can never be comfortable until you cross the finish line. When I crossed the finish line and heard my time, I knew for sure.” In the end, McNulty finished 12 seconds ahead of second-placed Lorenzo Milesi and a full 46 seconds ahead of Langellotti.

McNulty has had a somewhat difficult season so far. A DNF in Paris-Nice was a setback, although he did achieve a good classification in the Giro d'Italia: he finished ninth. Still, he was unable to help team leader Isaac Del Toro to the overall victory. “It's my first WorldTour victory. The start of my season wasn't too bad, but the victories had been lacking until now. I'm thrilled that I was able to finish it off.”

Normally, the American all-rounder is a highly valued domestique for his leaders, but sometimes he gets to go for his own chance. “That's how this team works. You have incredibly talented guys, so I'm happy to work for them. When my chance comes, I try to take it.” In the same way, he won the Tour of Valencia and the CRO Race last year.

However, the victory in Poland ranks a few steps higher than those two races, not only because it is his first WorldTour stage race. But also because teammate Filippo Baroncini crashed hard in the third stage and is being kept in an induced coma after suffering a broken neck and multiple fractures to his face. “We rode the whole week with him in our minds. This victory is for him,” McNulty concluded.