<\/p>\n
\u201cToday was the hardest stage, there was never a moment to breathe,\u201d he said post-stage. \u201cBut we knew it would be the right opportunity for Matthew and we believed in it from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Commitment before the finale<\/p>\n
As the race approached its decisive phase, the gap to the breakaway remained stubbornly large. Rather than wait, Fiorelli took responsibility to force the issue. \u201cWith six kilometres to go before the final climb, I saw the gap was still significant, so I committed fully to closing it,\u201d he explained. \u201cAfter that, my teammates finished the work.\u201d<\/p>\n
That effort allowed Visma to arrive at the finale in control and position Brennan exactly where he needed to be. After narrowly missing out earlier in the week, the Brit this time converted cleanly.<\/p>\n
For Fiorelli, the role he played was central to why he was recruited. \u201cVisma chose me for this reason, to work and try to bring my leaders to victory,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m happy to have contributed to Brennan\u2019s success.\u201d<\/p>\n
Internal belief already set<\/p>\n
The praise inside the team went beyond the single stage. Fiorelli pointed to Brennan\u2019s trajectory rather than just the result. \u201cHe\u2019s the sprinter of the future,\u201d he said. \u201cHe showed it last year, and he\u2019s confirmed it again at the start of this season.\u201d<\/p>\n
That assessment helps explain why Visma persisted with the same approach across the week, even when execution was not perfect. Brennan already arrived in Australia with WorldTour wins to his name, but this was a victory delivered entirely by a team riding with clarity around its leader.<\/p>\n
Fiorelli also acknowledged the step up in the environment. \u201cAt the school of the Reverberi family, I learned a lot, but here we\u2019re in another dimension,\u201d he said, underlining the contrast in structure and expectation.<\/p>\n