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Follow us on GoogleIsaac Del Toro has quickly put Mexico on the map as a cycling country in just under two years. The winner of as many as 18 races in 2025 and the runner-up at the Giro d'Italia is spending his offseason after two national cycling titles (road + time trial) in his home country, and there he was graced with a cake and honorable sports award on Thursday on his birthday.
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First, let's sing for the birthday boy, as Del Toro blew out 22 candles on a cake presented to him on Nov. 27 at the awards show he attended - dressed in a suit. The UAE Emirates-XRG climbing talent was a little uneasy about it, but luckily for him it all happened backstage and not on the big stage.
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Del Toro beats soccer players in Mexican awards show
Once on the big stage, Del Toro was honored once again, and as Sportsman of the Year in Mexico. Now your first thought as a cycling fan is: logical, after such a year full of victories and in a country not known for its many top athletes. Yet Del Toro is the first Mexican to win the award as a cyclist, in a country that, on the contrary, mostly runs away with soccer.
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Del Toro enjoys offseason in Mexico
With the award proudly in his hand, Del Toro took a photo after the awards show. It just doesn't stop for the man, who has climbed to second on the ladder at UAE in a short time. Tadej Pogacar is, of course, the big leader with the team, but Del Toro seems to have a right to speak toward 2026 when it comes to programs and big races.
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- Eight riders told to go for stages, and nobody gets one—hard to know what the plan was there. It’ll be interesting to see whether they pick a clear leader next time.bikebuffj10-11-2026
- Was Bernal’s 20th place really their best GC result? I thought he might have finished higher. Either way, it sounds like a rough Tour for the whole team.gearguru3310-11-2026
- Five days in breaks with no stage win is a painful stat. The team had chances, but they need to turn those opportunities into results.julien10-11-2026
- The Onley Vuelta example makes sense: a team with someone to rally around often looks much more cohesive. Hopefully INEOS can build on that rather than expecting a quick return to the Sky years.cadencekingm10-11-2026
- Thomas is right about the ambiguity. Eight riders all chasing stages can end up pulling in different directions, even if nobody’s deliberately working against anyone. They need a clearer plan once the GC leaders are out.robert6510-11-2026
- What a mess. The report makes it sound as though nobody properly explained the decision, and that’s hard to defend.jennifer1910-11-2026
- I’m still learning the rules: does moving left in a sprint automatically bring a penalty, or does it depend on whether the other rider is blocked? It sounds like Brand wasn’t impeded here.patriciaw10-11-2026
- A final decision still needs a proper explanation. If the federation’s complaint goes nowhere, I hope the officials at least review how they handled the riders afterwards.michael5410-11-2026
- Fair play to Lucinda for saying Marie had won fair and square. That kind of sportsmanship matters, especially after such a controversial decision.raceready710-11-2026
- Schreiber beat Brand on the road, so the jury needed to explain clearly why that slight deviation warranted relegation. Being cut off before she could give her account sounds appalling.lindae10-11-2026
