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Follow us on GoogleIsaac del Toro was happy, but Tadej PogaÄar was perhaps even happier about his Mexican teammateās victory on stage 2 of the Tour de France. Del Toro made a clever breakaway in the final kilometer, and although PogaÄar caught up to him, he let his good friend win.
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Del Toro burst into tears almost immediately after crossing the finish line. Overwhelmed with surprise, joy, and disbelief, he accepted one congratulation after another, including one from PogaÄar. The world champion was already cheering alongside Del Toro as the two crossed the finish line in first and second place. But that was just the beginning.
As the stage winner sat on the ground catching his breath, Pogacar, wearing the polka-dot jersey, slipped in from the side to give Del Toro a big hug. After the Mexican had recovered from his tears and Adam Yates had joined the celebration, Pogacar lifted his teammate into the air.
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Pogacar celebrates near the UAE bus at the Tour de France
After crossing the finish line, Del Toro headed to the mixed zone as the stage winner and the new wearer of the green jersey. Pogacar handed his polka-dot jersey over to Alex Molenaar (Caja Rural) and was thus able to head to the bus for once without any media obligations.
When he arrived at the bus, the Slovenian took plenty of time for the Mexican fans, who were already waiting there for Del Toro. Pogacar snatched a flag from a fan and started waving it wildly. When he then got on the rollers, he urged the supporters to make some noise while filming them.
Pogacar makes only a brief appearance after Del Toro's stage win
Since he had no media obligations, Pogacar kept his comments brief on the two occasions when a microphone was briefly thrust in his face. Speaking to NOS from his bike, he simply said, āThis is amazing; I have no words for it.ā
During an interview with Adam Yates, Pogacar then briefly interrupted and exclaimed, āThis guy is a machine!ā
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - Un poco corto en la parte tĆ©cnica de la bici de McNulty, no? Colnago nero con detalles arcoĆris suena brutal ā queremos mĆ”s fotos, per favore.pedalpowe2902-10-2026
- - Demi finally gets her stripes! Team Oranje tactics on point again ā recon, lead-out, and that patient regroup. Textbook. Chapeau.sprocketspiny02-10-2026
- - Wait, does the world champ jersey apply to all disciplines or just road race? Can McNulty wear it in a TT too, or is that only if he won the TT worlds?davidm02-10-2026
- - Brilliant coverage. The early flight back to beat jet lag is elite-level thinking. Those marginal gains matter before a punchy Euros course.samanthak02-10-2026
- - Not sure the āsurprised everyoneā line about McNulty is fair. Heās been knocking on the door all season in one-day races and TTs. Emilia in rainbows is going to slap.patriciaw02-10-2026
- - Love seeing the rainbow bands back on Slovenian roads. Demi looks sharp in that kit. Hope she gets a full custom bike soon, not just a tiny stripe under the seatpost. Come on, give the champ a proper paint job!cadencekingm02-10-2026
- - Quick one: why canāt McNulty wear the rainbow at Euros? Is it only for world champs from Europe or something about national teams vs trade teams?lindae02-10-2026
- - That Dutch masterclass was something else. Vollering timed that second move perfectly after the first dig didnāt stick. Proper teamwork ā Wiebes and the crew deserve as much credit as Demi.julien02-10-2026
- - Boonenās line about trusting teammates is gold. Worldās is chess, not crit. Belgium tried to cover every scenario and covered none. Harsh lesson, but needed before next year.samanthak02-10-2026
- - Great read, but the piece leans a bit too harsh on Wout for me. He wasnāt at leader-level form, true, yet the team didnāt set up a plan B well enough. Segaert the bright spot, agreed.julien02-10-2026
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