Compared to, close friends with, and cheered on by Tadej Pogacar: Meet 'pink' Isaac Del Toro

Del Toro was born on November 27, 2003, in Ensenada. At 17, he left home in 2021 to join the A.R. Monex cycling club, a team made up entirely of Mexican riders based in San Marino. In three years, he grew into one of the most extraordinary talents of his generation, culminating in an overall victory in the 2023 Tour de l'Avenir.

UAE Team Emirates gave him a chance, and like so many talented young riders, he won his first race wearing the UAE colors. He finished third in the Tour Down Under but won a stage on day 2. "What does it mean? I don't know, I'm really emotional. 2023 was crazy, but this... sorry, I don't know what to say. So much..." he stammered on the other side of the world. "It got a bit chaotic, and I love that. The plan was to go all out on the last hill until the finish."

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Del Toro and his beloved chaos proved to be a good combination on multiple occasions. In fact, only his stage and overall victory in Asturias (2024) and Milan-Turin (2025) resulted from a sophisticated plan; otherwise, he mainly stood out when there was a lack of control in a race. Think of this year's Clasica Jaén on Spanish gravel and the ninth stage of the Giro, where he took the pink jersey on Sunday. "I've always been a lucky guy in these kinds of races," he said.

It undoubtedly has something to do with his ability to take risks. After moving to the UAE, he decided to live on his own in San Marino. "That was different; suddenly, I had to do everything myself. I was suddenly living far away from my own country and hometown for a long time, but I learned a lot about life, and I'm pleased about that," he said in December. With the airport just around the corner, teenager Del Toro quickly grew up in familiar surroundings.

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Del Toro is a well-rounded rider who earned respect after a year and a half in the WorldTour. He was often a domestique but was so strong that he also finished with good results himself. "It's clear that Del Toro is a great rider. I really like his style. He's super smart; he moves very well, he descends very well, and he's always well-positioned. For me, he's one of the best riders out there. It's clear that he can win this race," said Egan Bernal of INEOS after Sunday's gravel stage.

He learned how to cycle in chaos in Mexico. Del Toro first watched a Tour de France duel between Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana on television and then got on his bike himself. He remained anonymous for a long time, but when he won the Tour de l'Avenir in 2023, he sought help to manage everything. "Because my situation is complicated, coming from a different country and continent. Despite my victories, I still have a lot to learn."

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Del Toro chose UAE because of the team's philosophy. “Because they offered me the focus I needed, and they wanted to give me everything I needed,” he said in early 2024. The plans for the Mexican rider are ambitious. “Over the next ten years, I want to compete for victory in the most important races, including the Grand Tours. But maybe at the end of that decade, I'll be labeled a madman with too much ambition and achieved little. So be it, then.”

With the pink jersey on his shoulders, we won't call Del Toro crazy anymore. It's no coincidence that after only four months with UAE, he was offered a contract extension until the end of 2029. "His progress has been awe-inspiring so far," said sports director Mauro Gianetti then. His trainer Giacomo Notari even said: "He is the prototype of a winner. Take it with a grain of salt, but he reminds me a little of Pogacar."

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Sports director Joxean Matxin prefers to steer clear of comparisons with Pogacar. "There is only one Tadej, and we will give Isaac time to develop. Those comparisons aren't fair to Isaac, who has his whole future ahead of him." Nevertheless, the Spaniard is very fond of Del Toro, just like his protégé Pogacar. "Isaac is a talented rider but an even better person. He is exceptional, and I truly admire him."

Del Toro said about the Pogi comparison: "I don't have a zone 2 at 340 watts. If you start comparing yourself to other riders, you'll never improve. He did send me a message saying that if I was in that position, I should go for the stage win. He believes in me." After the race, Pogacar took the time to reflect on Del Toro's pink jersey on Instagram. "Looking at the future," he wrote alongside a photo of himself and his good friend and teammate.

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Del Toro is suddenly the man in pink, the UAE rider who has a minute's lead over Ayuso and even two over Adam Yates. Ayuso hopes that the tide turns quickly and that he can win the Giro, although he said after his Tirreno victory in March: "Isaac and I have a very strong friendship. He has helped me a lot, and I am grateful to him. We are going to the Giro together, hoping he can help me. But in the future, I also hope to be able to ride for him because Isaac is capable of winning races himself."

According to Del Toro, it is not yet clear whether this task division will be reversed. "This was really a situation in the race. We mainly wanted to be at the front, and it wasn't bad for the team that I was there. But we will keep going as we did throughout the first week. We're going for the Giro win, and this doesn't change that. We'll keep trying as a team, and I'm happy and proud to be in this situation. I don't necessarily feel pressure, although there will be days when I'm more nervous. It's incredible how my body has responded every day so far; it's fantastic."

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])