Pogačar recognised talent in del Toro from day one: 'Part of what happened that day shaped me as a person'

Del Toro is currently in Asia with Paul Seixas—that other prodigy from Decathlon CMA CGM—for a criterium, which is undoubtedly bringing in a lot of money. “It’s pretty humid here, but I’m glad to be in another country again. I’m really enjoying it; it’s very pleasant here,” del Toro told Marca.

Singapore is part of Del Toro’s offseason, during which he will also be competing in a criterium in Japan soon. On his social media channels, the Mexican has already shared a fun photo series from his October, during which he had a few weeks off after the Tour of Lombardy on October 10. He spent that time with his girlfriend, at the bowling alley, at Italian markets, and now in Asia.

Del Toro always has a smile on his face, and that’s no surprise, since 2026 was a fantastic year for the climber. After breaking through last year with a win at Milan-Turin, a second-place finish in the Giro d’Italia, and ultimately 18 (!) victories in a single season, he took it to the next level this year. Del Toro won a total of 12 times in 2026, but almost all of those were WorldTour victories.

He won two stages and the overall classification in the UAE Tour, added stage and overall victories in the Tirreno-Adriatico, he also won two stages and the general classification in the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and went on to finish third in the Tour de France, where he also won a stage and the young rider classification. After the Tour, he capped off his season with stage and overall victories in Germany and the GP Montréal.

"I'm really happy with all the experiences I've gained this year; they'll help me in the future to do even a little better," Del Toro said about his year. "The focus remains on hard work, but this is what we’ve been working toward ever since I signed with UAE. We didn’t know how quickly it would all happen or if it was even possible."

Del Toro was still kept out of the spotlight in 2024 and 2025, even when he wore the pink jersey for a long time in the Giro and perhaps even should have won it. In 2026, he was the undisputed team leader in major stage races for the first time, although he rode the Tour de France in the slipstream of Tadej Pogačar. In 2027, del Toro is expected to be the leader in one of the three Grand Tours.

Pogačar recognised del Toro’s potential very early on, while del Toro himself has always remained more modest. “It’s not easy to see what others see in you. You try to be the best version of yourself and stay humble, but the fact that Tadej sees something I might not see is flattering and a challenge. He wants to be part of my journey and supports me whenever possible. That’s wonderful; I feel privileged.”

According to Del Toro, Pogačar is important to him not only on the bike, as in the Tour de France, where he worked for del Toro in the final days to secure his third-place finish. “But much of what you see on television is exactly who he is. He’s genuine, transparent, and that’s why many people feel a connection with him. He wants to be a good person and has different goals than people might think.”

Del Toro would love to follow in Pogačar’s footsteps—for example, by winning the Tour de France. The fact that he hadn’t already won a Grand Tour by the time of the 2025 Giro was due to tactical decisions in the penultimate stage, which allowed Simon Yates and Visma | Lease a Bike to break away and surprisingly take the pink jersey from the expected overall winner.

"It didn't leave me with any trauma, but part of what happened that day did shape me as a person," del Toro reflects. “In both a good and a bad way. It forced me to bring out a slightly rougher side of myself—one I’ve always had. In the end, I gained so much during those 21 days of the Giro, and I’m at peace with that. After what I went through that month, everything is easier.”