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Follow us on GoogleNice, that pink jersey from day 9. Nice, joining in, grabbing bonus seconds, and showing every day that you can go a little further on your pink cloud. The third week will determine the winner of the Giro d'Italia, and very few people seem to believe that Isaac del Toro will take the pink jersey in Rome. On the third and final rest day, the 21-year-old Mexican and his team, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, gave three reasons Del Toro will also have a chance in the final week.
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He has been in the spotlight since the young climber took the lead in the GC on day 9 in Siena. Suddenly, Del Toro was at the press conference every day, answering dozens of questions in the mixed zone and giving interviews before the start of each stage. Gone was the anonymity in which he had spent the first eight days of the Giro. Even then, he was already strong in the time trial and explosive finishes and picked up seconds in intermediate sprints along the way.
However, when the Mexican's time trial on day 10 was less than expected, it confirmed what many thought. Nice while it lasts, but Del Toro will never make it through the third week in the leader's jersey, right? But he continued to collect seconds, was always in the right groups, responded seemingly effortlessly to every attack, and, after fifteen stages, is now in first place, 1.20 minutes ahead of his closest rival, Simon Yates. Teammate Juan Ayuso is third, 1.26 minutes behind.
Read more below the photo.
Isaac Del Toro
Del Toro trained with and can count on a super team at UAE Team Emirates-XRG
Now that the third week is upon us, Del Toro was once again bombarded with questions during Monday's rest day. This time, however, they were not about the stages but more about his skills. Did he prepare for the Giro to be at his best in week 3, even as a super-domestique? "At the beginning of this year, we put together a calendar to be at our best in the biggest races. That included a big training block leading up to the Giro," he confirmed.
"I didn't post much about it on social media, but the team kept me informed. Together, we made sure that we are all at our best for this race, including me," said Del Toro, who feels ready for the third week, even though he will start in pink and not as a domestique. "I feel pretty good and am probably on top form. I'm not necessarily confident about the third week, but I have to believe I can do it."
"Ride smart with the team to get as far as possible," was the conclusion. Sports director Fabio Baldato confirmed that Del Toro can count on a super team in week 3. "From Tuesday onwards, it will be a real battle, so we wanted to ride as one team and stay together up to this point. We saw in the mountains that we were strong; when fifty riders were left, all eight of us were still there. We will take that mentality into the final week."
Read more below the photo.
Del Toro can count on a very strong team
Del Toro and UAE did not quite expect a leading role in the Giro
Nevertheless, the UAE team agrees that Del Toro's position in the GC in his second Grand Tour was not necessarily the plan. "We have confidence in Isaac, but we're not putting any pressure on him. He's growing as a rider, but last year, he was ill in his first Grand Tour, the Vuelta, so that was a problem. Nevertheless, we believe in his potential, and Isaac is honest: if he doesn't have the legs, he helps someone else. But in Milan-Turin, he got the chance to win himself."
As said by sports director Joxean Matxin. The Spaniard emphasizes that Del Toro's development and growth are being monitored. The current Giro is just a very nice bonus. The young rider himself sees it that way, too. "As a little boy, you always want to be the best, and I've already made rapid progress in my career. I've had to believe in myself early on and learn what's happening around me. Every rider's dream is to be in contention for the win, but I'm taking it step by step."
It was not a coincidence that UAE chased a group that included Del Toro in stage 15 on Sunday. There is no reason to assume that he will collapse in the third week, but if that happens, it is essential that Ayuso, who is one year older, is in the best possible position to seize the opportunity. "That's why I don't feel any pressure; my teammates are helping me a lot with that," Del Toro said about the situation.
Read more below the photo.
Del Toro (left) and Ayuso (right)
What to do with Ayuso in this Giro d'Italia
The 22-year-old Ayuso must be patient because, after 15 days of the Giro, Baldato still calls Del Toro 'the leader.' But he has also used up a lot of energy on the bike and with all the media obligations on the side. "Sometimes I'm not always the smartest, and maybe I should use the team more, but I'm also new to these situations," Del Toro smiles when asked. "I want to be in the best position, and although I don't necessarily want to attack, I like to see what's happening at the front myself."
If that all goes wrong, there is a plan B with Ayuso. He is not in as good a position as Del Toro, with Simon Yates 6 seconds ahead of him and Richard Carapaz (EF), Derek Gee (Israel), Bahrain duo Damiano Caruso and Antonio Tiberi, and INEOS duo Egan Bernal and Thymen Arensman close behind him. "That's another reason why we've stayed together as a team. We're united around our leader, Isaac, and Juan is just following him."
Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])
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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
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- 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
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