With an impressive win last weekend, Isaac del Toro reminded the sporting world why insiders consider him the most gifted young stage racer in cycling today.
Del Toro, 22 and a native of Baja California, crushed the final two stages — both featuring summit finishes — and cruised to victory on Sunday at the 78th Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, one of the foremost races in the lead-up to the Tour de France.
“To win a race like this against such strong competition gives me a lot of confidence,” Del Toro said. “The Tour de France will be something completely new for me, but this result shows that we are moving in the right direction.”
Even more impressively, the triumphant performance came in his first race since suffering a right thigh muscle tear and multiple abrasions following a heavy crash during Stage 3 of the Itzulia Basque Country on April 8, 2026.
The two stage wins and the race victory lifted his season tally to five stage wins and three race wins (Del Toro also finished first in the UAE Tour in February and the Tirreno Adriatico in March).
EFE described del Toro as “relentless” and said he demonstrated “superior form” while finishing a full minute ahead of Spain’s Juan Ayuso on Sunday, a 120-kilometer stage.
“Isaac del Toro, with an impassive face, began his own personal time trial,” EFE said in its race report. “He was on course for the title, pedaling steadily, with times already indicating he had the victory 6 kilometers from the summit.”
In just his third year as a professional with UAE Team Emirates, del Toro is already the most prolific cyclist in Mexican history, surpassing the 23 wins posted by the legendary Raúl Alcalá during his 24-year career (1986-2010). Del Toro earned his 24th win at the UAE Tour and now has 28 career victories.
After bursting onto the international stage last year when he posted 18 wins, the Ensenada native is poised to make his Tour de France debut in just over two weeks.
When he takes his place at the Grand Départ in Barcelona on July 4, del Toro will become just the third Mexican to participate in the most prestigious stage race in the world, joining Alcalá and Miguel Arroyo.
Del Toro will be looking to match Alcalá’s historic 1987 performance when the latter finished in ninth place overall and claimed the white jersey as Best Young Rider in the Tour.
With reports from Velo, ESPN, La Jornada and IDL Pro Cycling
