UAE team XRG shines in Giro d'Italia
Isaac Del Toro retains pink jersey for fourth day
Rising star Isaac Del Toro retained the coveted pink jersey for the fourth consecutive day after a strong third-place finish in Stage 13, which concluded in Vicenza. The 20-year-old Mexican rider remains at the top of the general classification.
Tactical excellence and team support pay off
Del Toro's lead was preserved through a well-executed tactical plan and strong support from his teammates. His consistent performance allowed him to hold a 38-second advantage over his closest rival—who is also his teammate—Juan Ayuso.
Team Emirates secures top two positions
Team Emirates (UAE Team XRG) now holds both first and second places in the overall standings. Ayuso's strategic gain of precious seconds at the intermediate checkpoint further strengthened the team's position. Antonio Tiberi of Team Bahrain Victorious currently trails in third place, 1 minute and 18 seconds behind.
Mountain stages ahead: Continued dominance expected
As the race heads into its decisive mountain stages, UAE Team XRG is well-positioned to extend its dominance. With momentum and morale high, the team edges closer to a potential major triumph in this year's Giro.
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Dubai Eye
5 days ago
- Dubai Eye
Team Emirates-XRG makes history at Giro d'Italia
Crossing the finish line in Rome amongst the peloton, Isaac del Toro brought the 2025 Giro d'Italia to a historic close for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG - placing second overall on his debut. The Mexican cyclist becomes the second-youngest podium finisher in race history and the first from his country to ever win the young rider's classification. In fact, Del Toro is the first Mexican to ever wear the Maglia Bianca, adding this to a long list of accomplishments he has achieved over the last three weeks. It has been a stellar race for both the 21-year-old and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates, all of whom took to the podium in Rome to celebrate winning the team classification. The Emirati squad end the first Grand Tour of the season with two memorable stage victories, taken by Juan Ayuso and Del Toro. The first, won by Ayuso on stage 7, saw the Spaniard triumph on the race's first summit finish, with his Mexican teammate crossing the line in second. It was a maiden Grand Tour stage victory for Ayuso, with Del Toro following suit in the third week. Through the next 11 days of racing, Del Toro came of age on the grandest stage, riding with a maturity beyond his years to have Mexico dreaming of its first Grand Tour success. In surpassing Fausto Coppi's record from the 1940 Giro d'Italia, Del Toro became the youngest rider in history to wear the Maglia Rosa for 11 consecutive stages. Ending the race with Del Toro on the podium, Brandon McNulty in 9th, victory in the team classification and a credible 7th place for Filippo Baroncini on stage 21, UAE Team Emirates-XRG can be proud of everything it has achieved between the Grande Partenza in Albania and Sunday's final stage in Rome.
The National
6 days ago
- The National
UAE Team Emirates rider Isaac del Toro 'proud and happy' despite Giro d'Italia disappointment
UAE Team Emirates-EXG rider Isaac del Toro insisted he is proud of his efforts at the Giro d'Italia despite being beaten to the title by British rider Simon Yates. The Mexican went into Saturday's penultimate Stage 20 in pole position to become UAE Team Emirates second consecutive winner of the Grand Tour race, following in the slipstream of Tadej Pogacar last year. But Briton's Simon Yates, who started the day third in the general classification 81 seconds behind the leader, produced a magnificent ride on the Colle delle Finestre – the highest point of this year's race – to overhaul second-place Richard Carapaz and Del Toro in the standings. The Visma-Lease A Bike rider finished the stage almost four minutes clear of Del Toro with the Giro crown all but in the bag going into Sunday's ceremonial finale around Rome. Del Toro had snatched the overall lead on Stage 9 when he took charge of the pink jersey which he kept a tight hold on for 10 more stages. But it was not to be for the 21-year-old who came agonisingly close to victory in what was only his second Grand Tour race after last year's Vuelta a Espagna. 'Obviously I am super happy to finish second, I need to be mature with this and, of course, a lot of people are surprised that I can be at this level now,' said Del Toro, whose victory on Stage 17 was his first on a Grand Tour. 'For my team, it's not a big surprise, it's just a question of time. I want to believe it, this is the main problem for me personally, but this week I show I can be a top rider and top contender and I cannot be more proud and happy, to be honest. 'For sure it's always disappointing to lose the leader's jersey, but actually as a team we cannot be more together and more happy about the performance that we did. We cannot manage a victory, but … it's cycling and that's why we love it. 'I was close, and this is a thing, but at the end I didn't win,' added Del Toro. 'I will just keep working and I will come back for sure. 'You need to be a great winner, you need to be a great loser, and I think I am a good loser, and chapeau for them. Congrats.' It was a story of redemption for Yates as he sobbed uncontrollably after crossing the finish lines in third place behind stage winner Chris Harper and second place Alessandro Verre. At the 2018 Giro, Yates was wearing the pink jersey on the penultimate mountain stage only to see his lead snuffed out by countryman Chris Froome on the Colle delle Finestre. Yates would end the day down in 18th place, nearly 36 minutes behind soon-to-be champion Froome with one competitive stage to go. 'When the route was released I always had in the back of my mind to try to do something here and close the chapter, let's say,' said Yates on Saturday. 'I maybe look relaxed but I also had doubts this morning, if I could really do something, but the guys they encouraged me and believed in me, so yeah, thanks to them.' As for Del Toro, he remained upbeat after what has been a breakthrough performance from a young rider. 'My disappointment is split 50-50, half for me and half for the team. They deserved the win,' he said. 'I'm happy in one sense becaus e I showed that I can compete in a Grand Tour and that I'm not lacking anything. Few people thought I could do what I've done before this Giro. I had the legs to win a Grand Tour, I went close to victory. 'I respect the big riders but if I look at all my performances in this Giro, I can start to think I can win a Grand Tour. 'I'll sleep well tonight because I've matured and I've realised that this is also cycling. I'm not smiling because I'm second. But it's still a great result.'
The National
7 days ago
- The National
Simon Yates seals sensational Giro-d'Italia crown as UAE Team Emirates rider Isaac del Toro falls short
UAE Team Emirates-XRG's hopes of a second consecutive Giro-d'Italia title were ended by Simon Yates's sensational ride on the race's penultimate day. Mexican Isaac del Toro was 43 seconds ahead of Richard Carapaz – and 81 seconds clear of Yates – going into Saturday's Stage 20 and looked set to follow up Tadej Pogacar's unforgettable win last year with anther victory for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. But Visma-Lease a Bike's Yates had not read the script after overhauling Del Toro with a brave solo attack on the gruelling 20km Colle delle Finistre climb, finishing the stage third behind winner Chris Harper and second place Alessandro Verre. Yates now only has to cross the line intact in Rome to win his second Grand Tour – after the 2018 Vuelta a Espana – ahead of second-place Del Toro and Carapaz in third with the final stage largely a procession around the Italian capital and Vatican City. In 2018, Yates saw his dreams of winning the Giro crumble on the Colle delle Finestre climb when Chris Froome's attack left him far behind. But this time he redeemed himself on the same climb to take the lead and Del Toro did not respond even as the cavalry arrived in the form of Wout van Aert, who helped Yates power to the finish. Ultimately, Del Toro knew he had lost his chance and the 21-year-old eventually crossed the line more than five minutes behind Yates who was in tears after crossing the line. Yates had lost 30 seconds to Del Toro during Friday's stage but fought back in stunning fashion, and will become the third British rider to win the Giro, after Froome (2018) and Tao Geoghegan Hart (2020). It capped a tough few days for UAE Team Emirates who had seen young Spanish star Juan Ayuso quit the race after being stung in the eye by a bee. Del Toro, 21, had won Stage 17 and was bidding to become the youngest winner of the Giro since 1940. 'When the route was released I always had in the back of my mind to try to do something here and close the chapter, let's say,' said an emotional Yates, who leads Del Toro by three minutes 56 seconds. 'I'm still a bit speechless really. 'I maybe look relaxed but I also had doubts this morning, if I could really do something, but the guys they encouraged me and believed in me, so yeah, thanks to them. 'I'm not really an emotional person but I couldn't hold back the tears. It's something I've worked towards year after year and I've had a lot of setbacks but I've finally managed to pull if off.' Yates ended up finishing the stage just under two minutes behind Harper, who claimed the biggest win of his career at the age of 30 after attacking from the break on the Finestre. 'I don't know what I'm happier about, winning the stage or seeing Yates win pink,' said Harper, who rode with the likely Giro winner at Jayco-AlUla. 'He's an awesome guy and I had the pleasure of riding with him for a couple of seasons and doing a lot of racing with him. I don't think anyone deserves the pink jersey more than him.' Del Toro spent most of the Finestre ascent just staying on Carapaz's wheel and ended up unable to bridge the gap to Yates, handing over the pink jersey he had held since Stage 9. 'We might have been the strongest, but we weren't the cleverest,' said Carapaz, who was critical of Del Toro's passive performance in the decisive stage of his first Grand Tour. 'In the end, he's lost the Giro, he didn't know how to race well and the cleverest rider won.' The final stage will honour the late Pope Francis with an unprecedented ride through the Vatican, and new Pope Leo XIV will greet the cyclists as they pass through.
