Baja California’s Isaac del Toro makes history as first Mexican cyclist to lead Giro d’Italia

Isaac del Toro, a 21-year-old from Ensenada, Baja California, has go the archetypal cyclist from Mexico to pb the Giro d’Italia, 1 of cycling’s 3 astir prestigious events, on with the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España.

Though del Toro finished 2nd to Belgian prima Wout Van Aert successful Sunday’s information of the race, helium present has capable wide points that he’ll beryllium wearing the iconic pinkish jersey going into Tuesday’s Stage 10.

The pinkish jersey, oregon maglia rosa, is ever worn by the race’s wide person astatine the commencement of that day. Monday was a remainder day, 1 of 2 during the three-week race.

“I cried with happiness,” del Toro said aft Sunday’s 181-kilometer signifier from Gubbio to Siena, which included 30 kilometers connected the gravel roads of the Tuscan countryside, wherever threats of tyre punctures and crashes abound. “It’s incredible, a precise beauteous feeling. I can’t adjacent afloat grasp it yet.”

Del Toro, who is successful the 2nd twelvemonth of a three-year declaration arsenic a pro rider for UAE Team Emirates XRG, holds a 73-second pb implicit teammate Juan Ayuso of Spain, with Italy’s Antonio Tiberi 3rd 90 seconds back.

The Giro d’Italia is simply a contention of 21 stages spanning implicit 3,500 kilometers that tests riders crossed level stages, upland climbs and clip trials. It volition reason successful Rome connected June 1.

Though UAE Team Emirates XRG has 4 riders successful the Top 10, Del Toro’s emergence to the apical of the standings has been a surprise. He has nary large wins arsenic a pro, but successful 2023, helium became the archetypal Mexican to triumph France’s Tour de l’Avenir, a contention for amateurs covering overmuch of the Tour de France course.

The Giro volition resume connected Tuesday with Stage 10 — a 28.6-kilometer contention covering a level way from Lucca to Pisa that volition beryllium a trial of idiosyncratic speed.

The short, level signifier — the 2nd and last clip proceedings this twelvemonth — is expected to person a ample interaction connected the wide standings, particularly for contenders, specified arsenic pre-race favourite Primož Roglič of Slovenia, looking to marque up time.

Roglič, the 2023 Giro d’Italia victor and a four-time victor of the Vuelta a España, crashed Sunday connected the gravel and dropped to 10th overall, 145 seconds down Del Toro.

Though determination is nary TV sum successful Mexico, the Giro d’Italia tin beryllium seen connected Max successful the U.S. and connected the streaming work FloBikes successful Canada.

Sunday’s Stage 9 successful Tuscany was a two-man conflict afloat of play astatine the finish.

Belgium’s Van Aert, 30, a three-time signifier victor successful the Tour de France, outsprinted the young Del Toro successful the last meters connected Siena’s steep Piazza del Campo.

Del Toro’s breakthrough successful his archetypal Giro resonates successful Mexico, wherever cycling lacks a Grand Tour tradition. Three-week-long Grand Tour races specified arsenic the Tour de France (launched successful 1903) and the Giro d’Italia (1909) are considered the astir prestigious and challenging events successful roadworthy cycling.

ROMPE EN LLANTO Y NO ES PARA MENOS 💚🤍♥️

Ser el primer mexicano en liderar la clasificación del Giro de Italia a tus 21 años. GRANDE Isaac del Toro. 🐂 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/fFKLp11gBu

— Todo, Menos Fútbol ® (@todomenosfut) May 18, 2025

In the past, Mexico has hosted nonrecreational races, specified arsenic the Vuelta Ciclista Mexico (Tour of Mexico), which started successful 1948 and was revived from 2008 to 2015.

Later this year, Mexico is scheduled to big Desafío México by La Vuelta, a cyclotourist event. It volition connection amateurs the accidental to thrust routes designed to evoke the tone of the celebrated Vuelta a España, sometimes on celebrated cyclists.

With reports from Associated Press, El Financiero, Cycling News and Sin Embargo