Del Toro dashes to prologue victory at Lidl Deutschland Tour

Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) powered to victory in the prologue at the Lidl Deutschland Tour, taking an early stride forward in his bid to win the GC.

The Mexican champion and favourite for overall victory was the penultimate rider off the start ramp, and flew around the 2.6km course in Bad Orb to post a time of 3:08, pipping Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) by one second, after the Frenchman had a lengthy spell in the hot seat.

Magnier’s teammate Laurenz Rex (Soudal Quick-Step) rounded out the stage podium, five seconds behind Del Toro.

The victory is a milestone 30th success in the career of the 22-year-old Mexican, and his second in the race against the clock, following his national title success last October. 

It marks the perfect start to the German stage race for Del Toro, who moves into the GC lead, and he will hope to remain there until the race’s end in Heilbronn after stage 4. 

Expected to be the man to beat in the sprints, Magnier set a strong benchmark of 3:10, which, try as they might, many strong riders could not eclipse. 

With such a short effort, the time gaps between the riders were minimal, and thus there were plenty of riders who looked close to challenging the time of the Frenchman.

In quick succession, the likes of Andrea Noviero Raccagni (Soudal Quick-Step), Marco Haller (Tudor) and Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) pushed the time of Magnier close, but the Frenchman’s time still proved to be difficult to surpass. 

Magnier’s teammate, Rex, proved to be the closest challenger provisionally, ending three seconds behind his teammate. 

Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was the penultimate rider off the start ramp, and the Mexican champion had the potential to dethrone Magnier. It was a nervous wait of just over three minutes for Magnier in the hot seat, and in the end, Del Toro dashed Magnier’s hope.