Del Toro explains cautious approach on Jebel Mobrah: 'I’ve never been a leader for the team'
Isaac del Toro did not take the stage on Jebel Mobrah, but he did come away with a performance that kept his UAE Tour ambitions intact. Antonio Tiberi won the day and moved into the red jersey, while Del Toro limited his losses and moved up to second overall. Afterwards, the UAE Team Emirates protege struck a measured tone, framing the climb as another lesson in learning how to ride as the protected man.
The climb had been billed as a duel with Remco Evenepoel, but it unfolded differently. Antonio Tiberi attacked from distance and held it to the line, Evenepoel cracked, and Isaac del Toro rode with restraint before launching late, dropping the chasers but running out of road to close the gap.
Post race, Del Toro said his patience on the steepest section was deliberate. “On the profile it looks like a very hard climb,” he said. “I've never been a leader for the team, so I was very careful with the effort I wanted to manage during the climb.”
He also credited the support around him. “The team did a perfect job trying to control for me and trying to help me. So thanks to them, I was able and confident to try in the final.”
By the time Del Toro accelerated, Tiberi was already committed up the road. The move was sharp enough to shed the rest, but not enough to bring the leader back.
“I would have loved to try to catch him. He was going so fast, really chapeau for him. I really tried.” The ride still moved the 22-year-old Mexican into second overall behind Tiberi.
Del Toro was similarly measured about his time trial earlier in the week. “I was not disappointed. I think I did a good performance, but not the best. In these kind of days, you want to be flying, but it’s okay. I need to be mature with this and keep going.”
Asked if he can still turn the race around, he left it open. “Maybe yes, maybe not. I will see.” Then, on optimism: “Of course.”
Tiberi, meanwhile, was still absorbing the scale of his ride. “It was amazing. It’s a dream for me. I still think I have to realise what I did,” he said.
With the jersey on his shoulders, the 24-year-old Bahrain Victorious rider’s ambition has shifted. “The objective is to arrive in top five. My personal objective was maybe to do a top three. Today I had the confirm that maybe I can also try to win this UAE, and for sure from now I will go for win.”
Tomorrow, the UAE Tour continues with a 182 km stage starting and finishing in Fujairah, which should suit the sprinters.
Result: UAE Tour stage 3
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