'Del Toro's a superstar' - Canadian WorldTour races organisers in talks for new Mexican event
The organisers of the Canadian WorldTour events, the GP de Québec and GP de Montreal, have confirmed that they are in active discussions for a new WorldTour race in Mexico
Canadian WorldTour race organisers are in discussions about bringing an elite-level event to Mexico, a nation that currently boasts one of the biggest talents in the sport, in Isaac del Toro.
Sébastien Arsenault, president of the Canadian WorldTour races, confirmed active negotiations are underway for a potential UCI-level Mexican event, which could expand the sport at the elite level in North America.
"I'm currently in discussions about a joint venture to see if there's an opening," Arsenault told Wielerflits in an interview. "I'm convinced that if I'm involved in setting up such an event, and I say this with all due respect and humility, the UCI will support me. Just like other parts of the cycling community."
Del Toro has been one of the standout riders of 2025, confirming the hype after he became the first Mexican to win the Tour de l’Avenir. 2025 has seen the Del Toro amass 12 victories, with only Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) winning more.
The major breakthrough for Del Toro was his performance at the Giro d’Italia, where he led the race until the final day, winning a stage in the pink jersey, and finishing 2nd overall. Arsenault believes that Del Toro’s success has created unique opportunities for the expansion of the sport in North America due to the 21-year-old’s hype and popularity.
"I can't speak for the Americans and organising these kinds of events, but I do think there are openings in America. It could also easily be in Mexico, because they have Isaac Del Toro. He's already a superstar and still extremely young, so why not collaborate with Mexico?" Arsenault told Wielerflits in an interview.
Joseph Limare, general manager of the Canadian races, appeared enthusiastic about the possibility when questioned. "I'm looking forward to flying to Mexico to see what kind of events we can organise there, but that's still on Sébastien's agenda," he said to Wielerflits.
The potential Mexican expansion comes amid a sharp decline in professional cycling events in the United States, where prestigious races like the Tour of California and Tour of Utah have disappeared from the calendar. This year, only the Maryland Cycling Classic (UCI 1.1) remains as a professional race in the US.
Arsenault seems to prefer focusing on Mexico rather than trying to revive American races. "It's complicated," he said when asked about the American cycling scene. "There's a history of competitions quickly disappearing in the States, especially compared to our current 14 or 15 years."
For Arsenault, the goal is to create a substantial block of races across North and Central America. "If we really want to make progress with Mexican races, I think this could be a great next step," he concluded.
