Isaac del Toro turned down Giro leadership to ride Tour de France alongside Pogacar
The Mexican asked UAE Team Emirates-XRG to change his 2026 programme so he could learn alongside Tadej Pogacar, a decision that ended with a podium finish and the white jersey.
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Isaac del Toro personally requested a place in the 2026 Tour de France squad, despite being offered a leadership role at the Giro d’Italia, sports manager Joxean Fernández Matxín has revealed.
The 22-year-old Mexican wanted to gain experience at the Tour and learn alongside Tadej Pogačar. The decision proved immediately successful, with Del Toro finishing third overall on his debut, winning the white jersey and helping Pogačar secure a fifth Tour victory.
Matxín told ESPN Mexico the team had initially planned to build Del Toro’s season around the Giro, where he would have started as leader.
"In principle, we had proposed to him to do it in Giro d'Italia."
Del Toro, however, asked whether he could ride the Tour de France instead and use the race to gain experience for the future. Matxín said the team ultimately agreed that the opportunity to learn at the Tour outweighed the chance to lead the Giro.
"And he asks, 'Why not do the Tour and learn and take that experience for the future?' So, why not? We ask him the fact that he deserves to be the leader of the Giro, he asks why not acquire experience this year in the Tour."
Battling illness
Del Toro’s Tour debut was not without difficulties. Matxín also revealed that the Mexican suffered from sinusitis and a sore throat during parts of the three week race.
According to the UAE sports manager, the changes between cold conditions and extreme heat caused inflammation and discomfort on several days.
"Obviously, sore throat, sinusitis when you are cold, when you really get a little cold, in moments of extreme heat. These temperature changes are what make your throat hurt, you have a sore throat and you have that discomfort. It is true that he gave negative in all the controls of COVID, flu, flu, etc," said Matxín.
Del Toro repeatedly tested negative for COVID and influenza, allowing him to continue pursuing his general classification ambitions.
He remained among the leading riders throughout the race and ultimately completed the podium behind Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel. Del Toro also won the white jersey and took a stage victory in Barcelona.
The result continued an already outstanding 2026 season, following overall victories at the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
Matxín believes the experience of riding alongside Pogačar was particularly valuable for Del Toro’s development.
"In the end, he has done a Tour in an exemplary way, he has learned from the best person he could learn from, from the winner of five Tours de France. And on top of that, he has achieved that connection that is possibly rarely seen between two riders of their calibre."
His next races have not yet been confirmed, with UAE Team Emirates-XRG still to outline his programme for the remainder of the season.
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