Vincenzo Nibali criticises UAE Team Emirates' preparation of Isaac del Toro for Il Lombardia

Isaac del Toro arrived at Il Lombardia as one of the leading contenders to succeed his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Tadej Pogačar, but the final Monument of the season turned into a difficult afternoon for the 22-year-old Mexican.

When Paul Seixas launched his decisive attack on the Civiglio, Del Toro was unable to respond. He eventually crossed the finish line in 28th place, 4:59 behind the Frenchman, who became the youngest winner in the history of the race.

For Vincenzo Nibali, the disappointing performance raised questions about Del Toro's preparation, particularly the decision to send him to Gran Piemonte just 48 hours before Il Lombardia.

Speaking to Bicisport after the finish, the former Tour de France champion suggested that the demanding race schedule may have contributed to Del Toro's struggles.

"Perhaps doing Gran Piemonte only two days before Lombardia wasn't the best choice," Nibali said. "Today he probably wasn't at 100 percent."

The Italian, who won Il Lombardia in 2015 and 2017, also highlighted the knee problem that Del Toro had been carrying in the final weeks of the season.

"We're at the end of the season, so sometimes it takes very little to achieve a bit more."

Del Toro himself admitted that he had been struggling physically. Speaking to BiciGoga after the race, the Mexican acknowledged that his knee problems and the fatigue from a long season had taken their toll.

"It wasn't the day I hoped for, or my best day on the bike," Del Toro said.

The 22-year-old had already revealed discomfort in his knee ahead of Gran Piemonte, particularly when riding in the saddle. The problem had also affected his training.

Despite those concerns, Del Toro raced Gran Piemonte just two days before Il Lombardia, attacking in the finale before eventually being caught. His struggles in Como only added weight to Nibali's suggestion that more recovery time might have been beneficial.

The disappointing result brought an end to an otherwise remarkable 2026 campaign. Del Toro won the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and the Deutschland Tour, as well as the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal.

He also finished third on his Tour de France debut, winning a stage and securing the white jersey.

After a demanding season, his focus now turns to recovery.

"I'm really happy with how the season went," Del Toro said. "Now, the season is officially over, and it's time to go home, rest, and completely recover."

While Del Toro struggled, Seixas delivered a performance that left Nibali deeply impressed.

The 20-year-old Frenchman attacked on the Civiglio with around 19 kilometres remaining and rode alone to victory, breaking a record for the youngest Il Lombardia winner that had stood since Giovanni Gerbi's triumph in 1905.

Nibali was particularly struck by the composure Seixas displayed on the decisive climb.

"I saw great confidence in him," Nibali explained. "He tackled the Civiglio from the bottom all the way to the top and only got out of the saddle once."

"That shows that he is very sure of himself. He set his own pace, stayed alone and then went on to claim this very prestigious victory."

Nibali also pointed to the different approaches taken by the main contenders in the build-up to Il Lombardia.

While Seixas skipped the European Championships to focus on the Italian Monument, Remco Evenepoel and Giulio Ciccone both arrived after demanding performances the previous weekend. Evenepoel, who had won the European road race title, was unable to challenge for victory and eventually finished fourth.

"We probably all expected a little bit more from him, but he still finished fourth," Nibali said. "It's possible that he wasn't at 100 percent today."

The Italian believes Ciccone, who finished third, may also have been feeling the effects of the European Championships.

"I had ridden with Giulio, and he hadn't fully recovered 100 percent from the efforts of the Europeans, so he also put in a beautiful performance."