Isaac Del Toro Shines Again and Leads Tadej Pogačar to Victory

Isaac Del Toro once again plays a decisive role during the third stage of the 2026 Tour de France by once again becoming one of the most important men of the UAE Team Emirates XRG in promoting Tadej Pogačar’s victory.

The Mexican put aside any personal aspirations to concentrate completely on collective work, demonstrating once again that he can also make a difference when his mission consists of supporting his leader.

After the historic victory achieved a day earlier, many fans imagined that Isaac would have more freedom within the team, especially after the support he received from Pogačar during the outcome of the second stage.

That day left an unusual image, since the Slovenian champion protected the Mexican’s advantage by controlling the attacks of the pursuers while Del Toro fought to maintain the difference until the finish line.

However, the third stage confirmed that the UAE Team Emirates XRG structure keeps the roles of each rider perfectly defined when the main objective is to conquer the Tour de France.

During the final kilometers, Isaac moved back to the front of the peloton to set the stage for the decisive sprint, exerting himself immensely and ultimately proving crucial to the day’s outcome.

With a devastating pace in the final kilometer, the Mexican cyclist whittled down the group of favorites and eliminated many of the main rivals on his team’s roster who had a chance to respond.

After completing this task, Del Toro practically exhausted himself before dropping back, leaving the way perfectly clear for Tadej Pogačar to finish the job.

The Slovenian capitalized perfectly on his teammate’s lead-out to take the stage victory and add another triumph to his extraordinary career.

Pogačar’s success also had significant consequences for the general classification, as he managed to dethrone Jonas Vingegaard to become the new leader of the 2016 Tour de France.

In addition to the yellow jersey, the UAE Team Emirates XRG rider took over first place in the points classification, further reinforcing the Emirati squad’s dominance at the start of the race.

Isaac Del Toro crossed the finish line in ninth position after a tremendous effort to launch his leader, a result that reflects the excellent level at which he continues to compete.

Thanks to this performance, the Mexican maintains fourth place in the general classification and retains the lead in the young rider classification, consolidating a start to the race that surpasses all expectations and previous participation by a Mexican in the Tour.

With just three stages completed, Del Toro continues to deliver one of the most outstanding debuts in recent Tour de France history, combining high-level individual performances with impeccable teamwork.

His ability to alternate between the role of stage winner and that of a superb domestique demonstrates the enormous sporting maturity he has developed despite his youth, making him an indispensable asset to the aspirations of UAE Team Emirates XRG.

If both riders maintain this extraordinary level over the next few weeks, it’s not unreasonable to think that Tadej Pogačar and Isaac Del Toro could finish the Tour de France as two of the main contenders in the general classification and on the final podium.

The race still has a long way to go, but the start for the Emirati team has been practically perfect, and the Mexican continues to deliver performances that strengthen his candidacy to become one of the biggest names in world cycling.

Remember that you can follow all the stages of the 2026 Tour de France with Isaac Del Toro’s daily coverage on our YouTube channel @cyclinity.