For years, it has served as a measuring stick for the world’s best climbers. Pogacar and Yates had turned it into their territory. Now, the benchmark belongs to Del Toro.A leap beyond the previous benchmark
The scale of the performance becomes clear when placed against the historical data.
The previous outright best time was 26:13, set by Adam Yates in 2023. Pogacar had twice recorded 26:16 in 2021 and 2022, establishing remarkable consistency at the summit finish. Even in 2020, he climbed within touching distance of those figures with 26:33.
Del Toro’s 25:32 is not a marginal gain. It is more than 40 seconds faster than Yates’ 2023 benchmark and 44 seconds quicker than Pogacar’s best marks. On a climb of just over ten kilometres, that margin is enormous.
For context, Jebel Hafeet has produced standout performances across the last decade, from Esteban Chaves’ 27:20 in 2015 through the era of dominance by Pogacar and Yates. The fastest recorded times on the climb now read:
Record set in the heat of battle
What makes the 25:32 even more striking is how it was achieved. Del Toro attacked decisively in the final kilometres, distanced Antonio Tiberi and sustained an exceptional cadence all the way to the line to overturn the general classification.
In previous editions, the stage has sometimes come down to a reduced sprint, which naturally tempers the pace. This time, the race was driven to the limit from the key acceleration to the summit, and the clock reflected it.
Jebel Hafeet has long defined the UAE Tour. In 2026, it delivered something more: a new reference point for the modern era.
Isaac del Toro did not just win the race in the mountains. He set a time that now stands above Pogacar and Yates, and placed his name at the top of the climb that decides champions.