![\"Isaac](\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/CAuldPhoto-2025-Worlds-Kigali-Day8-3897-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n‘Tadej told me I have to keep working and pushing.’ Spectacular worlds debut of 21-year-old from Baja California confirms his rise as cycling\u2019s heir apparent to Poga\u010dar\u2019s throne. \n<\/p>\n
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Del Toro dared to ride with Poga\u010dar over Mount Kigali. (Photo: Chris Auld\/Velo)<\/p>\n
Updated September 30, 2025 03:21AM<\/p>\n
When Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/a> detonated the race on Mount Kigali with about 100km to go at the UCI road worlds<\/a>, only one rider had the legs and nerve to follow \u2014 21-year-old Isaac del Toro<\/a>.<\/p>\n For 30km, the Mexican prodigy equaled his UAE Emirates-XRG superstar teammate to prove yet again that he\u2019s destined to become the peloton\u2019s next gal\u00e1ctico<\/a>.<\/p>\n Del Toro couldn\u2019t match Poga\u010dar\u2019s world-best watts with 66km to go, but he dug deep to deliver Mexico\u2019s best result in the elite men\u2019s road worlds with seventh.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted to try. I didn\u2019t want to regret anything about today, we wanted to be in the race,\u201d Del Toro said. \u201cMy teammates gave everything for me, and we wanted to show that we could be up there for the win.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite suffering from stomach problems, Del Toro\u2019s courage and class proved he is among the rare elite of riders able to follow Poga\u010dar\u2019s accelerations and still survive.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, today I didn\u2019t have the level for 266 kilometers. I had some stomach problems,\u201d he said. \u201cEspecially on the last lap, I had to slow pace to control my rhythm. Despite all this I was really suffering.\u201d<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t the podium, but Del Toro\u2019s performance in his elite world\u2019s debut on a savage, unforgiving course that only saw 30 finishers served to reinforce his rise as the heir apparent to Poga\u010dar\u2019s throne.<\/p>\n \u2018Proud of what I achieved\u2019 The Giro d\u2019Italia runner-up admitted Sunday was by far the hardest one-day race of his career. He\u2019s raced Milan-San Remo twice, but nothing matched Kigali\u2019s 268km and nearly 6,000m of climbing.<\/p>\n \u201cEl Torito\u201d came into this worlds as the ultimate outsider<\/a>. He\u2019s been on fire in the second half of 2025, and rose to the challenge of daring to stay with Poga\u010dar.<\/p>\n After burning matches trying to hold Poga\u010dar\u2019s wheel \u2014 Spain\u2019s Juan Ayuso also tried but waved the white flag early \u2014 Del Toro refused to buckle when the Slovenian soloed home with 66km to go.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a very tough race, not only because of the course and the altitude, but also because I started feeling stomach discomfort the day before, which affected me for much of the race,\u201d Del Toro said.<\/p>\n At just 21, Del Toro leaves Rwanda with two historic results: fifth in the time trial and seventh in the road race. Both surpass the previous best Mexican showing at worlds, Ra\u00fal Alcal\u00e1\u2019s 12th in 1989.<\/p>\n That\u2019s also better than Poga\u010dar\u2019s early worlds attempts, which included four starts and two top 20s before busting through with a podium in third in 2023.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m proud of what I achieved, although I know I could have done more in better conditions,\u201d Del Toro said. \u201cBut these experiences are also part of growing as a cyclist.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018I have nothing to regret\u2019 Sunday\u2019s spectacular showing was another important milestone for the second-year pro sensation from Mexico\u2019s Baja California.<\/p>\n These road worlds were Del Toro\u2019s first major monument-distance test. He\u2019s never won a race longer than 200km, and this race by far was the most brutal of his career<\/a>.<\/p>\n He\u2019s twice raced Milan-San Remo, longer at around 290km, but the Italian monument is much easier compared to the nearly 6000m of vertical pain the peloton confronted Sunday.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an incredible level of what the podium is today. I am just really proud to have been \u2018in\u2019 the race,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a long time since Mexico raced in a worlds like this, and for that we\u2019re really proud.\u201d<\/p>\n Most riders who gamble on following one of Poga\u010dar\u2019s acceleration end up paying dearly for it in full, detonating and vanishing from the results sheet.<\/p>\n Del Toro not only survived, but he also held on for seventh place, and did it with his stomach in knots.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Del](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2237896897-720x480.jpg\")
Del Toro and Poga\u010dar pulled clear on Mount Kigali. (Photo: David Ramos\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Del](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2237824200-720x471.jpg\")
Del Toro delivered another stunning performance. (Photo: David Ramos\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n