Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – – Isaac del Toro is stepping into a leadership role at the UAE Tour, tasked with defending the title previously held by teammate Tadej Pogačar. While acknowledging the advice he’s received from the reigning World Champion, del Toro remained tight-lipped about specifics as the race approaches.
The young Mexican rider has quickly formed a close bond with Pogačar since making a significant impact on the professional cycling scene in 2025. A notable example of their collaboration came during the 2025 Giro d’Italia, where Pogačar encouraged del Toro to target victory in a challenging gravel stage, believing in his ability to succeed. Though narrowly defeated by Wout van Aert, del Toro seized the race lead that day, a position he fiercely defended until the penultimate stage to Sestriere, where Simon Yates ultimately claimed the General Classification win.
Their partnership continued to flourish throughout the latter half of the 2025 season, with del Toro achieving success in the Italian Autumn racing season and subsequently supporting Pogačar to victories in Tre Valli Varesine and Il Lombardia. “I spoke to him [Pogačar] about this race, not in this [recent] time, but yes, during the training camps and all this I did, so it’s nice to have some advice from him,” del Toro stated at the pre-race press conference.
Del Toro’s upcoming challenge at the UAE Tour will be a significant test, particularly with the absence of Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, who was forced to withdraw due to a recent crash, and illness. He will face stiff competition from Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), widely considered the favorite for the red jersey. Del Toro expressed his respect for Evenepoel, acknowledging him as “one of the most complete riders in the new cycling.”
Despite the pressure, del Toro emphasized that this race represents a crucial opportunity to gauge his form at the start of the 2026 season. “I will say that I’m feeling the pressure a little bit, but it’s more because it’s my first race, not much because it’s the home race. I know it is a responsibility, but it’s more like the start of this season,” he explained. He also highlighted the confidence the team has placed in him, describing it as “something really special” and expressing his privilege to be in a leadership position.
UAE Team Emirates appears to have a strong roster supporting del Toro, including Adam Yates, who will act as a key domestique. This strength in numbers is expected to pose a significant challenge to Evenepoel and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. Yates himself has previewed a particularly challenging new addition to the course: the Jebel Mobrah climb on stage 3. “Actually, for me personally, I think it’s a good climb, for us featherweights, let’s call us,” Yates said. “Also, this kind of climb, in this kind of heat, is going to be a real of a challenge.”
Del Toro has already familiarized himself with the Jebel Mobrah climb, giving him a potential advantage over his rivals. The climb’s demanding profile – 14.9 kilometers with an average gradient of 8.6% – is expected to be a decisive factor in the General Classification battle.
Looking ahead, del Toro is focused on building upon his successes from the previous year. “I’m glad to have had a year like last year, and hopefully we can continue with that line. But of course, we still have some things to fix to be better, but for sure, we are hungry to try to be up there,” he said. The UAE Tour will not only serve as a test of del Toro’s capabilities but also as a platform to demonstrate his potential as a future Grand Tour contender.
