Il Lombardia 2025, monument, October 11

[Cycling111]

How many neo-pros can ride a strong 250kms.

I've already said he can improve. But as of today, it's clear he didn't perform as well in those races because of the mileage, not dute to fatigue, or it would have been more noticeable today. Or he wouldn't have failed just in San Sebastian.

It seems no coincidence that his worst results in the fall were in the three races over 200km: San Sebastian, Rwanda, and Lombardia.

By de way, Del Toro isn't a neo-pro; he's a second-year rider.

 

[Miha81]

Wooden Melania 🤣😂

 

[andrew_s]

There's no picture of when Simmons dropped Del Toro?

Del Toro never caught Simmons, so you could say he dropped Del Toro at km 0.

Del Toro was showing signs of being about to be dropped by Remco & Storer when coverage cut away to show Pogacar summiting the Ganda, When the cameras cut back there was a 30 m gap. Remco & Storer caught Simmons just before the top, and dropped Simmons soon after the top on a short rise.

 

[Cycling111]

Del Toro never caught Simmons, so you could say he dropped Del Toro at km 0.

Del Toro was showing signs of being about to be dropped by Remco & Storer when coverage cut away to show Pogacar summiting the Ganda, When the cameras cut back there was a 30 m gap. Remco & Storer caught Simmons just before the top, and dropped Simmons soon after the top on a short rise.

On the descent.

 

[Oldman]

Wooden Melania 🤣😂

Looks happier than the real version.

 

[Oldman]

Del Toro never caught Simmons, so you could say he dropped Del Toro at km 0.

Del Toro was showing signs of being about to be dropped by Remco & Storer when coverage cut away to show Pogacar summiting the Ganda, When the cameras cut back there was a 30 m gap. Remco & Storer caught Simmons just before the top, and dropped Simmons soon after the top on a short rise.

Simmons has proven to be consistently beastly. His team should target a race a little shorter than 250km.

 

[yaco]

I've already said he can improve. But as of today, it's clear he didn't perform as well in those races because of the mileage, not dute to fatigue, or it would have been more noticeable today. Or he wouldn't have failed just in San Sebastian.

It seems no coincidence that his worst results in the fall were in the three races over 200km: San Sebastian, Rwanda, and Lombardia.

By de way, Del Toro isn't a neo-pro; he's a second-year rider.

A neo-pro is considered your first two years. It can take more than two years to build up the endurance to ride a strong 250kms. Del Toro has time on his side.

 

[Cookster15]

Del Toro won the Tour de l'Avenir in August 2023.

Joined UAE in October 2023. I think that was when he turned pro* ?

Then showed big promise at the 2024 TDU - in January.

It is now October 2025. *I think he would no longer be classified as a Neo Pro by this month?

 

[Netserk]

Del Toro never caught Simmons, so you could say he dropped Del Toro at km 0.

Del Toro was showing signs of being about to be dropped by Remco & Storer when coverage cut away to show Pogacar summiting the Ganda, When the cameras cut back there was a 30 m gap. Remco & Storer caught Simmons just before the top, and dropped Simmons soon after the top on a short rise.

He caught him when the ticker showed 16.4 km to go for Pogi.

 

[yaco]

Del Toro won the Tour de l'Avenir in August 2023.

Joined UAE in October 2023. I think that was when he turned pro* ?

Then showed big promise at the 2024 TDU - in January.

It is now October 2025. *I think he would no longer be classified as a Neo Pro by this month?

The point still remains that its unusual for a second year pro to ride a strong 250km race.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Congrats to Pogi for finishing the season on a high and cementing the UAE dominance over the whole season.

 

[Lequack]

Il Lombardia 2025 | Behind the scenes​

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k82oW21_p-Q

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Del Toro never caught Simmons, so you could say he dropped Del Toro at km 0.

This is wrong. Simmons dropped Del Toro again after the descent.

 

[AmRacer]

This is wrong. Simmons dropped Del Toro again after the descent.

Simmons dropped Toro twice.

 

[dobrien]

I said the same thing to my sister yesterday. I think he has some big wins ahead of him, but he perhaps just needs to ride a little bit smarter. I know he's controversial, but trying to be objective and just judge him based on what he shows on the road, it would be good to see him take a GT stage or decent one day win.

I think part of how he is riding is (my opinion) he is still kind of in that liminal space between emerging rider and someone who can be a real threat in big races, and it's kind of the way he has to ride if he isn't yet at the point where he's getting support yet (at least he's getting into breaks and not always on donkey duty!). He was so close to winning a Tour stage already this year, in a lot of breaks and was still riding pretty strongly late in the race. Big riders for me are the ones who are still strong at the end of Monument length races and I don't think this is a fluke, being away all day and still present in the finale, nearly scoring a podium, seems like a pretty big breakthrough to me. I think he'll mature more tactically and if Lidl give him some help and more guidance I could at least see a Tour stage next season. The flip side of that of course is he may be given less rope to get in breaks but then again he is a super persistent dude, 100% not afraid to suffer, (much like Mads in a way) and will be hard to deny.

Also, ending the season on such a high note really lends itself to big motivation for next year as well; self-belief goes a very long way in such a hard sport, especially for someone who has had some mental challenges. He seems to be in a pretty good place now, going to marry his partner, etc; he'll be exciting to follow, love him or not.