- Jun 30, 2022
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He showed he was good enough to win there and might have with better instructions from team,
Del Toro had limited cross over with Finn Fisher-Black and Marc Hirschi when he first reported to UAE ,both riders were switching teams . Hirschi had a little bit better end of season and tenure at UAE I think he won 6 races in his final months with the team. From what I gather most riders get along with each other pretty well and doesn't seem to be lots of bad blood when you transfer.
Pretty much what I see also, learning experience. Plus the field will make it much, much easier for world tour level riders that due fewer stupid things. Trade team alliances will play heavy and guys will be able to conserve energy waiting for favorites to attack each other. Del Toro unlikely to imitate Pogacar in front of Pogacar so he will counter moves not initiate them. I feel like @15-20 riders will be burned off if first 10k..
But perfect storm , Del Toro nervous, inexperienced, new territory and in my opinion he did exactly what team car told him to do. And it's funny that UAE make, made nothing of sitting with Del Toro at media interviews before Ayuso abandoned.. Staff nervous that young punk Del Toro would just speak from the heart and cause a big cat fight with Ayuso. UAE can claim Del Toro F'd up but from what I saw they were controlling everything he did and said all 3 weeks. Isaac was too loyal a soldier than to say stupid instructions came from the boss instead of his brain.. He took one for the team, still made history and got second. Got the President of his country to alert the @130+ million population that something special was happening. For Isaac and Mexico, suddenly cycling is something people are paying attention to.
I won't post it, but one of my favorite bike racing videos of all time.. Maybe my favorite is Isaac's mother screaming, coming completely unglued as her baby son won his first pro race, on his first day as a pro in TDU in Australia. Utter joy is an understatement. It's like hearing a mother struck by lightning..
Sort of related to talented young riders I think what Matthew Riccitello did to himself today will pay benefits yet to be seen. He lost contact, got a pretty bad gap but he ripped himself apart to chase back.. He didn't beat some of the best in bike racing but he was close enough to taste it. Has to be a major confidence boost for his performance this year.
Giro gave Del Toro a shot in the arm now he is unstoppable
I'd like to see how he goes at the World Championships. It will be really interesting to see how he does when up against Pog/ Remco et al.
- Feb 21, 2019
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13th win of the season today.
I knew he was fast, but it was still impressive to see Del Toro easily win a sprint of some 30-40 riders.
I knew he was fast, but it was still impressive to see Del Toro easily win a sprint of some 30-40 riders.
- Apr 13, 2025
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Yes, although the top 10 in that race has been truly mediocre.
Rui Costa has been a fast rider, but he hasn't been able to win mass sprints for a while.
But yes, whoever wants to win the WC will be better if dropped him
I honestly have no handle on how good he actually is. He has won a lot and he was so impressive at the Giro, but then I see a top 10 like this and it's almost meaningless.
Lots and lots if they want to, not exactly a full start list, likely the worst for half a century.
- Oct 30, 2023
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- Mar 20, 2022
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I think that they are taking 2, Eder Frayre is eligible but will not race in Rwanda. My real hope is Isaac racing gravel worlds.
Today Isaac was paying close attention to people hanging around, in his first attempt, Rui Costa and Richard Carapaz..were able to go..Del Toro didn't have great speed today...each time he tried to get his standard gap it failed at peloton caught him...Carapaz looked good until he didn't he just sort of faded, but Del Toro can surely remember Costa's form which also looked good when he took a long flyer in Austria.. Rui was really rolling and just ran out of gas. Both Del Toro and Costa raced really really good to get that result with what was a @500 meter lead out.
He will not be leaving UAE for a long time. They are, treating him great and there is nobody better to learn from and be around than Tadej Pogacar ..and as he is getting accustomed to pro life, plenty of Spanish speaking staff in UAE ranks.
- Jul 10, 2014
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- Feb 20, 2012
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You gotta wonder how UAE will treat him for the main fall classics where Pogacar also races. Could easily be the McNulty style where Pog wins anyway so Del Toro can also go for his own result.
- Apr 30, 2011
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- Feb 20, 2012
- 53,739
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- Sep 2, 2011
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Tre Valli Varesine organizers claim Pogi made a promise to ride it, but I wouldn't bet on it.
- Apr 30, 2011
- 46,733
- 29,307
- 28,180
Two days after ECRR should be doable, I guess. But I think Del Toro will lead Emilia.
- Sep 2, 2011
- 17,500
- 13,674
- 28,180
He'll run out of gas eventually, unless he really is the new Valverde.
I feel completely different and think that some bad luck and the rehab from it have cost Costa some of his old age productivity.. He doesn't look like his climbing is top level but his @3k - sprinting is still good. He really is good at getting position in final 3 k.. I think Del Toro is going to suffer from cabin fever over the short winter.. His first year was Australia in January but I am guessing that UAE will start him later like Pogacar. They have other riders that can be ready for early race starts.. I hope Antonio Morgado and Jan Christian get some race starts dedicated to them. Although Del Toro accidentally got leadership from Grosshartner in Austria, he was racing good at Vuelta. Don't know when contract for Felix Grosshartner is up.. or is UAE will keep him. And rumors that UAE will sign a dedicated sprinter don't look real.
- Apr 13, 2025
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For now, another -200km rider like Roglic and Ayuso.
He did well because he will be in the top 10 but he is not as much of a favorite as he is in the Italian classics of 180-200 km.
That has always been Roglic's problem, even though he won Liège thanks to Alaphilippe´s fault, but he was never dominant in long races.
He did well because he will be in the top 10 but he is not as much of a favorite as he is in the Italian classics of 180-200 km.
That has always been Roglic's problem, even though he won Liège thanks to Alaphilippe´s fault, but he was never dominant in long races.
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