Isaac Del Toro thread

[Red Rick]

I think the Giro was lost on Finestre and neither him nor Carapaz were ever gonna win from that position. But the fact that he was out of virtual pink by 20 seconds, going into a descent, and just gave up is the thing that's really bothering me. He has no idea if he'll ever be this close to winning a GT again. He's not a great TTer (yet), his climbing level was clearly below of what you expect from a GT winnner. He has to improve massively from this if he wants to be certain to win a GT in the future. Of course given his age it's very well possible that will happen but you never know.

He's also just not gonna get sole leadership in GTs at UAE. In a good year for their secondary leaders, Pogacar only races one GT, but their squads are stacked. If he's lucky then Almeida leaves after 2026.

 

[Lequack]

So in the end he was also stung by a bee, just like Ayuso.

 

[tobydawq]

He's also just not gonna get sole leadership in GTs at UAE. In a good year for their secondary leaders, Pogacar only races one GT, but their squads are stacked. If he's lucky then Almeida leaves after 2026.

And Ayuso might also leave soon (I wouldn't be surprised if he had ridden his last GT for UAE).

 

[Rackham]

Baldato says the team car told Isaac Del Toro to chase Yates when his lead grew to over half a minute but he only did it once. He apparently wanted to save energy for the finish. They said the rider made the choice, it was his decision, not the car's.

Wroeging bij ploegleider UAE Emirates XRG: "We hebben Simon Yates onderschat"

Ploegleider Mauro Gianetti erkende al dat UAE Emirates XRG fouten heeft gemaakt in de twintigste etappe van de Giro d’Italia. Nu doet ook zijn collega Fabio Baldato dat. De Italiaan geeft toe dat ze Simon Yates hebben onderschat en baalt dat hij Isaac Del Toro niet meer heeft aangemoedigd. “We...

www.wielerflits.nl

It reads like politely throwing him under a small bus tbh.

 

[Red Rick]

Baldato says the team car told Isaac Del Toro to chase Yates when his lead grew to over half a minute but he only did it once. He apparently wanted to save energy for the finish. They said the rider made the choice, it was his decision, not the car's.

Wroeging bij ploegleider UAE Emirates XRG: "We hebben Simon Yates onderschat"

Ploegleider Mauro Gianetti erkende al dat UAE Emirates XRG fouten heeft gemaakt in de twintigste etappe van de Giro d’Italia. Nu doet ook zijn collega Fabio Baldato dat. De Italiaan geeft toe dat ze Simon Yates hebben onderschat en baalt dat hij Isaac Del Toro niet meer heeft aangemoedigd. “We...

www.wielerflits.nl

It reads like politely throwing him under a small bus tbh.

Firehose of falsehood - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[topcat]

Baldato says the team car told Isaac Del Toro to chase Yates when his lead grew to over half a minute but he only did it once. He apparently wanted to save energy for the finish. They said the rider made the choice, it was his decision, not the car's.

Wroeging bij ploegleider UAE Emirates XRG: "We hebben Simon Yates onderschat"

Ploegleider Mauro Gianetti erkende al dat UAE Emirates XRG fouten heeft gemaakt in de twintigste etappe van de Giro d’Italia. Nu doet ook zijn collega Fabio Baldato dat. De Italiaan geeft toe dat ze Simon Yates hebben onderschat en baalt dat hij Isaac Del Toro niet meer heeft aangemoedigd. “We...

www.wielerflits.nl

It reads like politely throwing him under a small bus tbh.

It's getting more ridiculous.
However, del Toro is so good, I expect him to have a great career (even UAE can't stuff this up).

 

[Divergence]

Baldato says the team car told Isaac Del Toro to chase Yates when his lead grew to over half a minute but he only did it once. He apparently wanted to save energy for the finish. They said the rider made the choice, it was his decision, not the car's.

Wroeging bij ploegleider UAE Emirates XRG: "We hebben Simon Yates onderschat"

Ploegleider Mauro Gianetti erkende al dat UAE Emirates XRG fouten heeft gemaakt in de twintigste etappe van de Giro d’Italia. Nu doet ook zijn collega Fabio Baldato dat. De Italiaan geeft toe dat ze Simon Yates hebben onderschat en baalt dat hij Isaac Del Toro niet meer heeft aangemoedigd. “We...

www.wielerflits.nl

It reads like politely throwing him under a small bus tbh.

This is what I wrote as well. At 30s you start chasing because the Giro will be over anyway.
There was another post mentioning IDT was empty and it would not have made any difference anyway. That is BS. Even is he was empty, he should have gone to the front and fought tooth and nail for the Giro. If he ended up 3rd in the end so be it, who cares, at least he tried. This way, he will be going over the stage many times in his head for a long time.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

The most logical explanation is that Del Toro lacked faith in his legs and was scared of exploding and losing the podium altogether. Even that doesn’t make a ton of sense but he is inexperienced and might not be totally dialed into how his body will respond in X or y situation. (And of course even experienced pros can get that wrong). The disappointment is that he clearly erred on the side of leaving too much in the tank vs blowing himself up trying to win. I’m not sure what his climbing style is typically like, but he should have in retrospect gone more Derek Gee/Yates and less Carapaz. I’m sure he felt empty after those sprints, but he clearly had enough to sprint again. And again. Oh well.

 

[Rou]

What races should UAE send the Mexican bull with the heart of a rabbit for the remainder of the season? If it was up to me I am putting him on the Ayuso schedule:
San Sebastian
Burgos
Pologne
World's
Some Italian classics and maybe domestique duties for Pog at Lombardia.

 

[Gigs_98]

The most logical explanation is that Del Toro lacked faith in his legs and was scared of exploding and losing the podium altogether. Even that doesn’t make a ton of sense but he is inexperienced and might not be totally dialed into how his body will respond in X or y situation. (And of course even experienced pros can get that wrong). The disappointment is that he clearly erred on the side of leaving too much in the tank vs blowing himself up trying to win. I’m not sure what his climbing style is typically like, but he should have in retrospect gone more Derek Gee/Yates and less Carapaz. I’m sure he felt empty after those sprints, but he clearly had enough to sprint again. And again. Oh well.

Again, maybe the entire Finestre he felt like he was about to blow up, but he didn't even try to go fast downhill. He should have been essentially panicking that this incredible opportunity to win the giro was disappearing right in front of him, trying everything in his power to organize a chase. Instead he just didn't seem to care.

 

[Rackham]

Again, maybe the entire Finestre he felt like he was about to blow up, but he didn't even try to go fast downhill. He should have been essentially panicking that this incredible opportunity to win the giro was disappearing right in front of him, trying everything in his power to organize a chase. Instead he just didn't seem to care.

Too young. Not aware of what was really at stake. Got the leadership jersey 'too easily', basically. Maybe he reckons there's more to come.

That's just some theories off the top of my head. He needed to sweat and collapse out there in defense of the jersey. He didn't. There's no way of fixing that or justifying post-mortem 'why' he raced the way he did.

It also didn't help him because he needed to find his limit. It doesn't get much bigger or better than Finestre as a real life exercise in that regard.

 

[scribers]

2nd in the giro is a big deal for himself and for cycling generally in Mexico. I can understand him not wanting to collapse off the podium. He’s not yet at the all or nothing mentality yet. He will be over time

 

[Rackham]

2nd in the giro is a big deal for himself and for cycling generally in Mexico. I can understand him not wanting to collapse off the podium. He’s not yet at the all or nothing mentality yet. He will be over time

Derek Gee was the benchmark though for the podium and he had over two minutes on him. 2nd or 3rd meanwhile is pretty much inconsequential at that point.

The real killer to borrow a Sean Kellyism was sprinting in Sestrières. I mean dude, you just lost the Giro but you're showing you've got the legs to sprint easy-peasy? No way.

It was weird. All the smiles and selfies after were weird as well.

 

[noob]

Mentally empty is also empty.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Baldato says the team car told Isaac Del Toro to chase Yates when his lead grew to over half a minute but he only did it once. He apparently wanted to save energy for the finish. They said the rider made the choice, it was his decision, not the car's.

This only further confirms things are rather moot and the theory del Toro was empty is not all there is to it. IMHO UAE was involved in this tactical blunder in some way. Maybe they will tell us someday more about it.

 

[topcat]

I agree with all the criticism of del Toro but he can bounce back.

 

[CyclistAbi]

I agree with all the criticism of del Toro but he can bounce back.

Nah, there is more to it but indeed it would be rather convenient to blame it all on del Toro.

 

[scribers]

Derek Gee was the benchmark though for the podium and he had over two minutes on him. 2nd or 3rd meanwhile is pretty much inconsequential at that point.

The real killer to borrow a Sean Kellyism was sprinting in Sestrières. I mean dude, you just lost the Giro but you're showing you've got the legs to sprint easy-peasy? No way.

It was weird. All the smiles and selfies after were weird as well.

Well again. 2nd in the giro is a big deal for himself and where he’s from.

 

[Unchained]

He's also just not gonna get sole leadership in GTs at UAE. In a good year for their secondary leaders, Pogacar only races one GT, but their squads are stacked. If he's lucky then Almeida leaves after 2026.

Excellent theory, Del Toro was not the secondary choice for UAE, he was the accidental leader because of a crash of leadership on the team. Team or Del Toro never compared him to Pogacar, done through the media. Del Toro was picked to lead and won a minor stage race in his first year. Did camps and deep prep for Giro support, Del Toro was not asking for leadership role.

 

[noob]

Not enough confidence, afraid of upsetting the team, mentally exhausted.

Logically you want to negative split such a climb Almeida style. It seems Del Toro wanted to as well. But then he also wanted to follow Carapaz.

I think he just tried to do both in a backwards "logic" resulting in just chasing Carapaz.

Also did he have enough fuel?

 

[Rackham]

Not enough confidence, afraid of upsetting the team, mentally exhausted.

Logically you want to negative split such a climb Almeida style. It seems Del Toro wanted to as well. But then he also wanted to follow Carapaz.

I think he just tried to do both in a backwards "logic" resulting in just chasing Carapaz.

Also did he have enough fuel?

The car made a rookie error by allowing Van Aert to have a ten minute cushion on Finestre for no reason (& zero UAE satellite riders in the breakaway either) and as icing on the disaster-cake Del Toro then proceeded to race flippantly against Carapaz.

All-in-all a mess of epic proportions that has gone down in the annals of cycling history as the day Rabofail was retired (along with "lol Movistar tactics!") and Baldatofail (or whatever people wish to assign UAE's car in terms of moniker) became the new go-to top of the class example not-to-follow in cycling management.

 

[Unchained]

Well again. 2nd in the giro is a big deal for himself and where he’s from.

Isaac Del Toro is from Northern Baja California city of Ensenada. An hour and ten minutes south of San Diego.
There are some notable Mexican racers who have results in US, raced for continental teams like Jelly Belly, KHS, Legion, Miami Blazers, ect.
Nobody has come close to Del Toro since Raul Alcala signed with 7-11 in 1985!! Raul got rides with 7-11, PDM, Motorola. Alcala only Mexican ever to win TDF stages...time between Del Toro and Alcala is pretty long, nobody for decades showing much.

 

[noob]

The car made a rookie error by allowing Van Aert to have a ten minute cushion on Finestre for no reason (& zero UAE satellite riders in the breakaway either) and as icing on the disaster-cake Del Toro then proceeded to race flippantly against Carapaz.

All-in-all a mess of epic proportions that has gone down in the annals of cycling history as the day Rabofail was retired (along with "lol Movistar tactics!") and Baldatofail (or whatever people wish to assign UAE's car in terms of moniker) became the new go-to top of the class example not-to-follow in cycling management.

UAE is a tactical mess always. I swear in the team cars they're probaly arguing with each other on who is the leader and what to do. They're a mess with too much money.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Excellent theory, Del Toro was not the secondary choice for UAE, he was the accidental leader because of a crash of leadership on the team. Team or Del Toro never compared him to Pogacar, done through the media. Del Toro was picked to lead and won a minor stage race in his first year. Did camps and deep prep for Giro support, Del Toro was not asking for leadership role.

I kinda think of Del Toro as Kamala Harris in that he just kind of fell into the leadership role because the primary leader had dropped out, aaaand the lack of experience and confidence showed. It was even prior to stage 20 that I thought he looked like a deer caught in headlights at times but, give him some time and hopefully more opportunities as a team leader and he'll learn the ropes eventually.

 

[Roku]

Del Toro rode poorly on Finestre.

If you are really afraid of blowing up you don't follow a rampant Caparaz going full Berserk mode right at the start of the climb. That was a brutal pace. Del Toro raced to protect his place against Carapaz, not to defend his pink jersey or to secure a podium placing. That is one of the weirdest strategy I've seen in +25 years of consciously watching cycling.