Isaac del Toro Becomes World’s Third Best Cyclist in 2025

Mexico City — International cycling has witnessed a paradigm shift during 2025. What began as a projection of talent in youth categories has transformed into an indisputable reality: Isaac del Toro Romero is currently the third-best cyclist in the world and the dominant figure in the Americas.

The young rider from Ensenada, Baja California, has concluded a year of consecration that not only redefines his professional career but also places Mexico on the map of a sport historically dominated by Europeans and Colombians. “El Torito de Ensenada” has taken his discipline into the national conversation, and this is only the beginning.

At just 22 years old, Del Toro has achieved what seemed like a utopia for national sports. At the end of the 2025 calendar, the UAE Team Emirates XRG rider positioned himself on the third step of the UCI World Ranking with 5,664 points, behind only two contemporary legends: his teammate, Slovenian Tadej Pogačar (11,680 points), and Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard (5,944.14 points). This position confirms him as the absolute leader of the Tour of America, comfortably surpassing any other rider in the region.

A SEASON OF DOMINANCE IN EUROPE

The chronology of his successes in 2025 makes all his talents on two wheels clear, as well as his versatility and endurance. His victory in the Milano-Torino, one of the longest-running classics on the international calendar, was the first warning sign for the peloton.

However, his performance in the Giro d’Italia marked a historic milestone: Del Toro became the first Mexican to simultaneously wear the Maglia Rosa as the leader of the general classification and the Maglia Bianca as the best young rider in the competition. His performance in the gravel and high mountain stages in Italy demonstrated a technical maturity typically seen in more experienced cyclists.

Del Toro’s dominance extended to stage races. He was crowned champion of the Tour of Austria after a great exhibition in which he conquered stages 2, 3, and 4. Subsequently, he won the general classification of the Vuelta a Burgos, a victory especially significant after overcoming a crash on the opening day.

His year’s achievements are complemented by prestigious victories on the Italian circuit, including the Giro della Toscana, the Coppa Sabatini, the Trofeo Matteotti, and the Gran Piemonte, consolidating himself as the second-best rider in the world in the one-day race rankings.

Isaac del Toro entered the cycling elite by having an extraordinary year with 18 victories, which led him to win the National Sports Award.

FROM ENSENADA TO ELITE PROFESSIONALISM

Initially trained in mountain biking (MTB) and cyclocross, Del Toro dominated the national MTB scene for nine consecutive years. His transition to road cycling was driven by the AR Monex team and the support of Efideporte, before making the definitive leap to the WorldTeam with UAE Team Emirates in 2024.

This growth earned him the highest recognition in his country: the 2025 National Sports Award in the professional category. With this award, he joins an elite list that includes figures such as Lorena Ochoa, Hugo Sánchez, Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez, and Sergio Pérez, being the first professional cyclist in Mexico’s history to receive such distinction.

THE 2026 HORIZON AND HIS LONG-AWAITED DEBUT IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE

Del Toro’s consolidation has allowed his team to chart an ambitious route for the next year. The confirmed calendar for 2026 places the Mexican in the most demanding competitions on the planet. After starting at the UAE Tour in February, he will face the iconic Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, and Milan-San Remo.

However, the main objective is set for July: the Tour de France. His debut in the Grand Boucle represents the final step in his ascent to the top of cycling. With the backing of the most powerful structure in the world and proven recovery capacity, Isaac del Toro is no longer a promise; he is a standard-bearer in the quest for a golden era in Mexican professional cycling.