Angry Pidcock and Matthews claim del Toro helped UAE teammate McNulty claim gold - “If fewer teams had ridden together across national borders"
Cycling
As Brandon McNulty rode to victory in Sunday's dramatic World Championships finale, there was some anger behind in the chase as both Tom Pidcock and Michael Matthews implied that his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Isaac del Toro helped McNulty.
The American attacked with 35 kilometers to go in Montreal, pouncing on both fatigue after an hour of frantic riding and an apparent lull in the pace as many of the race's contenders re-grouped. He quickly grew out a gap in what proved to be the race winning move and his golden ticket to the rainbow jersey.
Behind, most of the pre-race favourites found themselves in chase after over five hours of intense racing. Del Toro had been one of the main protaginists among the favourites as he repeatedly drove the pace, but Pidcock and Matthews have implied that his riding after McNulty's attack led them to question his tactics.
In an interview after the race, Pidcock alleged that del Toro rode in the interest of McNulty, his teammate at UAE, and didn't positively impact the chase - which came within ten seconds of the American over the circuit's final ascent of the main climb before a stalemate took gold away from them.
“It was hard to make the difference. To get the gap with the wind the way it was, with the USA team and with Matteo, he was super strong once Brandon attacked. And obviously Isaac is on the same team as well,” Pidcock told Cycling Pro Net.
Brandon McNulty was crowned world champion in Montreal
Pidcock claims del Toro assisted McNulty
“It was always going to be difficult to make a difference there after six hours."
He added in an interview with Cyclingnews: “Del Toro was obviously working for McNulty in the end there".
Pidcock was among the most attacking riders in the final two hours of racing, repeatedly driving the pace or closing gaps to attackers in one of his best performances on the world stage.
Michael Matthews shared a similar opinion. Although not explicitedly naming del Toro, the Australian implied that national borders were crossed when it came to teamwork in the finale.
Matthews questions tactics
“There was a little bit of teamwork between certain riders,” Matthews told Sporza.
“They were riding a little bit together. If fewer teams had ridden together across national borders, then we would have caught him. It is what it is.”
Matthews' presence in the group of favourites for the finale drew headlines as the versatile sprinter showed remarkable form to compete with the climbers and puncheurs on the tricky circuit.
He out-sprinted Matthew van der Poel and Mads Pedersen in the final run to the line to secure a silver medal, his best result since also taking second place eleven years ago at the 2015 World Championships.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
claps 17visitors 12
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
- That is a very lazy way of putting it but so far on this website it seems like everyone is happy to look at everything lazily, even things that annoy them intensely. All they want to do is state their feeling and position but ask most to analyse a problem or come up with solutions or improvements and you’re stunned by silence. Nobody even really knows how this all happens. It’s very simple and quick to just say the UCI did it but I bet you they didn’t, I bet you not more than 2 people were involved, more likely just 1. The UCI may be ultimately responsible but it is not their decision, this is about hierarchy, power and delegation. The fact that protest is possible also means it isn’t over and that MORE people could get involved for a thorough review which could throw up anything. It is highly likely it was a sole commissar who decided and has that power in a first round. Therein might lie the problem the UCI has to consider, is it acceptable to give so much authority to one single person when it is quite possible for them to have a natural bias or be too easily susceptible to imposed bias. Who is to say an individual in this position isn’t susceptible to collaboration with outside players with interests in the results, nations, families, teams, betting companies, etc. On the one hand we have sports where these problems have been worked on way more to reduce such problems, on the other hand we have sports with far stricter and more draconian rules not even concerning safety or obstruction that nobody really questions like false starts or stepping out of lane or zones in athletics. If cycling hastowork on itself, it would be good if protagonists (all kinds) would start doing a little more than just moaning over outcomes.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Yes, so why not make comments less pointless?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- What a race! I didn't expect Vanthourenhout to collapse like that, and Wyseure did take the fight to Nys, but there was no doubt at the end. I also wonder what Aubin Sparfel would be capable of were he to race in the elites now. In the U23 ranks he is making good work of Giel Lejeune, who himself is among the better riders in the elites, and a top 10 contender in the big races (3rd at Kleebergcross, 8th at Berencross and 5th at Heerderstrand). In the French Cup, Sparfel is significantly better than Romain Debord (8th at Koppenbergcross and 10th at the Euros) and Rémi Lelandais (12th at Koppenbergcross and 19th at the Euros).
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
- He should have been allowed to go to Movistar. Right now both arent a good fit for each other and are just wasting each other's time and effortabstractengineer08-11-2026
- Thibau Nys does exactly what Iserbyt is calling forRafionain-Glas08-11-2026
Loading
29 Comments