CyclingUpToDate Awards: Isaac del Toro voted Breakthrough Rider of 2025 after crushing fan landslide
Cycling
Isaac del Toro has been crowned CyclingUpToDate’s Breakthrough Rider of 2025, winning a remarkable 82% of the public vote in our End of Year Awards poll. The Mexican sensation’s standout campaign — headlined by a podium finish and race-leading stint at the Giro dItalia — made him the overwhelming choice among readers.
Across 2,264 total votes, Del Toro amassed 1,866 ballots, more than every other nominee combined several times over. His 2025 season already felt like a watershed moment; now the fan response confirms it.
A generational talent rises — and readers saw it too
At just 21, Del Toro has accelerated faster than almost any young rider in the modern era. His consistency across stage races, composed climbing style, and fearless racing in Italy turned him from promising talent to Grand Tour podium finisher in only his second Grand Tour start — and his first targeting the general classification. That campaign helped propel him into the top three in the UCI rankings by the season’s autumn climax.
Equally impressive was the way he handled expectation. With UAE Team Emirates - XRG placing long-term trust in his development, Del Toro showed maturity beyond his age while still riding with freedom and aggression. As fans have made clear with this vote, the sport believes he is only just getting started.
Behind him, Matthew Brennan took second place in the poll with 7% (154 votes), reflecting his own standout debut campaign — including stage victories and an overall win at the Tour of Norway. Florian Lipowitz rounded out the top three with 4% (94 votes), recognition of the German climber’s Tour de France podium and white jersey triumph.
What this means heading into 2026
Del Toro’s emergence has shifted the WorldTour’s balance of power. With proven durability across three weeks, elite climbing, and a calm race temperament, he enters 2026 not just as one to watch — but as a genuine Grand Tour contender in a cycling landscape defined by Pogacar, Vingegaard and Evenepoel.
If 2025 was the year he announced himself, next season will test just how high his ceiling really is.
For now, fans have spoken. The breakthrough rider of the season is emphatically Isaac del Toro.
Read also
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
claps 2visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Seixas appears to be that good but if he isn't (an absolute rival to Pogacar) he would have plenty of company in rising stars that did not go on to fully meet the expectations of many. That Pogacar wasn't the greatest (as great) sooner can't be transposed onto another's development. It may be not that simple.flyer14-11-2026
- I agree that, for Evenepoel, the Euro championship is overshadowed by the slightly off Lombardia and Worlds. However, I disagree that "Ciccone also made a serious mistake at the European Championships" because I don't think he had a win in the bag although he could have won with a perfect bike throw. Guesswork about the finish is not evidence by me for some serious mistake. Sometimes you just barely lose - although Ciccone's sourpuss about it persona was serious.flyer14-11-2026
- I bet you photobombed the video since you are his shadow!frieders314-11-2026
- Skipping the 2027 TDF would be fine in my opinion, and if so, it further reveals that him racing it in 2026 was a good decision. Seixas speaks confident, almost cocky, these days (not meant to be a criticism) and I find it a tad humorous that people (rather commentators) continually chide and advise on how Decathlon should direct and manage Seixas when Paul seems to be calling all his shots since well before this year's TDF.flyer14-11-2026
- Well I just watched this and I thought it was great! If you’re a Pogi fan, like me, you’ll enjoy it. Even if you’re not necessarily a Pogi fan I still recommend it. There’s plenty of new stuff I didn’t know about and I’m a Pogi-maniac! Nice interviews with Pogi & Matteo Trentin too.Lozza14-11-2026
- Well I just watched this and I thought it was great! If you’re a Pogi fan, like me, you’ll enjoy it. Even if you’re not necessarily a Pogi fan I still recommend it. There’s plenty of new stuff I didn’t know about and I’m a Pogi-maniac! Nice interviews with Pogi & Matteo Trentin too. So Zonnewotsit can stick it!Lozza14-11-2026
- Who’s gifting grand tours at UAE? Defo not Pogi! Stage wins maybe.Lozza13-11-2026
- Sepp Kuss Vuelta 2023.Lozza13-11-2026
- they have no expertise with classics, they have no leaders in classics. the classics is dominated by the few Fuori Classe riders where other riders are left with scraps. the Hiring , the salaries dont make sense at all. Same problem as Man Utd. over paid players, egos, very little performanceabstractengineer13-11-2026
- Contract year means you gotta win, at least collect UCI points, helping be damnedabstractengineer13-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment