Hit for Pogacar - Isaac del Toro out of the Ardennes classics following Itzulia Basque Country injury

The young Mexican rider Isaac del Toro will miss the upcoming Ardennes Classics block after his recent crash and withdrawal at Itzulia Basque Country. With Tadej Pogacar on the hunt for another win at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, he will have to do so without the support of the Mexican who is currently out of competition like several others of the team's lineup.

The decision prioritizes his recovery after the incident in the Basque Country, avoiding risks in one of the calendar’s most demanding weeks. In this way, Del Toro skips three key dates of the spring, where he was initially expected to continue building top-level experience - not only through supporting Pogacar, but also within a chance of obtaining his own result.

Del Toro was starting Itzulia as the main favourite after winning the UAE Tour and Tirreno-Adriatico earlier in the spring, however in the first two stages he did not show the level that was expected of him. He was to still continue the race, eventually won by Paul Seixas, however a crash early on stage 3 took him out of the race with a leg injury.

The crux of this calendar reset is to reach the Tour de France in peak condition, where he is set to play a crucial role as Tadej Pogacar’s high-calibre domestique. The team wants the Mexican to hit the summer’s marquee race in the best possible shape, within a structure built around the Slovenian.

Moreover, Del Toro has shown outstanding form at the start of the season, with victories at the UAE Tour and Tirreno–Adriatico, plus a podium at Strade Bianche. That level underpins the team’s decision to shield him now and channel his progression towards the season’s big targets.

With this change of plan, his next competitive objective points to the Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes in June. The French stage race offers a chance for the Mexican to regain race rhythm once he has fully shaken off the after-effects of his crash, where he will get to be the team leader as Pogacar takes on the Tour de Suisse.