"I don't know how this all happened" - UAE Team Emirates' Mexican wonderkid Isaac del Toro podiums on senior debut at Down Under Classic

Competing in his first professional race, Isaac del Toro surely couldn't have dreamed of a much better performance. The 20-year-old Mexican finished third at the Down Under Classic.

"It's really good! This is only my first pro race and I'm already in front. I fought on the bike and finishing in the front is one of my greatest performances since I started in this sport," the former Tour de l'Avenir winner told Cyclism'Actu post-race. 

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Part of a somewhat inadvertent breakaway, del Toro admits he didn't initially realise the chance that was being presented to him. "I didn't even realise the moment when it became certain that the breakaway was going to stay in front," he admits. "All I did was try to appreciate the race and take the strongest relays."

"I don't know how all this happened, nor how the peloton didn't catch up with us. It was difficult for me to sprint because I didn't have much experience in sprinting. I just tried to do my best," concluded the UAE Team Emirates prodigy. "I knew the riders who accompanied me in the breakaway, but I knew them as a fan, not as a friend or colleague. I loved it!”

With del Toro taking third, the top two spots on the podium were taken by runner-up Natnael Tesfatsion and winner, Jhonatan Narvaez.

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First podium as a #UAETeamEmirates rider. Well done @ISAACDELTOROx1 👏. #WeAreUAE

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