Isaac del Toro suddenly the main favourite to win Giro? - "I don't see a rider who is capable of attacking him uphill"

Not Primoz Roglic, nor even Juan Ayuso were able to steal the show in the first two weeks of the 2025 Giro d'Italia. All the prominent GC favourites were outshined by yet another bright gem of UAE Team Emirates - XRG; Isaac del Toro! But the hardest challenge is yet ahead - to defend the pink jersey in the third week of a Grand Tour.

"I think that his only opponent can be the pressure and the inexperience, because when you see him ride, you think: grab your seconds when you can," according to Michael Boogerd. The former Rabobank rider looks into the odds of Mexican's upset Giro tile in the Kop Over Kop podcast.

Del Toro himself points out that he need to be way more patient in the third week compared to previous stages when he readily answered to each and every attack. For example on the Monte Grappa, the 21-year-old climber joined Egan Bernal, Thymen Arensman and Richard Carapaz for an attack that was more of a test to see if any of the GC contenders shows a weakness.

"If he still has the legs he has now, he will give it a go, then he will be even more comfortable. For me, he is the big favorite," says Boogerd candidly about the Mexican sensation.

Not only Del Toro himself, but also many pundits voice that he should race more defensively with the comfortable lead he currently has (1:20 advantage over Simon Yates). But Traksel thinks that the youngster should ride without a fear, confident in his own abilities. "At the moment, I don't see a rider who is capable of attacking Del Toro uphill."

And even if it doesn't work out for Del Toro, he doesn't have the full weight of responsibility for team result on his shoulder. Third overall Juan Ayuso can step and replace his younger colleague in such a turn of events. The Spaniard won't say it out loud, but he'd be more than happy to do so...