Isaac del Toro voted Mexico's best sportsman of the Year on his 22nd birthday; Filippo Ganna earned an anti-award
Cycling
In the 2025 season, Isaac del Toro has established himself as one of cycling's biggest stars, doing so at just 21 years of age. Although still exteremely young, his autumn campaign in particular was that will be remembered by history books. The Mexican turned 22 on November 26, and celebrated in style by receiving a prestigious award from his native country.
Mexican cycling celebrated a historic milestone this weekend. Isaac Del Toro was recognized as Mexico's Sportsman of the Year.
The UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider was one of the big stars of the gala. Elegant and smiling, Del Toro was received with enthusiasm by a public that already considers him a symbol of the national sport. Behind the scenes, the atmosphere was even more festive: there was a birthday cake, congratulations and even a serenade for the young champion.
But the decisive moment came on stage, when his name was announced as the winner of the prestigious award. In a country where soccer tends to monopolize everything, for a cyclist to receive this recognition is an exceptional event. In fact, Del Toro becomes the first Mexican cyclist to do so.
Filippo Ganna, negative award recipient
In addition to the award to Isaac del Toro, another cyclist was also honored: Filippo Ganna. But this one was not for something positive.
The Italian has been distinguished with the Catena Incatricchiata 2025 Award, a recognition that reaches its 11th edition and was born from the initiative of Riccardo Magrini and Massimo Botti to "reward the unluckiest cyclists".
Isaac del Toro's rise to prominence peaked with a victory in the Giro d'Italia 2025
The INEOS Grenadiers rider has been singled out for two episodes that negatively marked his season. The first occurred in Paris-Roubaix, when he suffered a puncture just as he entered the first stretch of cobblestones, an early breakdown that left him out of contention for the win. The second was the hard crash he suffered in the opening stage of the Tour de France, where he abandoned.
The award ceremony is scheduled for Friday, November 28, at the Essaouira nightclub in Albenga, coinciding with the ASD Ortovero gala. The event will be attended by the entire Eurosport commentary team: Magrini himself, creator of the award, together with Wladimir Belli and Luca Gregorio.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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