The 3 key goals for Isaac del Toro in 2026 - From leading roles to helping Tadej Pogacar, how will UAE use the Mexican?

Isaac del Toro is already a star. His incredible 2025 season full of victories means that even more will inevitably be expected of him in the run-up to 2026. In his second year with UAE Team Emirates - XRG he won a stage and came close to winning the overall at the Giro d'Italia, won stages and overall in several races (Austria, Burgos) and won countless classics (most notably the legendary Giro dell'Emilia).

Looking ahead to the next campaign (which has already started with an inevitable double at the national championships in Mexico) we can expect nothing but more from a rider who, it must be said, has just started his career with only two full years in the WorldTour. So, heading into 2026, we believe Del Toro could have 3 big goals to try to accomplish (no pressure due to his age) that he couldn't obtain in 2025:

The race that Tadej Pogacar has struggled the most in recent years is Milano-Sanremo. The first monument of each year will once again see UAE put all its machinery in place to try to help the Slovenian drop Mathieu van der Poel on the Poggio.

To do this they must set a hellish pace on Cipressa and at the start of the last climb before the descent to the finish. This season Isaac del Toro was the key man before Pogacar's planned attack, but he was nowhere to be seen on the Cipressa. Tim Wellens and Jhonatan Narváez did an astounding work, but it didn't prove to be enough to put van der Poel through enough pain. So, for sure next year he wants to be key in the bunch again and this time give more of himself to make his leader's attack even more effective.

Del Toro won last year's Milano-Torino, Terres de l'Ebre, Circuito de Getxo, GP Industria, Giro della Toscana, Coppa Sabatini, Trofeo Matteoti, Giro dell'Emilia and Gran Piemonte. An incredible display of power and consistency. However, none of them is a WorldTour race. He was fifth at the Clasica San Sebastian (here UAE failed tactically, as he was the leader) and fifth also in Il Lombardia (Pogacar's domestique).

He skipped the Ardennes, where perhaps in 2026 he could have a chance to shine in races like Amstel Gold Race or Flèche Wallonne that could be good for him to debut his World Tour palmares in one-day races. Trying again in San Sebastián would also be an option.

Isaac del Toro arrived at the last Giro d'Italia as a domestique for Juan Ayuso and Adam Yates, and only a tactical error by UAE and himself prevented him from winning the maglia rosa in Rome. Hence, it is viable to think that in 2026 he can have his revenge. However it is easier said than done, and he should have different and superior competition this time around.

Given that it looks like Jonas Vingegaard is going to race the Giro d'Italia - and Remco Evenepoel seems to be leaning towards that possibility as well, perhaps the Vuelta a España could be a great option for him, as he would probably have potentially less tougher rivals. Obviously, we imagine UAE will also have to consider a João Almeida who has been earning his place as the leader in these types of races for years.