For Isaac del Toro, Itzulia Basque Country is not just another WorldTour date; it is the definitive exam against the sport’s elite. The Mexican prodigy, chasing a third stage race win this season after conquering the UAE Tour and Tirreno–Adriatico, will face heavyweight rivals on the roads of the north, including Mattias Skjelmose, former teammate of Juan Ayuso; veterans like Primoz Roglic and rising talents such as Paul Seixas are also on the startlist.
The Mexican rider will find a field rich in pedigree. From Red Bull’s solid unit to Lidl’s renewed ambition, and Bahrain—with Antonio Tiberi and Pello Bilbao as dangerous outsiders—ready to spring a surprise.
The Basque terrain is unique in how it exposes the weaknesses of even the most seasoned riders. There are no transition zones, no breathers, as Jonas Vingegaard knows well; he has not returned since his terrible crash in 2024, as is the case with Remco Evenepoel.
The battle for the 'txapela' on the Basque podium will be one of the fiercest of the season. Here are five riders who can stand up to Del Toro from this Monday onwards.
1. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull)
The Slovenian is the master of Itzulia. With two overall wins on these roads, Primoz Roglic arrives to lead Red Bull’s powerful unit with a single aim: reclaim the throne on terrain he knows better than anyone.
Despite the passing years, his finishing kick on steep ramps and knack for bonus seconds make him Del Toro’s most dangerous rival in a race often decided by seconds.
Roglic knows he doesn’t need to attack from 50 kilometres out; his craft lies in efficiency and that devastating surge in the last 500 metres that leaves rivals with no reply.
“Itzulia is a race I always carry in my heart for its fans and its toughness. We know Isaac is very strong, he’s the future of cycling, but we have a plan and the experience to handle high-pressure finales on the walls,” the German squad’s leader said on the eve of the race.
2. Paul Seixas (Decathlon)
If there is anyone who matches Del Toro for precocity and talent, it is Paul Seixas. The Decathlon Frenchman is one of the revelations of the season, confirming the hype he generated in the junior ranks.
Seixas is neither a pure climber nor a classic specialist; he is an all-rounder who thrives in chaos and open racing.
The Frenchman already showcased his quality last season by sharing the European Championships podium with Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel. In 2026, he has kept progressing and commands real respect from his rivals.
3. Christian Scaroni (XDS)
Italian rider Christian Scaroni has emerged in 2026 as XDS’ spearhead. His rise has been steady, evolving from support rider to a solid leader capable of contesting week-long general classifications.
Scaroni’s versatility lets him feature in quality breakaways on treacherous days and in the select groups formed in the mountains. An Italian-school racer, he reads the tactical ebb and flow to perfection.
At 28, he is enjoying a mature, assured spell with the Kazakh team. Scaroni may be in the best form of his career. His early-season consistency, shown at the Tour of Oman and the Clássica Camp de Morvedre, is his best credential for a podium tilt in Euskadi.
4. Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain)
Antonio Tiberi reaches Itzulia as Italy’s great hope and Bahrain’s spearhead. After a period of development, the young rider has shown in 2026 impressive time trial solidity and high-mountain resilience that place him among the natural favourites.
At 24 he is a diesel rider, one who prefers attritional stages where accumulated fatigue sheds the most explosive rivals. His ability to hold a high, steady pace could be ideal to blunt Isaac del Toro’s electric attacks.
The Bahrain squad has surrounded Tiberi with rouleurs and climbers aiming to harden the race from afar, including local hero Pello Bilbao. Tiberi’s strategy rests on consistency and exploiting his power through valley sections between climbs.
5. Juan Ayuso (Lidl)
The high-profile duel between former teammates will pit Juan Ayuso, now in Lidl-Trek colours, against his old colleague Del Toro. The Barcelona-born rider arrives fully recovered from his physical issues and with the freedom granted by his new team.
He comes to Itzulia with the pride of someone eager to reclaim his place as the best of his generation in Spain. Ayuso knows UAE’s strengths and weaknesses better than anyone, which may give him the upper hand throughout a whole week of racing in the hills.
Ayuso showed superior tactical maturity early in the season at the Algarve, judging when to ride conservatively and when to risk to split the group. He must also prove that his Paris–Nice withdrawal was only a scare after his crash.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- Indeed! A reluctant gift maybe. Even more reluctant gift from Roglic! Tho I can’t see that Rog would have beaten Ving anyway.Lozza14-11-2026
- That really nasty crash in 2022 Liege must have played a big part - broken ribs, pneumothorax. You only have to look at his points tallies pre and post.Lozza14-11-2026
- Yeah, good luck getting tv and race organisers like ASO etc to part with their cash!Lozza14-11-2026
- 36 and Ineos have bought a rider on the downward slope. Bring back Dave and Rob who could manage the team. How are Ineos going to win a grand tour with people past their sell by date.paultryan200214-11-2026
- Mmmm would he be making these comments when he was on the richest team when riding. I think not i suspect. If we want money put into the sport we need sponsors who are prepared to put the money in. No disrespect but his team are 2nd or 3rd div in football terms with riders over the hill or 2nd string riders. If i was a sponsor i would be looking at what publicity am i getting back and Tudor really are just making up the numbers really.paultryan200214-11-2026
- I see (elsewhere) that Alaphilippe had more to say than what got relayed in this stub. Me: he was very good early but his latter third trajectory was the pits. His old boss did what he could (huffed and puffed) but Julian couldn't get his greatness back. Sometimes I wonder if crashes that didn't look like much changed the course of the rider.flyer14-11-2026
- I wouldn't classify it as a gift because the nasty consequences of taking it from Sepp would have been great and would persist and he knew it.flyer14-11-2026
- Ok. Tratnik's good and Red Bull's better so Tratnik may get what he wants.flyer14-11-2026
- Ok. So just saying he wasn't enjoying racing anymore is some kind of explanation? Me saying I don't enjoy his explanation is more explaining than he did.flyer14-11-2026
- Buitrago, was he their best rider in 2026? He's the chief loss for them and Martinez and Tiberi (especially) have to step up or they will be overtaken by Bahrain's younger riders like Omrzel. I'm still somewhat high on Martinez but Tiberi, after showing signs of promise, has fizzled. Bahrain still has a good team but they need to improve and exceed expectations. I'd be happy if Mohoric could manage to return to his better form for maybe one last year at least.flyer14-11-2026
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