Isaac del Toro's knee injury becoming a significant issue? - "I won’t know if it’s really okay until I push myself to the limit, and that’s the problem"
Cycling
Not only is Isaac del Toro concerned about the knee injury that affected his Il Lombardia performance last month, but the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider revealed that it's an issue that has affected him for three years.
The 22-year-old has enjoyed another terrific year following his 2025 breakthrough season, taking general classification wins at the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico, Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes and a brilliant Tour de France podium amidst a host of major honours.
However, his end-of-season block certainly leaves him with plenty to chew on over winter. He started off his post-Tour goals with an overall win at the Deutschland Tour and appeared primed for the Canadian World Championships with GP de Montreal win over Paul Seixas.
However, things didn't fully go to plan at the race as teammate Brandon McNulty got the jump on the group of favourites in a race that saw many of his attacks reeled in before the front group stalemate helped McNulty to the rainbow jersey.
After Worlds, he returned for an Italian double-header in Gran Piemonte and Il Lombardia, noting in a pre-race interview that knee pain had struck him in the aftermath of the rainbow jersey race.
All seemed well in Il Lombardia initially. However, when Seixas turned up the heat on the day's penultimate climb in the winning move, del Toro was seen going backwards as the rivals hit out in pursuit.
Isaac del Toro during stage 4 of the 2026 Tirreno-Adriatico
Del Toro on knee pain
Now, it appears that knee pain is still a concern for del Toro, who claimed that he and his team are managing the issue but only time will tell if it has fully recovered. Noting that it has been recurring for three years, hehopes it will continue to only slightly deter his efforts.
“We’re trying to look after it as best we can,” Del Toro told L’Équipe.
“Getting back into training is going quite well so far, but we have to take it step by step. I won’t know if it’s really okay until I push myself to the limit, and that’s the problem. But it’s been going on for three years now, so I think it won’t affect me.”
Looking back on Montreal, del Toro believes he 'cracked' under the spotlight of the golden rainbow jersey opportunity.
“It wasn’t a complete waste, but I feel as though I didn’t make the most of the opportunity. Everyone knows it was a huge chance to win the title. It was a first for me and I cracked.
"I just couldn’t pull it off. But looking back, I know I couldn’t have done any better and that I rode in the way that felt right to me. I’ll give it another go.”
Read also
Does Del Toro see growing rivalry with Seixas?
When asked about his growing rivalry with Seixas, the Mexican doesn't see it that way. Believing that Remco Evenepoel, Tom Pidcock and Matteo Jorgenson are among others with Seixas in his rivals - he knows that he'll inevitably cross paths with him in major goals.
“He’s a brilliant rider who does everything he can to succeed as quickly as possible, and I think that’s a good thing because it pushes everyone to show their own determination.
“As for the rivalry… If you want one for social media, you’ll get one, but it doesn’t depend on him or me. We’ll obviously be racing together a lot, but I just see him as someone else I have to beat, just like Remco [Evenepoel], Jonas [Vingegaard], [Tom] Pidcock, [Matteo] Jorgenson… In any case, he’s a nice guy, and it’s good that he’s here because he makes the sport even tougher.”
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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