“It doesn't look good if he attacks the pink himself” – Del Toro and Ayuso set for titanic battle in Giro week 3
Cycling
With 15 stages of the Giro d’Italia completed, Isaac Del
Toro remains in the maglia rosa, an extraordinary achievement for the young
Mexican rider in his second ever grand tour. But while his rise has thrilled
fans, it’s also presenting UAE Team Emirates - XRG with a tactical headache,
which has made up plenty of the narrative this week.
Del Toro was never supposed to be the leader. That role was
reserved for Juan Ayuso, who was supposed to finally get his chance to step out
of the shadows of Tadej Pogacar. Yet as the race has unfolded, it’s Del Toro
who holds the advantage, and the jersey, and perhaps the mental edge.
On Stage 15’s summit finish on Monte Grappa, Del Toro once
again proved he belongs in elite company. He pulled away from most of the field
and found himself in a select group alongside general classification contenders
Thymen Arensman, Egan Bernal, Derek Gee, and Richard Carapaz. Still, Del Toro
was not riding as a free agent. He was marking moves, riding conservatively,
and thinking not of his own ambitions but those of his designated team leader,
Ayuso.
That dynamic now raises a difficult question: should UAE
Team Emirates switch their support to Del Toro and back the rider currently
leading the race? Or stick to their original plan and continue building around
Ayuso?
Del Toro currently leads the race, 1:20 ahead of Visma’s
Simon Yates. But, Juan Ayuso is in third, 1:26 behind his teammate. The fact
that Del Toro is looking supremely good is no surprise, he is a top prospect,
but to be ahead of Ayuso is an upset.
Former pro and Eurosport analyst Michael Boogerd believes
the team is facing a delicate balance, especially heading into the more
challenging third week.
"It would be strange if you tell Del Toro that he can't
win the Giro," Boogerd said. "Ayuso should just follow, go with guys
who attack and see if Del Toro has to let go. It doesn't look good if he
attacks the pink himself."
Boogerd pointed out how much respect Del Toro continues to
show Ayuso despite leading the race, "They feel it better, but the team
also sees Del Toro riding and knows how well he is doing," he added.
"The proportions have probably been turned a bit. But it was noticeable
that UAE closed that gap on Del Toro. You can see that he is a bit unusual in
this situation and still has a lot of respect for Ayuso. He also puts
everything right himself, he has hardly needed his team."
Boogerd also warned that the time for hesitation may be
over. The team needs to think about securing overall victory, and that may mean
letting Del Toro off the leash.
"Imagine you are in a situation on Tuesday where you
are ahead with Simon Yates, and you have the legs. Then he just has to go. He
also has to secure the final victory. It seems like he can do that."
UAE must capitalise on Roglic's horrible stage 15
While UAE wrestles with internal decisions, one of their
main rivals suffered a significant blow. Primoz Roglic endured a brutal day,
losing 90 seconds to his competitors and casting doubt over his condition. It
is very rare you get Roglic in such a vulnerable position, and UAE should not
let this chance go to waste.
"He was wrecked, or he must have something under the
skin," Boogerd said. "It's quite surprising that he had to get off,
because this last climb wasn't very hard. It was long, but not steep."
"It will probably be illness, or just a bad night.
Otherwise you don't say something like that."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as 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. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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