“I've taken a step forward this year” – Isaac del Toro takes Vuelta a Burgos title and continues breakthrough 2025

In the final stage of the Vuelta a Burgos, Isaac del Toro’s remarkable debut season continued with yet another milestone, the overall race victory. Already labelled by Tadej Pogacar as the “future” of cycling, the young Mexican has spent 2025 turning promise into performance, backing up his Giro d’Italia runner-up finish with a string of results that now include one of Spain’s most prestigious stage races.

The UAE Team Emirates – XRG rider didn’t take the day’s queen stage, but his second place on the summit finish was enough to secure the general classification. In a repeat of their recent duel at the Clásica San Sebastián, Del Toro launched a decisive attack with less than 3 kilometres remaining, Giulio Ciccone instantly latching onto his wheel. Behind them, race leader Léo Bisiaux and Giulio Pellizzari cracked under the pressure.

Ciccone, still recovering from early-race time losses on stage 1, bided his time before sprinting clear to claim the stage. Lorenzo Fortunato finished third on the day, while Del Toro rolled in just behind Ciccone, sealing the GC with a comfortable margin. Yes, yet another win for UAE in 2025.

The young Mexican’s resilience was tested before the final climb even began. "The last stage was tricky, I punctured on the last descent and had a hard chase back on and thought the race might have been getting away from me, but we maintained the calm and managed to get back in the race," he explained afterwards.

It’s that composure, paired with his already elite climbing ability, that has defined his breakthrough season in the WorldTour. "I feel like I've taken a step forward this year, physically and mentally and I'm really enjoying my cycling," Del Toro said. "We had a great atmosphere in the team all week and I'm very grateful for the team and the trust they show in me."

The Vuelta a Burgos win further cements Del Toro’s place among the brightest young talents in the sport. His Giro performance, where he held the Maglia Rosa up until the penultimate day, marked him out as more than just a prospect. Since then, he has consistently delivered in week-long stage races, showing that he has the credentials to be a future champion.

For UAE Team Emirates – XRG, the victory is another sign of their extraordinary depth. With Pogacar, Juan Ayuso, João Almeida, and now Del Toro, the squad’s general classification arsenal is unmatched in the peloton. The question now is how UAE will deploy their talent across the three Grand Tours in the coming seasons, and whether Del Toro will soon make his debut at the Tour de France.