"My first goal is to go all-in for Tadej" - Isaac del Toro in form but modest about his own ambitions at Strade Bianche

UAE Team Emirates - XRG have the cards in their hands, and they have the responsibility to play them right. Tadej Pogacar is the ultimate favourite to win Strade Bianche and perhaps as his main domestique we'll see a surprising figure: Mexican rider Isaacc del Toro.

"In December and January, I had knee problems after a crash. I couldn’t train for a while, but once I got back, things improved very quickly," Del Toro shared with CyclingPro.net. "I feel comfortable again with my body and in the team, though I didn’t expect much from my first races. Definitely not a second place in Jaén".

His second position in the Spanish race was not only a positive sign of form, but a clear sign that the young rider is able to thrive in the explosive terrain and loose traction roads. The technique is crucial and Del Toro seems to be very well suited to a Strade Bianche that more and more favours those who can climb well.

"Every race is different—I’m here to do what I need to do. We hope to have the legs to execute the plan, but it’s a tough race, and we’ll need a bit of luck. It’s going to be a brutal day, but we’re ready for it." Alongside Tim Wellens, the duo will be tasked with being the right-hand men for the Slovenian who should be heavily marked before he launched his own attacks.

He was the rider who had best followed Pogacar during the team's recon of the course, another positive sign for him. "We checked out the course on Thursday, and it was super tough. Tadej still dropped me at the end, but it was a really good day. Going all-in with Tadej and my teammates—it was fun until Monte Sante Marie," he laughed.

"I’m taking small steps in the right direction, and that’s already hard enough. I don’t know. In my wildest dreams, I’m up there with the best, but my first goal is to go all-in for Tadej. If we’ve done that and Tadej is up front, maybe we can start playing with the others," he says. "We have so many strong riders, and I’d love to fight for a win one day. But I’m not putting that pressure on myself now—let’s just see how it goes."