“The team did an excellent job" - Lenny Martinez third at the Giro dell'Emilia

Isaac Del Toro continued his breakthrough season with another statement victory, powering up the iconic San Luca climb to win the Giro dell’Emilia for UAE Team Emirates – XRG. The young Mexican climber seized control of the race in the final kilometre of Bologna’s brutal ascent, dropping a select group that included Tom Pidcock and Lenny Martinez, who finished second and third respectively.

The race once again came down to the final metres of the San Luca, a 2.1-kilometre wall that averages 10.5 percent and kicks up to 18 percent in its tightest hairpins. Pidcock, fresh from Worlds and the European Championships, was the first to attack on the climb, accelerating with 700 metres to go. But Del Toro measured his effort perfectly, surging past on the steepest gradient and holding the lead to the line, sealing another major Italian victory for UAE’s new generation.

For Martinez, the podium marked a positive return to racing after a summer spent recovering and training. “I was returning to racing, so I’m really happy to come back with a good result,” he told his Bahrain – Victorious team website. “The team did an excellent job all day long. It’s nice to race with my teammates again, and I’m glad to give the team a podium today. I’d say we’ve made a good start to the Italian campaign.”

Sports director Roman Kreuziger echoed that sentiment, praising the collective display. “The goal in our performance plan was a top 8. After reviewing the start list, we told the guys we’d be happy with a top 5, and we actually made the podium, so we can’t complain,” he said. “Considering that Lenny came from a long block without racing, he maybe could have been more tactical, avoiding chasing every attack, but the podium is well deserved in such a strong field. It’s a big confidence boost for the next races here in Italy.”

Kreuziger highlighted the depth of teamwork behind the result: “Our guys committed fully between kilometres 105 and 143, with Nicolò Buratti and Robert Stannard doing an excellent job, and later Pello Bilbao positioning the leaders perfectly before the first ascent of San Luca.”