VIDEO - Tadej Pogacar parties with Mexican fans after Isaac del Toro's emblematic victory in Barcelona
Cycling
The 2026 Tour de France will not be decided by the events that have taken place in Barcelona, but in the two stages that finished at the city's Olympic park, the two main teams have dealt psychological blows to each other. After stage 2 however, UAE Team Emirates - XRG had the last laugh and Tadej Pogacar got the ultimate support from the Mexican fans.
A Mexican party in Barcelona
Isaac del Toro is the only Mexican rider at this year's Tour, and only the third ever from the Latin American nation to take to the start of the three-week race. Hence, all the flags being waved across the Catalan territory this weekend have been due to one and one rider only.
Despite being outnumbered by other nations in terms of riders present in the race, the Mexican crowds were very present in the Montjuic over stages 1 and 2, making their presence felt in the finales.
On stage 1 Team Visma | Lease a Bike managed to take the stage win, carrying Jonas Vingegaard into his first yellow jersey since the 2023 Tour - the last occasion in which he beat Tadej Pogacar at the Grand Boucle.
CyclingUpToDate could witness first-hand the celebration as each individual rider made it back to the team bus in the minutes following the victory. Equally, the same was visible at UAE's bus after stage 2.
Pogacar and Del Toro embracing after the Mexican’s win at the Tour
Tadej Pogacar ends Grand Depart on a high
The celebration was based on Del Toro's victory earlier on, a product of a daredevil descent off the iconic hill, and incredible legs which saw him gap Jonas Vingegaard in the run-in to the line - as well as Tadej Pogacar's control behind, effectively not trying to overtake his teammate.
However, in the long minutes that would take for Del Toro to make his way into the bus area, the fans celebrated with the incoming riders. Brandon McNulty was heavily cheered on after his work in the final circuit. 'McNulty, hermano, ya eres Mexicano' (Translation: McNulty, brother, you already already Mexican) roared through the packed bus area.
Later on as Pogacar returned to the team bus, he warmed down in the rollers, and the environment was that of a constant celebration. The same chant would follow directed towards him. The World Champion also eternalized the moment waving the Mexican flag, and recording himself with the fans afterwards, as several other videos on social media have also shown.
En laissant la victoire à Isaac Del Toro, Tadej Pogacar s'est mis également dans la poche les supporters mexicains. Le Mexique attendait une victoire d'étape depuis Raúl Alcalá en 1990. #TDF2026 pic.twitter.com/4ya8vQe16F
— Le Gruppetto (@LeGruppetto) July 5, 2026
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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