"We will be consistent, he has earned it" - Matxín confirms Isaac Del Toro may be protected on final Giro week

In the middle of the rest day before the decisive week of the Giro d'Italia 2025, UAE has returned to attend the media in a press conference. CiclismoAlDía and CyclingUpToDate were present at the statements of Isaac del Toro and Joxean Fernández Matxín.

The Mexican is the main protagonist before the 6 stages that will decide the final general classification. Del Toro defends the maglia rosa, and does so with a 1:20 advantage over Simon Yates. In addition, Juan Ayuso is 3rd, 6 seconds behind the British rider.

This leaves Isaac del Toro as the rider best positioned to win the overall out of the two UAE Team Emirates - XRG riders. For this reason, the question to Matxín, the Emirates team manager, was inevitable: who will be supported in the final week?

"Isaac has shown so far that he is the strongest cyclist in the Giro d'Italia. We will defend and help him," Matxín began by stating, making it clear that there will be no surprises like Sunday's on stage 16.

Last Sunday, UAE pulled the peloton when Ayuso stayed with Roglic and Yates on Monte Grappa, while Del Toro went with Egan Bernal and Richard Carapaz. They could have left the overall very difficult for the rest if the Mexican had been allowed to go, but to save Ayuso they ended up closing the gap to catch them at the end of the descent.

But Matxín ends up confirming that the UAE team has made the logical decision to support the Mexican: "We will be consistent with the position Isaac is in. He has earned it on his own merits," the Spaniard said.

This Tuesday, Isaac del Toro will face a gigantic challenge. Stage 16 will have the second summit finish (the first since he became overall leader), plus a total of 4,700 meters of elevation gain. Without a doubt, if del Toro benefits from this day, he will be reinforced as the top favorite to win the Giro.