“With a rider of that level it’s never easy” - Isaac del Toro pushes Mathieu van der Poel all the way to take Tirreno-Adriatico GC lead

Isaac del Toro admitted he was riding on instinct in the chaotic gravel finale of Stage 2 at Tirreno-Adriatico, but the Mexican’s aggressive response to Mathieu van der Poel’s decisive attack ultimately earned him the overall race lead.

The UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider was the only rider able to immediately react when Van der Poel ignited the race on the Tuscan sterrato, eventually forming a three-man leading group with the Dutchman and Giulio Pellizzari.

Van der Poel would go on to win the stage in San Gimignano after a dramatic sprint between the trio, but Del Toro’s second place proved enough to move him into the blue leader’s jersey after the stage.

“With a rider of that level it’s never easy,” Del Toro said afterwards in conversation with Cycling Pro Net when reflecting on the battle with Van der Poel.

The defining moment of the stage came when the peloton hit the gravel sector late in the race, where positioning and reactions proved crucial on the slippery roads.

Del Toro explained that he had been close to the limit even before the decisive attack unfolded. “I was already a bit on the limit,” he said. “After Jorgenson crashed, I honestly don’t know how I reacted so quickly. I think I took the longest and slowest line possible just to avoid him.”

The Mexican champion managed to stay upright during the chaos that split the race apart on the wet gravel. “I was just happy not to crash in the next corner,” he said. “In the end, I’m happy that I made it to the finish and pushed until the end, but it was really hard.”

Rain during the final part of the stage made the gravel sector even more unpredictable, with riders fighting simply to stay in control of their bikes.

Del Toro said the key in the closing kilometres was avoiding mistakes.“The group was very nervous, and the roads were wet,” he explained. “The most important thing was simply not to make an error.”

Despite the chaotic conditions, the leading trio stayed together all the way to the uphill finish, where Van der Poel ultimately edged the sprint. “It was a very long sprint,” Del Toro said.

While the stage win went to Van der Poel, Del Toro emerged as one of the biggest winners of the day in the general classification.

The 21-year-old now leads Tirreno-Adriatico after two stages, with Giulio Pellizzari sitting second overall three seconds behind. Magnus Sheffield is third at 13 seconds, while Alan Hatherly and Primoz Roglic round out the top five.

Del Toro said taking the leader’s jersey had been one of his ambitions coming into the season, but he remains focused on the work still to come during the rest of the race. “It feels very special,” he said. “But you always have to stay focused, work every day and not make mistakes.”