"You're getting me in trouble" - Isaac del Toro avoids tricky questions on UAE leadership at Giro
Cycling
The Giro d'Italia 2025, after 11 stages, has a Mexican maglia rosa. Isaac del Toro retains the overall leader's jersey since stage 9 in Siena, the sterrato stage, where he was second after a great performance.
However, the pressure may be starting to take its toll on the UAE Team Emirates XRG rider. Speaking to Eurosport ahead of stage 12, where he should have no trouble defending the pink jersey, Del Toro opens up about everything that's happening to him:
"I still don't believe everything that is happening to me. That's why I don't smile too much. When you dream it, you want to know what it's like. But now to realize all this is super difficult. I've been wearing the maglia rosa for a few days now, but I can't believe that my teammates are helping me and have that confidence in me," the rider from Mexico begins by admitting.
"It's amazing, but not only for me. It's also for my teammates and the whole UAE. When I go on the podium (to pick up the maglia rosa again), I feel that my teammates need to be there. So it's a great feeling to be in this position."
Finally, when asked what has been the best advice he has received from other UAE riders to defend the maglia rosa, Del Toro says it is complicated for him to answer that question, because it would put himself in a compromise: "You're getting me in trouble. The next day I'll answer about this."
After the statements, Isaac del Toro got on his bike in search of saving a stage that, on paper, should not be dangerous. Although the wind can form fans in the peloton, and the Mexican has to be attentive so that they do not affect him - although in these past few days, he's looked incredibly sharp.
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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