Emotional Isaac Del Toro wins in a mass sprint: "This is insane!"
Isaac Del Toro outsmarted the sprinters in the opening stage of the UAE Tour 2026. The 22-year-old Mexican champion won the bunch sprint at Liwa Palace on a challenging finish strip, where top sprinter Jonathan Milan had taken victory last year. Del Toro had just enough space at the line to hold off Cees Bol. "I thought this was an unrealistic dream," he said, shaking his head.
The top talent is considered a main favorite alongside Remco Evenepoel in the UAE Tour 2026. He said beforehand that he felt the responsibility of starting as the leader for the home team (UAE Emirates XRG). In short, the pressure was on his shoulders, but with an impressive sprint, he immediately shook that off.
"To be honest, I did think there was a small chance here," Del Toro grins in the flash interview. "Even during the stage, but I still thought it was an unrealistic dream. I even asked my teammates if they saw the same chance I did. But this is just crazy!”
"Why did I think this stage could be for me and not the sprinters? Nothing, really. But I saw a chance and I didn’t want to regret it. After I launched my sprint, I didn’t know who was behind me. I saw an opening on the right and decided to go all in. Winning here is incredible, really amazing. It’s something you want. When it becomes a reality, it feels even better," he says in disbelief.
