Isaac Del Toro has claimed his first Tour de France victory, thanks also to an extraordinary Tadej Pogacar, who launched him towards victory, gifting his friend and all of Mexico a truly unique moment.  There is an image that tells the story of the second stage of the 2026 Tour de France better than any classification. The world champion who, after crossing the finish line, runs towards his friend, embraces him and then lifts him in his arms as a older brother would do with his younger brother.

It is the photograph of a perfect day for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. A victory built with intelligence, tactics, and strength and a gesture of great generosity from the Slovenian champion, who chose to renounce personal success to gift his young teammate his first Tour de France victory. Before reaching victory, there were moments of tension, where for Del Toro, the day seemed to have become very complicated early on.

The Mexican was forced to change bicycles at a delicate moment in the stage, ending up in the back positions of the group. To catch up, he had to spend precious energy, chasing for a long time before managing to get back among the best. An effort that could have compromised his day. Instead, it was only the beginning of an extraordinary performance.

When the race exploded in the final, Del Toro was back at the front, ready to play his cards. On the final climb, UAE had prepared everything down to the smallest detail. Del Toro attacked following the plan studied by the team, while behind him Tadej Pogacar transformed himself into the best possible domestique.

The Slovenian controlled every move, preventing Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel from organizing a dangerous chase. Until the final meters, he closed every gap, protecting his teammate's advantage and allowing him to arrive alone at the finish line. A gesture that perfectly tells the story of a team capable of putting the collective before individual successes.

At the finish, Del Toro was visibly emotional. «This victory really means everything to me. I've said it many times: I'm a very lucky guy. You can't imagine how hard we work as a team to reach this level».

The twenty-two-year-old Mexican wanted to share his success with all the people who have accompanied him on his journey. «This victory belongs to the team, to my family, to my friends, to everyone who has supported me since I was a child. I still can't believe I managed to do it».

Among the strongest emotions of the day is also that of sharing the team with the world champion. «Being on the same team as Tadej, in the best team in the world, is something incredible. You can't imagine what I'm feeling right now.»

Then he turned his thoughts to his country. «Above all, I think about Mexico. Everything that's happening is simply crazy».

Del Toro also recounted the final kilometers of the race. «We were going very fast and we had predicted that the stage could develop this way. At the top of the climb, I wasn't in the ideal position and I had to pass several riders to get back in».

Despite this, he continued to believe in his possibilities. «In the end, the advantage was bigger than I imagined and so I simply continued to the finish line».

In recounting his success, Del Toro also cited his teammates, including Brandon McNulty, who were fundamental in the work done throughout the day. «Seeing Tadej so happy for me, seeing Brandon happy means so much. Opportunities like this almost never come along and I'm really proud to have managed to seize it».

Del Toro's victory represents a historic moment for Mexican cycling as well. When asked what this success could mean for his country, considering that the football World Cup is being held, the young UAE rider smiled. «In Mexico, we love football very much and we have great champions. But managing to achieve a result like this here in France, in the hardest race in the world, is simply a dream».

Isaac Del Toro was considered one of the most promising young riders in the peloton. Today he proved to be much more than that.

After overcoming the initial difficulties, he had the strength to get back in, to attack and to resist the comeback of the world's best riders. Behind him, Pogacar managed the race with the confidence of a champion, choosing to put his young teammate's talent in the spotlight, and their final embrace testifies to the strong bond and respect they have for each other. 

For Mexico, this is a historic day, while for Isaac Del Toro it is only the first chapter of a career that promises to be extraordinary.