UAE Team Emirates-XRG chief Mauro Gianetti lauds Isaac del Toro after UAE Tour triumph - 'A bit like Tadej Pogacar'

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Mauro Gianetti bestowed the highest form of praise on Isaac del Toro after the Mexican star won the UAE Tour - by making a comparison with Tadej Pogacar. Gianetti, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG boss, said that Del Toro, 22, is "not a promise anymore, he's a reality" following a convincing overall win in Abu Dhabi. Watch and stream the 2026 cycling season live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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UAE Team Emirates-XRG team principal Mauro Gianetti described UAE Tour winner Isaac del Toro as "not a promise any more, he’s a reality."

The 22-year-old Mexican secured his win in Abu Dhabi ahead of challengers Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) and Luke Plapp (Jayco-AlUla) for his first WorldTour stage race victory.

The win also means that UAE successfully defended the title after Slovenian superstar Tadej Pogacar won in 2025.

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"Isaac is not a promise any more, he's a reality. We see the reaction after an incredible Giro d'Italia last year – the last stage, it was what it was, Visma were good, clever, strong, and we made our mistake," Gianetti said to Cycling News after the win.

"But how he's come back after that special moment to win again and again, so he was able to turn a page. Then, he finished the year No. 3 in the world and he started the season with the same level we saw on the first stage.

"What he did here in the UAE is an amazing performance – he's progressing, he's working, and he's serious."

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Gianetti is certain that Del Toro will continue to improve as he gains experience and leans on the team for advice.

He added: "He is committed. He has a big heart and he's very humble. He prefers to ask two or three times to be sure what he's doing, to not make a mistake and to be very concentrated on his job.

"He invests his life in this job. He left Mexico as a 15 to 16-year-old, following – we can say, not a dream – but following a goal that he had in his life. Because the dreamers stay on the sofa waiting for something to happen. He is a visionary, and it was his vision to be here now, doing what he's doing. So he's an incredible, great champion."

Del Toro started last year with real promise and then pushed hard in the Giro d’Italia as he came second overall behind Simon Yates (Visma-Lease a Bike).

Gianetti said he was not surprised by his rider’s rapid improvement, even going as far as to compare him to Pogacar.

"We knew the big numbers were there, so it was only going to be a question of time with Isaac, a little bit like Tadej," he continued. "Someone else, they will maybe take one year more or one year less but a champion is a champion, and they come on faster.

"Now also, I think, with the entourage we have in the team, he has very good team-mates that have made the difference, but also our staff, our trainer, our nutritionist, the structure that we have created here, we have very good quality, and this has helped him to progress faster."

Watch and stream the 2026 cycling season - including the Tour de France in July - live on TNT Sports and discovery+

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