Though the 2025 Giro d’Italia is far from over, Isaac Del Toro has made history as the first Mexican to take the lead in this competition, now in its ninth stage.
No Mexican cyclist had ever worn the ‘maglia’ before. Joy for Mexican cycling this Sunday, May 18, 2025.
Isaac Del Toro Finishes Second but Takes the Lead in the 2025 Giro d’Italia
Much was expected from the ‘sterrato,’ and it delivered. The ninth stage of the Giro d’Italia will be remembered as a dance between dust and epic. From Gubbio to Siena, 181 kilometers shaped a day reminiscent of another era, with five gravel sectors testing not just the riders’ legs but their souls. Tuscany, with its ochre hills and white dirt roads, provided the perfect backdrop for an all-out battle that evoked the most glorious Strade Bianche. Team UAE, alongside the winner,
Tension Was Palpable from the First Kilometer
The peloton, aware of what lay ahead, approached the stage with respect. Setbacks came quickly: Primož Roglič, one of the top contenders, hit the ground on one of the dirt sectors. A flat tire and several seconds of hesitation left him chasing, struggling against the current in a merciless cloud of dust.
Meanwhile, Egan Bernal—reborn, strong, and composed—found his place at the front. Alongside him, Brandon Rivera, Isaac Del Toro, and Wout van Aert set the pace and toughened the stage. The Mexican from UAE lit the fuse: his attack with 20 kilometers to go was the turning point, the moment the race definitively split. Van Aert responded, Bernal held on with dignity, and Mathias Vacek joined the fight with the determination of someone rewriting their fate.
Soon, only Del Toro—who was already set to claim the ‘maglia’—and Van Aert remained. The finish in Siena, with the cobblestones of Via Santa Caterina roaring under the wheels and its 13% gradients twisting faces, crowned a stage that builds legends. The Piazza del Campo, silent for a few seconds, erupted as the leaders arrived.
When Success Seemed Within Del Toro’s Grasp, Van Aert Claimed Victory in a ‘Resurrection’ Worthy of the Greats
A perfect finish for Del Toro sent Mexico into a frenzy. The new ‘maglia’ is his. But the Giro doesn’t deal in certainties. Roglič, bruised but not beaten, is already plotting how to cut time in Tuesday’s time trial. Ayuso, always lurking and now second overall, continues to grind his teeth.
Bernal proved he still has plenty to say. Italy has its hope in Tiberi. The dust has settled on the hills, but the battle is far from over. There’s still a long way to go in this Giro.
General Classification After Stage 9 of the Giro
- Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) – 33h.36:45
- Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) – +1:13
- Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain – Victorious) – +1:30
- Richard Carapaz (EF Education – EasyPost) – +1:40
- Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) – +1:41
- Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) – +1:57
- Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) – +1:59
- Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) – +2:01
- Primož Roglič (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe) – +2:05
Image: Marca
