Isaac del Toro produces imposing display to win Gran Piemonte

Picking up his 15th victory of an incredible season, Isaac del Toro won Gran Piemonte on Thursday afternoon for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. It was another remarkable display from the Mexican, who went solo with 17.6km to ride and would not be caught before the finish.

Brought to the bottom of the final climb with 40 seconds to make up on nine riders, Del Toro picked off these opponents one by one with a stinging acceleration. Joined at the very front by Bauke Mollema (Lidl-Trek) and Marc Hirschi (Tudor Pro Cycling) halfway up the climb, the Mexican then kicked again and rid himself of all company.

Leaving both men behind, the 21-year-old was alone with 17.7km to ride, and stretched his advantage to over 30 seconds by the top of the climb. From here on out, Del Toro produced a safe descent and extended his advantage to the line in Acqui Terme. There, he could celebrate UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s 92nd win of the season.

In doing so, Del Toro brought up his 15th victory of 2025, six of which have come in Italy in the last month. Speaking after the finish, the Mexican reflected on another memorable day in the saddle for he and UAE Team Emirates-XRG.

Del Toro: “Of course, when you know a little bit more about the climb, it is easier to simulate in your mind what you want to do [on the final ascent]. It was really tough to try but thanks to the teammates, they put a lot of confidence into me and I had nothing to lose, so I tried from the bottom.

“When the breakaway has that much time and we don’t have more riders in the group, because my teammates did all the job all day, I just tried to go as fast as possible in the steepest part. That was the beginning, I tried to go all in and if I blow up, I have nothing more [to give].

“It was hectic because I always had one rider in front of me until I caught Hirschi, and I needed to try one last kick to try to go solo. Otherwise, it would be more difficult to win, so I tried to mentally focus on doing one more kick again.

“This year so far has been better than we expected as a team, and for myself, of course. You have your own pressure and you want to always be better and always be professional, but this year was super good from the start, so I don’t know what to say. It is just incredible. I know this is not normal, but it is just unbelievable for me.”

Earlier in the day, a six-rider breakaway went clear of the peloton in the flat terrain that preceded the climbs. Inside that breakaway were strong riders such as Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling), Jan Tratnik (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Victor Langellotti (Ineos Grenadiers), making the job of those working behind all the more important.

With that in mind, both the breakaway and peloton hit the first two climbs of the day with real speed, anticipating the battles to come. By the foot of the penultimate ascent of the day, only three riders remained out front, having survived the to-and-fro chase between breakaway and peloton.

Tratnik remained for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, but had been joined by Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Ådne Holter (Uno-X Mobility). Their advantage was a little over a minute and a half, as the race hit the lower slopes of the Castelletto d’Erro.

Stretching out for 6.1km at 5.2%, the Castelletto d’Erro was to be climbed twice in the final 50km, providing fertile ground for a big showdown amongst the elite.

On the first ascent of this climb, Pablo Torres and Pavel Sivakov produced invaluable help for Del Toro and UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Teed off by the Spaniard Torres, the Emirati squad went to work at reducing the peloton’s deficit and making the race difficult for Del Toro’s rivals.

Thanks to their work, the group of favourites reached the foot of the final climb with the breakaway’s advantage halved to 40 seconds. Up the road remained Hermans, Tratnik and Holter, whilst a group of six riders sat in the middle of that gap, having broken clear in the valley roads.

Knowing that nine riders remained in front of the peloton, with 40 seconds separating him from the front of the race, Del Toro made his move. From the very bottom of the climb, the Mexican went on the charge, and within 2km, he had caught or passed every rider in front of him.

With 18km to ride, Del Toro was at the head of proceedings, joined only by Hirschi of Tudor Pro Cycling and Mollema of Lidl-Trek. At this point, the 21-year-old gathered his breath before kicking again, this time ridding himself of all company. Some 17.7km from the finish line, Del Toro was alone, and he would stretch out his advantage by the time he reached Acqui Terme.

In the end, the Mexican’s 15th win of the campaign was achieved with a winning margin of 40 seconds over the second-placed Hirschi.

Gran Piemonte 2025 results:

1. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 4:34:28

2. Marc Hirschi (Tudor Pro Cycling) +40″

3. Bauke Mollema (Lidl-Trek) +44″