Isaac del Toro made history on Saturday by delivering the greatest achievement ever by a Mexican cyclist. At just 22 years old, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider secured—barring an extraordinary incident on the final stage—Mexico's first-ever podium finish at the Tour de France, the most prestigious cycling race in the world.

The queen stage in the Alps not only confirmed Tadej Pogačar as the virtual winner of the 2026 edition, but also showcased the immense confidence the Slovenian has in his young teammate. Instead of trying to extend his already commanding lead, the reigning champion changed roles and worked to protect Isaac del Toro's historic third place.

Pogačar Became Del Toro's Ultimate Teammate

From the first slopes of the Col du Télégraphe to the legendary climb of the Col du Galibier, rising more than 2,600 meters above sea level, Tadej Pogačar took on an unusual role.

The leader of UAE Team Emirates-XRG controlled the pace of the race, neutralized attacks from his rivals, and repeatedly looked back to make sure Isaac del Toro was still comfortably riding with the favorites.

It was a remarkable image: arguably the best cyclist in the world sacrificing time and energy to help his Mexican teammate make history.

The strategy worked perfectly.

Although Pogačar conceded a few seconds to his closest challengers, the advantage he had built throughout the previous stages allowed him to focus entirely on the team's objective.

The Attack That Made History

The decisive move came on the demanding slopes of the Col de la Sarenne.

It was there that Isaac del Toro launched the attack that ultimately secured his place on the podium, while young French rider Paul Seixas, his main rival for third place and the White Jersey as the best young rider, began to lose contact with the leading group.

Without teammates to support him, Seixas lost 1 minute and 50 seconds, a gap that all but settled the battle for the podium.

The stage was won by Richard Carapaz, followed by Remco Evenepoel and Sepp Kuss, while the riders from UAE Team Emirates-XRG crossed the finish line after successfully protecting the advantage they had built throughout the day.

A Proud Moment for Mexico

With this result, Isaac del Toro will become the first Mexican cyclist ever to stand on the podium of the Tour de France, an achievement that had seemed out of reach for generations.

Until now, the best overall finish by a Mexican rider belonged to Raúl Alcalá, who finished eighth on two occasions.

In addition, Del Toro will match another of Alcalá's historic accomplishments by winning the White Jersey as the best young rider, an honor the Mexican legend earned during the 1987 Tour de France.

Earlier in this edition, Del Toro also became only the second Mexican cyclist to win a stage of the Tour de France, following Raúl Alcalá's victories in 1989 and 1990.

Only the Ride Into Paris Remains

Unless something completely unexpected happens during the final stage, Isaac del Toro and Tadej Pogačar will stand together on the podium in Paris.

Traditionally considered a ceremonial stage for the overall leaders, the final ride is highly unlikely to change the top positions in the general classification.

After 20 stages, the overall standings are:

1. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) – 72h 53m 44s.
2. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull Bora) – +6:26.
3. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) – +9:42.

Regardless of Sunday's final result, Isaac del Toro has already accomplished something even greater than a podium finish. He has inspired an entire generation and transformed what once seemed impossible into reality for Mexican cycling. The Tour de France now has a permanent place in Mexico's sporting history, and that place bears the name Isaac del Toro.

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