Can Isaac Del Toro Truly Join Cycling’s Elite? Chris Horner Thinks Not—Yet.
Isaac Del Toro has undeniably made waves in the cycling world, clinching an overall victory and two stage wins at the UAE Tour. His performance is all the more impressive when you consider he left behind cycling heavyweights like Felix Gall (5th), Derek Gee (7th), and especially Remco Evenepoel (10th). But does this triumph catapult him into the same league as Evenepoel or his teammate Tadej Pogacar? Not so fast, says Chris Horner. But here's where it gets controversial...
According to Horner, Del Toro still has a long way to go before he can replace Primoz Roglic in the "big six" of cycling—Pogacar, Van der Poel, Evenepoel, Vingegaard, Van Aert, and Roglic—whom Horner dubs the "first-page riders" of the sport. "People are already talking about him as a first-page rider, but he’s just not there yet," Horner explains in his YouTube analysis. And this is the part most people miss...
Horner points to the opening stage, where Del Toro stunned sprinters with an uphill sprint victory to Liwa Palace. However, he notes that Del Toro benefited from Jonathan Milan’s late crash, which disrupted the race dynamics. "I’m not saying Del Toro couldn’t have won without the crash, but Milan’s team was perfectly positioned to lead him out. It could’ve changed everything," Horner observes.
A Victory Built on Luck or Skill?
Horner also highlights Del Toro’s underwhelming time trial performance, where he lost time to all his GC rivals, partly due to a wind direction change. Yet, Evenepoel’s advantage vanished the next day on Jebel Mobrah, where the Olympic champion lost nearly two minutes. "Del Toro has been handed at least three gifts in three stages," Horner states. "First, Milan’s crash, then Evenepoel’s meltdown when he had a 30-second lead."
The collective strength of UAE Team Emirates - XRG played a crucial role, particularly on stage 3, where Kevin Vermaerke and Adam Yates supported Del Toro, keeping him within 15 seconds of the leaders. But not everything was a fluke. Del Toro’s flawless performance on the Jebel Hafeet summit finish showcased his tactical prowess. "This stage was a masterclass in tactics," Horner admits. "He’s clearly improving in that area, likely learning from his Giro d’Italia heartbreak last year."
Is 20 Seconds Enough to Prove Stardom?
Despite overthrowing Tiberi in the overall classification to win the UAE Tour by 20 seconds, Horner remains unconvinced. "Winning by such a slim margin, under these circumstances, isn’t enough to call him a first-page rider," he argues. "You can’t claim that status just because you won the UAE Tour with gifted bonus seconds, Evenepoel’s collapse, and no standout rivals."
Horner also questions the race’s significance, noting that two other major races—Algarve and Ruta Del Sol—were happening simultaneously. "You can’t just say, ‘Wow, he dropped Evenepoel,’ because Evenepoel wasn’t at his best. Felix Gall and 16 other riders dropped him too. Del Toro beat a first-page rider, but not one in first-page form."
The Bigger Question: Can Del Toro Prove the Doubters Wrong?
While Del Toro’s UAE Tour victory is impressive, Horner’s analysis raises a thought-provoking question: Does one race, under specific circumstances, truly define a rider’s elite status? Or does Del Toro need to consistently outperform the best in more challenging scenarios? What do you think? Is Horner being too critical, or is he spot-on? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments!
