Sunday 18 May, 2025
In a dramatic turn of events on Stage 9 of the Giro d’Italia, Isaac Del Toro claimed the iconic maglia rosa, becoming the first Mexican to ever lead a Grand Tour. The 181-kilometer stage from Gubbio to Siena featured 30 kilometers of treacherous gravel roads, reminiscent of the Strade Bianche, which shattered the peloton and reshuffled the general classification.
While Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) clinched the stage victory with a powerful sprint to the line in Siena’s iconic Piazza del Campo, Del Toro’s performance was the day’s standout. The 21-year-old Mexican rider finished second, but his time gain over his GC rivals propelled him into the overall lead. He now holds a 1-minute and 13-second advantage over teammate Juan Ayuso, with Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) in third, 1 minute and 30 seconds behind.
Despite suffering a knee injury on the stage Ayuso minimized his losses, finishing just over a minute behind Del Toro and solidifying his position as a key contender.
As the peloton heads into a well-deserved rest day, all eyes will be on Del Toro and the team as they prepare to defend the maglia rosa in the upcoming stages.
Del Toro: “I cannot believe it to be honest, it’s the best feeling, I can’t describe it. I was in the front and avoided the crash. It was pretty hectic and dusty and I ended up in the front with Bernal and sat on that group without collaborating and keeping an eye on the situation. Then when it was clear we were staying away we decided to go for the stage but Wout was good in the end, so congrats to him.
It still has not sunk in yet. We’ll go back to the hotel now and have a big dinner and regroup. It’s something you dream of when you are a kid, for something like this to happen, but I still can’t believe it’s true.”
