Isaac del Toro, a 22-year-old cyclist from Ensenada, won the 78th Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes last Sunday, claiming two summit-finish stage victories and the overall title in his first race back from injury. The Isaac del Toro Baja California story is now a global one: on July 4, he will line up in Barcelona for the start of the Tour de France, becoming just the third Mexican ever to ride the world’s most prestigious cycling race.
Del Toro finished a full minute ahead of Spain’s Juan Ayuso on the final 120-kilometer stage. The win pushed his career total to 28 victories, all accumulated in fewer than three professional seasons with UAE Team Emirates. That total surpasses the 23 wins posted by the legendary Raúl Alcalá over a 24-year career from 1986 to 2010.
“To win a race like this against such strong competition gives me a lot of confidence,” del Toro said after the race. “The Tour de France will be something completely new for me, but this result shows that we are moving in the right direction.”
From Ensenada’s Coastal Hills to the Peloton’s Elite
Del Toro grew up riding in the hilly terrain east of Ensenada, a region that has quietly produced a disproportionate number of Mexico’s top cyclists. The city’s geography helps explain why. Coastal climbs along the Ruta del Vino corridor rise from sea level to over 1,000 meters within 30 kilometers. The Ensenada-to-San Felipe highway crosses the Sierra de Juárez at elevations exceeding 1,500 meters. Year-round mild weather allows outdoor training 12 months a year.
Ensenada has hosted the Rosarito-Ensenada Fun Ride since 1979, one of the largest cycling events in Latin America. The city’s cycling culture runs deep, with local clubs training along the Transpeninsular Highway and the agricultural roads south of the Valle de Guadalupe. Del Toro emerged from that ecosystem, joining the Mexican national development program before signing with UAE Team Emirates as a teenager.
His rise has been remarkably fast. In 2025, his second professional season, he posted 18 victories. So far in 2026, he has won the UAE Tour in February, the Tirreno-Adriatico in March, and now the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The April 8 crash at Stage 3 of the Itzulia Basque Country, which caused a right thigh muscle tear and multiple abrasions, threatened to derail his season. He returned to racing less than ten weeks later and immediately won.
Only Two Mexicans Have Ridden the Tour de France
Mexico’s history at the Tour de France is thin but significant. Raúl Alcalá, from Monterrey, first rode the race in 1986 and returned multiple times. In 1987, Alcalá finished ninth overall and won the white jersey as Best Young Rider, a classification awarded to the top finisher under age 25. He also won two individual stages across his Tour career. Miguel Arroyo, from Querétaro, rode the Tour in 2015 but did not finish in the top rankings.
No other Mexican has started the race. Del Toro will be the first from Baja California. At 22, he is eligible for the white jersey classification that Alcalá won 39 years ago. Cycling analysts at Velo and IDL Pro Cycling have identified del Toro as a potential podium contender, not just in the young rider category but in the overall general classification.
UAE Team Emirates, del Toro’s squad, also features Tadej Pogačar, the reigning Tour de France champion from Slovenia. Del Toro is expected to ride in a support role for Pogačar while targeting stage wins on mountain stages, the terrain where he has been most dominant this season.
Tour de France Starts July 4 in Barcelona
The 2026 Tour de France begins with a Grand Départ in Barcelona on July 4 and ends in Paris on July 26. The route includes 21 stages across France, with mountain stages in the Pyrenees and the Alps. Stages air live on Eurosport and GCN+, typically beginning between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Pacific time, though highlight packages are available later in the day. ESPN Deportes carries coverage in Mexico.
Ensenada’s city government posted congratulations on social media after del Toro’s Auvergne victory, calling him “orgullo ensenadense” (Ensenada’s pride). Local cycling groups have organized watch parties for Tour stages in previous years, and similar events are expected this July at venues along the Costero corridor.
Del Toro’s next scheduled appearance before the Tour is a pre-race training camp with UAE Team Emirates in late June. His Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes victory was first reported by EFE and covered by La Jornada and ESPN.