PARIS — Mexican Isaac Del Toro won the Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes with a solo success at the eighth and final stage for the biggest victory of his career.
The 22-year-old UAE Team Emirates rider will now head to the Tour de France as a ‘super-domestique’ for the sport’s dominant figure Tadej Pogacar, who will be chasing a record-equalling fifth Grande Boucle title.
Having already won the UAE Tour and Tirreno-Adriatico this season, Del Toro completed a third week-long stage race victory in probably the most prestigious of that category.
“I’m super happy about today,” said the Mexican according to AFP.
“It’s super cool to have the victory with the team. It’s just insane, we fight for it and it’s just crazy nice. I can’t believe it.”
Del Toro, who started the day third overall, attacked with just over 9km remaining of the final of four tough climbs in Sunday’s short 120km stage from Beaufort to Plateau de Solaison-Brison.
None of the other overall contenders went with him but Spain’s Juan Ayuso counter-attacked 4km later and took second place on the stage.
But that was only enough to move up from fourth to third in the overall standings as Australian overnight leader Luke Tuckwell battled to limit his losses.
He finished eighth on the stage at 1min 43sec, enough to finish second overall at 54sec off Del Toro.
“I think it will take some time to sink in,” said the 21-year-old, who only moved into overall contention when he was part of a breakaway on Friday that was allowed far too much leeway by the peloton.
“I keep improving race on race without doing anything special, just enjoying my time at home,” added Tuckwell.
“No altitude camps, I’ve just been at home in a good mental space and I think that’s making the difference.”
American Matteo Jorgenson was the biggest loser, finishing 10th on the stage to drop from second overall to fourth.
In the end, it was a commanding victory by Del Toro, but it might have been closer had it not been for French teenage sensation Paul Seixas’s crash Saturday.
The 19-year-old had dusted himself down and, with the help of his team, launched a 60km-long high-speed chase to pull back a four-minute deficit caused by his spill on a fast descent.
He paid for that on the final climb and lost 1min 21sec to Del Toro, finishing seventh on the stage to sit sixth overall.
But he was in trouble from the off and climbed off his bike after just 30km having already lost contact with the peloton.
Del Toro took his tally to eight wins this season with the final two stages and the overall crown in southeastern France.
UAE had put in a disappointing team time trial in Tuesday’s third stage, which had left Del Toro trailing all of his rivals for the overall title.
But he proved himself the strongest rider in the race with a composed and calculated ride, in which he gradually crept up the standings until his decisive move.
Surprise package Tuckwell’s grip on the leader’s jersey started to loosen with just over 9km left as he lost contact with the reduced peloton.
Soon after that, Del Toro attacked and dropped the other overall contenders, quickly bridging over to and passing the two remaining members of the day’s breakaway.
He swiftly built up a lead of more than 30sec to Ayuso and Jorgenson, with Tuckwell sliding out to over a minute behind.
