UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s Del Toro claims Mexican National Championships Road Race title

With another excellent performance on home roads, Isaac del Toro won the Mexican National Championships Road Race on Saturday afternoon.

The result crowns the 21-year-old as the Mexican National Champion on both the road and in the time trial discipline, after his victory against the clock earlier in the week.

Raced in and around his home city of Ensenada in Baja California, Saturday’s event saw Del Toro on the attack with over 100km to go. The young UAE Team Emirates-XRG talent soon bridged up to the day’s breakaway, and an elite group of five riders formed at the head of the race.

As Del Toro went in search of completing the double in this week’s Nationals, Eder Frayre of Miami Blazers emerged as his strongest competitor. It was only fitting that when Del Toro made one of his strong accelerations on Ensenada’s most notable climb, Frayre was the only rider capable of following his wheel.

Despite being a relative veteran of the sport when compared with Del Toro, Frayre is a good friend of the 21-year-old and has proved a fine mentor for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG in his formative years as a professional cyclist. In the first National Championships to be certified by the UCI in a number of years, the crowd at the roadside was treated to a showdown between the new superstar and a former national champion in Frayre.

For a while, it looked as though the pair might contest the win in a two-up sprint, short of being able to distance one another; however, it was Del Toro who made the decisive move with 6km to ride.

On the final ascent of the most notable climb, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider leaped out of his saddle and attacked, leaving Frayre scrambling for a response. A reply was not forthcoming from the Miami Blazers man, and Del Toro continued to open up his advantage as the climb unfolded.

Towards the crest of the peak, Del Toro thrilled fans by offering out a series of high fives to the mass of people gathered on either side of the road. It was a triumphant scene as the 21-year-old soared to his first national title on the road, ensuring that he will begin the 2026 campaign with his country’s colours on his trade team jersey.

Del Toro’s national champion jersey will soon be supplied by the historic Italian brand, PISSEI, but for now, the young sensation could celebrate another job well done in his post-race interview.

Del Toro: “It was a joy to take this win. To share it with the people of my home city has been a pleasure. I think I recognised 98% of the crowd out there today, and it felt amazing.

“It was really windy out on the course, it made the race that bit tougher but I’m proud and happy to take the win.

“I hope cycling in Mexico can continue to grow. It will take time, of course, but there are a lot of positive things happening, and I hope I can help play a small part in that.

“It’s been an amazing season, now it’s time for me to take a good break but I’m excited to wear the Mexican champion’s jersey in 2026.”

Earlier, In his first race on home roads for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Isaac del Toro won the Mexican National Time Trial Championships on Thursday afternoon. The young sensation was participating in his first elite national championships and took the title in his home city of Ensenada.

Del Toro proved the quickest on the 16km-long course, with a little over 300m of climbing on the parcours. It was as the road veered uphill that the 21-year-old showed his strength, with his winning margin over the second-placed Edgar David Cadena (Petrolike) well over a minute at the finish line.

Held in exceptional circumstances, the Mexican Nationals have been organised at the last minute by the newly-formed Mexico Cycling Union, and will see Del Toro chase the road race title this coming Saturday. But on the time trial bike, the young Mexican laid claim to the national champion’s jersey on Thursday.

With a strong ride to take the national title, Del Toro will now be able to return to Europe in the new year with his special jersey for the time trial discipline. The victory is Del Toro’s 17th of 2025, and comes towards the end of a breakout season for the youngster.

Agencies