Tadej Pogačar Supports Isaac del Toro on Alpe d’Huez During Tour de France Stage 20

Tadej Pogačar and Isaac del Toro Share Historic Moment on Alpe d’Huez

The roles within UAE Team Emirates underwent a striking reversal during the final grueling climb of stage 20. Tadej Pogačar, who commands a commanding lead in the yellow jersey, spent the final hour and a half of the 170.9-kilometer stage from Le Bourg d’Oisans working directly for his younger Mexican teammate Isaac del Toro.

Pogačar acknowledged the unusual dynamic after crossing the finish line hand-in-hand with Del Toro. The Slovenian race leader noted that while observers might focus on his support for Del Toro’s podium defense, the effort repaid a debt from earlier in the three-week grand tour.

“People will now talk about how I helped Isaac to secure his podium spot, but first it was him who helped me get this Yellow Jersey. The whole team has backed me all Tour long.”

Tadej Pogačar, via Letour

The team effort on Alpe d’Huez capped an arduous campaign for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, which battled through illness and injuries across the preceding three weeks. Riders like Nils Politt, Florian Vermeersch, Tim Wellens, and Felix Grossschartner held tactical command on the flats and roads, while Brandon McNulty contributed vital work early in the race before being forced to abandon due to illness.

Isaac del Toro Overcomes Hospital Bed Doubts to Claim Podium Position

Del Toro’s ascent to third overall on debut marks a remarkable turnaround from an accident that threatened his career less than four years ago. As an 18-year-old racing in Italy, the Mexican rider crashed and broke his femur, spending 16 days in the hospital far from home without a professional contract and running out of funds.

“I was pretty weak. I don’t remember much about the first four days, but I realised that though there were people around, I was on my own. I had plenty of time to decide what to do.”

Isaac del Toro, via The New York Times

Instead of quitting, Del Toro returned to the descent where he crashed just three weeks after his hospital release to conquer the psychological barrier. That mental toughness carried over to the current Tour, where he deliberately absorbed a crash on stage 15 to protect Pogačar from hitting yellow jersey rival Jonas Vingegaard.

That selflessness cemented a close bond between the team leader and his young protégé.

Stage 15 Breakthrough and the White Jersey Battle

The foundation for Del Toro’s podium security was laid on stage 15, an exhibition in tactical teamwork reported by UAE Team Emirates. The stage was upended early when two-time winner Jonas Vingegaard suffered a race-ending crash on a right-hand bend.

With Vingegaard out, Bahrain Victorious and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe assumed pace-setting duties. UAE Team Emirates-XRG deployed Adam Yates from an early breakaway alongside riders like Tom Pidcock and Quinn Simmons, building an advantage of nearly three minutes before the race hit the slopes of the Plateau de Solaison.

With 8 kilometers remaining on the climb, Pogačar surged to the front of the peloton to drive a punishing pace exclusively for Del Toro. Only Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe could match the acceleration, while podium rivals Paul Seixas and Juan Ayuso slipped back.

Evenepoel ultimately claimed the stage victory on the Plateau de Solaison, with Pogačar finishing directly behind him and Del Toro crossing in third. The result propelled Del Toro into the White Jersey as leader of the young rider classification, establishing a decisive gap over his closest youthful rival, Seixas.

Looking Ahead to the Final Showdown in Paris

Del Toro sits comfortably in third place overall, preserving a 25-second margin over Seixas after safely negotiating the Alpe d’Huez stage.

Reflecting on the final 88 kilometers ahead toward Paris, Pogačar indicated he would approach the Champs-Élysées finale cautiously while keeping an eye on potential opportunities.

“Let’s see how I feel tomorrow. I won’t take any risks. Without Wout here, I have one less rival to win in the Champs-Elysées. It isn’t a big goal, but if I have good legs and I don’t have to take too many big risks, I’ll try to claim victory tomorrow.”

Tadej Pogačar, via Letour

For Del Toro, the closing stage marks the conclusion of a historic three weeks that positions him alongside Bobby Julich—who finished third in 1998—as the rare North American rider to secure a podium finish at the Tour de France.