Team Emirates-XRG makes history at Giro d’Italia

via AFP

Crossing the finish line in Rome amongst the peloton, Isaac del Toro brought the 2025 Giro d’Italia to a historic close for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG - placing second overall on his debut.

The Mexican cyclist becomes the second-youngest podium finisher in race history and the first from his country to ever win the young rider’s classification.

In fact, Del Toro is the first Mexican to ever wear the Maglia Bianca, adding this to a long list of accomplishments he has achieved over the last three weeks.

It has been a stellar race for both the 21-year-old and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates, all of whom took to the podium in Rome to celebrate winning the team classification.

The Emirati squad end the first Grand Tour of the season with two memorable stage victories, taken by Juan Ayuso and Del Toro. The first, won by Ayuso on stage 7, saw the Spaniard triumph on the race’s first summit finish, with his Mexican teammate crossing the line in second. It was a maiden Grand Tour stage victory for Ayuso, with Del Toro following suit in the third week.

Through the next 11 days of racing, Del Toro came of age on the grandest stage, riding with a maturity beyond his years to have Mexico dreaming of its first Grand Tour success.

In surpassing Fausto Coppi’s record from the 1940 Giro d’Italia, Del Toro became the youngest rider in history to wear the Maglia Rosa for 11 consecutive stages.

Ending the race with Del Toro on the podium, Brandon McNulty in 9th, victory in the team classification and a credible 7th place for Filippo Baroncini on stage 21, UAE Team Emirates-XRG can be proud of everything it has achieved between the Grande Partenza in Albania and Sunday’s final stage in Rome.

More from Sports

  • Zimbabwe stun Australia to stay unbeaten in T20 World Cup

    Australia were dealt an early blow in their quest to reach the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 World Cup after the depleted former champions crashed to a 23-run defeat by Zimbabwe in Colombo on Friday.

  • Arsenal miss chance to go six points clear with draw at Brentford

    Arsenal has wasted the chance to restore their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Brentford on Thursday, with Noni Madueke's second-half header cancelled out by Keane Lewis-Potter.

  • India thump Namibia ahead of Pakistan clash

    Defending champions India continued their march towards the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 World Cup with a 93-run win over Namibia in a group A contest at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday.

  • Italy crush Nepal in maiden T20 World Cup victory

    Brothers Justin and Anthony Mosca guided Twenty20 World Cup debutants Italy to their first win in the tournament, as their unbeaten half-centuries secured a dominant 10-wicket victory over Nepal in a Group C clash on Thursday.

  • Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships reveals major expansion plan

    The 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships will usher in the start of a new era for one of the Middle East’s most iconic sporting events with plans revealed for an extensive two-phase redevelopment that will transform the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium and surrounding Aviation Club Tennis Complex.

News