Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) may have just turned 20-years-old a matter of weeks ago but last year’s Tour de l’Avenir winner has already taken his first World Tour victory after a dominant display at Santos Tour Down Under.
On a day when some of the sprinters made it into the front group – though race leader Sam Welsford (Bora-hansgrohe) was unable to hang on – Del Toro rode like a mini Tadej Pogačar. He chased down moves, attacked himself and even contested the intermediate sprints.
And at the end of the 141.6km stage 2 from Norwood to Lobethal, he put in a stinging late attack to draw clear solo in the final kilometre and just about hold off the remains of the bunch for victory.
On a day when the field was thinned out, Archie Ryan (EF Education-EasyPost) did what was required to keep his general classification hopes intact with an eye on the climbs this weekend.
The young Irishman finished on the same time as the very impressive stage winner, rolling over the line in 30th place. He now sits 29th overall, though 11 seconds off new race leader, Del Toro, as the Mexican mopped up time bonuses today.
The climb of Fox Creek Hill with 10km to go really spiced up the finale of the stage, with Luke Plapp (Team Jayco AlUla) and Jhonnatan Narvaez (Ineos Grenadiers) getting clear.
However, Plapp was told by his team not to work with Narvaez. And when Del Toro, and team mate Finn Fisher Black, also attacked the bunch and went off in pursuit of the two leaders, the group came back together.
But Del Toro was clearly on a charge and had the legs to go again, this time decisively, in the final kilometre.
Isaac del Toro takes out the Santos Ride of the Day@efex_IT | @Santosltd | #TourDownUnder
📺 Stream the race now on 7plus: https://t.co/k2Exq3FDwl pic.twitter.com/js3EaWcvVV
— Santos Tour Down Under 🚴🚴♀️ (@tourdownunder) January 17, 2024
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#LAvenir #champ #Del #Toro #pulls #trigger #big #win #Video
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