Abu dhabi: On stage 15 of the Tour de France, Isaac del Toro moved his way up to third overall for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, with the Mexican taking control of the young rider's classification. Overtaking Paul Seixas of Decathlon CMA CGM in the race for the final podium, Del Toro takes the White Jersey into the race's final rest day. Sunday's stage offered an exhibition in teamwork for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, with the young Mexican supported by teammate and race leader, Tadej Pogacar, on the final climb to the line.
According to Emirates News Agency, returning to the Plateau de Solaison, the site of Del Toro's recent stage victory and overall triumph at the Tour Auvergne-Rh´ne-Alpes, UAE Team Emirates-XRG hatched a plan to vault the Mexican up the general classification and force his White Jersey rivals under pressure. Before that could come about, however, the Tour de France was dealt a cruel blow with the abandonment of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike). The two-time winner suffered a crash on a right-hand bend and was forced to leave the race early. After the finish, his long-time opponent turned friend, Pogacar, offered a word of support for the departing Dane.
Pogacar said: 'It is really, really sad to see that Jonas is out. Since 2021, we have been battling it out for the victories. Maybe at the beginning we didn't have the best relationship, but in the last two years, we became good rivals with respect as competitors. But I think we also became friends, and the Tour will not be the same without him.'
In regard to the racing, UAE Team Emirates-XRG had been in a strong position from the breakaway formation, with Adam Yates placing himself up the road for the Emirati squad. The British climber followed the wheels of men in form like Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling) and Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek), with the front group soon building an advantage of almost three minutes.
For a while, it looked as though Visma-Lease a Bike would set things up for a showdown between the GC favourites, but their hopes were brought to an untimely end with the departure of Vingegaard. In their place, Bahrain Victorious and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe took up the pace-setting at the front of the peloton, and the breakaway hit the slopes of the final climb, the Plateau do Solaison (11.3km at 9%), with a gap of less than two minutes.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG made their intentions clear with 8km to ride, as Pogacar roared to the front of the peloton with the Yellow Jersey on his back. The race leader immediately began to drive a hard pace, and it was evident the Slovenian was working for his young teammate Del Toro, in a remarkable show of selflessness.