Isaac del Toro to Serve as Pogacar’s Support Rider at the 2026 Tour de France
This year’s UAE Team Emirates - XRG media day has confirmed some major plans for 2026. From Valencia, sources indicate that Isaac del Toro will line up at the 2026 Tour de France as a domestique for Tadej Pogacar.
Earlier this year, Joao Almeida announced he would skip the Tour de France to focus on the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España. With Almeida out of the Grand Boucles, the spotlight shifts to Del Toro, who is slated to play a key supporting role for the Slovenian champion in cycling’s most prestigious event.
During the press conference, Del Toro laid out his mindset for his first Tour de France:
"I’m here to learn from Tadej and understand the race, perhaps for my own future as well. No hurry and no pressure."
Del Toro is set to start his 2026 campaign at the UAE Tour, an important early-season objective for UAE Team Emirates under the leadership of Mauro Gianetti and Joxean Fernández Matxin. The plan also envisions him racing alongside Pogacar at Strade Bianche, targeting a strong Tirreno–Adriatico and revisiting Milan–San Remo with a lead-out role in mind. The season’s early runs will then continue with Itzulia Basque Country and the Dauphine before a potential Tour de France debut.
Team strategy makes Del Toro’s appointment clear: the UAE squad places significant trust in a rider who nearly claimed the Giro d’Italia title in 2025 and closed the year by excelling in numerous one-day races. It remains to be seen how his late-season schedule will unfold, including whether he will participate in the Vuelta a España alongside Almeida or focus on a single Grand Tour in 2026.
2026 racing calendar for Isaac del Toro
- UAE Tour
- Strade Bianche
- Tirreno–Adriatico
- Milan–San Remo
- Itzulia Basque Country
- Tour du Dauphiné (Tour du Auvergne Rhône-Alpes)
- Tour de France
Del Toro’s own words on the plan
"My programme won’t be entirely about supporting Pogacar. I’ll have opportunities for freedom in certain races. But riding with him at the Tour is a dream come true, and I’m ready to take it all in. I want to elevate my level and see how I manage it all."
"I’ll learn from Tadej at the Tour and gain a better feel for the race—perhaps one day it will help me race there for myself. There’s no rush and no pressure."
"I’ll begin the season as the UAE Team Emirates leader at the UAE Tour. After that, I’ll race Strade Bianche, Milan–San Remo, and Itzulia Basque Country, followed by the Tour du Dauphiné and the Tour de France."
