Isaac del Toro once again raised Mexico’s profile in the world of cycling. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider won the 2026 GP Cycliste de Montréal—one of the most important classics on the WorldTour calendar—after a spectacular head-to-head battle against Frenchman Paul Seixas. Seixas, who finished fourth in the recent Tour de France, is—like the Mexican rider—considered one of the international peloton’s brightest young talents.
The victory for the Ensenada, Baja California native was hugely significant given the setting and the timing. Montreal served as a key proving ground ahead of the Road World Championships, which will take place in two weeks on a very similar course.
In a grueling 214-kilometer race featuring a demanding route and a climb tackled 15 times, Del Toro rose to the occasion like a true champion during the decisive moment.
Seixas attacked on the final climb and appeared to be opening a winning gap, but Del Toro kept his cool. The Mexican rider closed the gap, stayed on the Frenchman’s wheel, and launched his sprint with 300 meters to go, catching the Decathlon CMA CGM Team rider off guard and leaving him no time to respond. American Brandon McNulty—Del Toro’s UAE teammate and the race’s defending champion—rounded out the podium.
This triumph confirms Isaac del Toro’s excellent form in a season that had already established him among the biggest names in international cycling. In the 2026 Tour de France, the Mexican finished third in the general classification—behind only Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel—and also won the young rider classification, becoming a major figure for Latin American audiences and especially for Mexican fans.
The battle against Seixas also offers a glimpse into the future. The Frenchman, just 19 years old, finished fourth in the Tour de France and arrived in Canada as a top contender to claim the rainbow jersey. The fact that Del Toro was able to respond on the climb and defeat his rivals in the final sprint bolsters the Baja California native’s bid for the World Championships in Montreal—an event shaping up to be wide open following the absence of Pogačar, with riders like Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert, Juan Ayuso, Paul Seixas, and the Mexican himself among the ones to watch.
For Mexico, this victory is historic. Isaac del Toro not only won a WorldTour classic but also sent a clear message two weeks out from the World Championships: he is ready to go toe-to-toe with the best in the world. In a season that has already seen him reach the Tour de France podium, the rider from Ensenada has added another golden chapter to Mexican cycling history in Montreal.
Source: Revista Mundo Ciclístico