Isaac del Toro secured a victory in the second stage of the Tour de France on Sunday, overcoming a mechanical issue and a delay in receiving a replacement bike to claim the win. His triumph marked only the second time a Mexican rider has won a stage in the event, following Raul Alcala’s success more than 30 years ago.

The stage, a 160-kilometer route from Tarragona to Barcelona featuring three laps around the hilly Cote de Chateau de Montjuic, tested riders with challenging terrain. Del Toro's mechanical trouble occurred approximately 60 kilometers from the finish, when a miscommunication with his team left him stranded by the roadside waiting for a new bike. Despite the setback, he managed to regain lost ground quickly, closing nearly all the gap within the final 10 kilometers.

Del Toro’s late surge proved decisive, allowing him to take the stage win ahead of his teammate, current defending champion Tadej Pogacar. Pogacar, who finished second, narrowed the overall race lead held by Jonas Vingegaard to six seconds. Following the finish, Pogacar celebrated by lifting Del Toro into the air as teammates from UAE Team Emirates-XRG hailed the young rider’s performance.

“This means really everything,” Del Toro said after the race, reflecting on his second Grand Tour stage victory. “I’m very privileged. There is plenty of confidence from the whole team. I cannot believe I just did it. It’s just insane. You can’t believe how it feels for me, especially for the country.”

The result underscored UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s strong presence in the early stages of the Tour, setting the tone for the competition as the race progresses toward the mountain stages and time trials in the coming weeks.