Isaac del Toro Returns, Places 12th in Tour Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes Stage 1

Mexican cyclist Isaac del Toro, who suffered a right‑thigh muscle tear and multiple abrasions after a crash in the third stage of the Itzulia Basque Country on 8 April, returned to racing on Sunday. He rode the opening stage of the Tour Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes (formerly the Critérium du Dauphiné) in France, covering 146.2 km of mountainous terrain and finishing 12th, 44 seconds behind stage winner Alex Baudin.

The comeback ends nearly two months of absence and is viewed as an important step in his preparation for the Tour de France, his primary goal for the season. Del Toro, a top‑ranked rider on UAE Team Emirates‑XRG who previously won the UAE Tour and Tirreno‑Adriatico and was third in the UCI World Tour rankings, said the race demonstrated his return to form despite the challenging climbs. His performance keeps him among the contenders to watch as the team sharpens its line‑up for the upcoming Grand Tour.