Photo via Cyclingnews

Isaac del Toro reveals mystery knee pain ahead of trying to defend Pogačar's Il Lombardia streak alongside World Champion Brandon McNulty for UAE

UAE Team Emirates-XRG will look to extend their dominance at Il Lombardia without their star rider Tadej Pogačar, instead relying on a lineup led by World Champion Brandon McNulty and Mexican climber Isaac del Toro. Del Toro, who placed fifth in his debut last year, returns to the race for the first time since 2021, when he played a key role in Pogačar’s five consecutive victories.

The team’s depth includes former podium finisher Adam Yates, Jan Christen, Felix Großschartner, Domen Novak, and Pavel Sivakov, facing a competitive field that includes Remco Evenepoel, Primož Roglič, Tom Pidcock, Paul Seixas, Giulio Ciccone, Ben Healy, and Matteo Jorgenson. McNulty has been in strong form since winning the world title, finishing second at the Coppa Agostoni and 10th at the Giro dell’Emilia, while del Toro’s late-season aggression at the Worlds—where he finished fifth—could prove decisive.

However, the team faces uncertainty with del Toro’s unexplained knee pain, which surfaced during Gran Piemonte and may impact his ability to challenge for a sixth UAE victory in the race’s final climb. Team boss Mauro Gianetti’s squad will need to navigate both the physical and tactical challenges ahead to defend their title in a field stacked with contenders.

Up nextCycling· 3h ago

'I don’t think it’s my responsibility to finance that' – Gravel pros forced to buy their own kit and fund travel to Australia for World Championships