After a bruising day on stage 16, Isaac Del Toro delivered the perfect answer. The 21-year-old Mexican, still in the maglia rosa, launched a late attack on stage 17 to win solo in Bormio, extend his lead overall, and underline his control of this Giro d’Italia. It was a day when he had to respond to early attacks from Richard Carapaz on the Mortirolo and ultimately overhaul a resilient Romain Bardet, the last survivor of the breakaway. Del Toro did it all with poise, control and a show of strength on the final climb to Le Motte.
From the start in San Michele all’Adige, it was clear this would be another day of GC intrigue and attrition. A large break formed over the early slopes of the Passo del Tonale, and with several teams placing riders up the road, it was clear that strategy would play a role. Among those in the move were Brandon McNulty, Hugo Houle and Romain Bardet, whose presence would become increasingly relevant later.
As the race hit the Mortirolo, one of the Giro’s most notorious climbs, EF Education placed itself at the front. Carapaz seized the moment near the summit, accelerating hard and forcing a split in the GC group. Antonio Tiberi cracked, Simon Yates hesitated, and Del Toro waited. The Mexican kept his rhythm and bridged up gradually, aided by Adam Yates and Rafal Majka as the descent began.
Carapaz reached the valley solo, but the group behind regrouped and narrowed the gap. Meanwhile, Bardet had pressed on from the break, attacking over the top of the Mortirolo and descending aggressively to give himself a shot at a career-defining win. With less than 10km to go, he still had a slim advantage.
It wasn’t enough. Del Toro bided his time and launched on the steepest ramps of Le Motte. Carapaz responded initially, but the young leader had more in reserve. He surged again, bridging across to Bardet with Carapaz clinging on, then attacked once more. Bardet was dropped, and Carapaz faded, unable to match the explosive move. Del Toro powered through the final two kilometres, punching clear on the technical finish to take a symbolic win in pink.
Photo Credit: LaPresseHis margin was four seconds over Bardet and Carapaz, with Simon Yates leading home the next group a few seconds behind. Del Toro added 10 bonus seconds and now leads the Giro by 41 seconds from Carapaz, with Yates at 51.
Speaking after the stage, Del Toro was open about how hard the previous day had been, both physically and mentally. The Mexican said that a good night’s sleep helped him reset and credited his team with instilling belief that the Giro was still his to win. His attack had been planned, he said, though the opportunity on Le Motte wasn’t certain until the moment arrived.
He described how the team predicted moves on the Mortirolo, choosing to keep things under control rather than chasing every attack. “We didn’t want to let all the GC riders go. I went across and caught them on the descent,” he explained. “Then the idea was to try something on the last small climb.”
After the win, Del Toro’s celebration – arms raised and bowing to the crowd – echoed his earlier success at Milano-Torino, a gesture that has now become a personal signature. He explained that it started as a joke with his brother and has since turned into a way of thanking fans, who he said had supported him with incredible warmth along the route.
He acknowledged that his previous day in the mountains wasn’t ideal, but was determined not to dwell on it. “I don’t feel I’m any special,” he said. “We’re humans. That made everything better today.”
Behind him, Bardet was philosophical after coming so close to a fairytale win in his final Giro. He had made the decisive move from the break and still hoped to win even after being caught. But on the descent into Bormio, Del Toro was simply faster. “Honestly, he was going like a madman,” Bardet said, describing how Del Toro’s aggressive lines on the slippery roads gave him the crucial gap. “The road started to get a bit slippery, and the lines he was taking were really impressive. So he took five metres on us, and then it was over.”
Carapaz, who had attacked furiously on the Mortirolo and tried again on Le Motte, managed to gain time on Yates and move into second overall, but didn’t have the legs to match Del Toro in the final push. Still, it was another aggressive ride, and he remains firmly in contention heading into the final mountain stages.
Photo Credit: LaPresseSimon Yates was briefly distanced by Carapaz on the Mortirolo but used the descent and his team’s help to limit losses. In the end, he couldn’t follow the final attack, finishing fourth. Derek Gee also lost time but stayed within two minutes of the lead and is still firmly in the fight for a top-five finish. The Canadian acknowledged that the final kick didn’t suit him, but that Israel-Premier Tech had played the stage well by placing Hugo Houle in the break to support him later.
Del Toro’s ride drew praise from his team manager Mauro Gianetti, who spoke with clear emotion at the finish. He said the win was proof not just of Del Toro’s legs, but of his character. “It’s exceptional what he’s doing. He’s learning and maturing every day,” Gianetti said. “He knew it was beautiful, but now he’s realised the responsibility too. He’s a campione.”
Juan Ayuso, once co-leader at UAE, finished over 35 minutes down, having dropped from second to 26th in two days. Gianetti reiterated that the team is still supporting him and that there is no friction, only bad luck and fatigue. “Cycling is tough and still unpredictable,” he said. “Ayuso has no intention of leaving, and we have no plan to let him go.”
Del Toro now stands with four stages remaining – including two decisive mountain days – and a 41-second cushion over Carapaz. His first Grand Tour win is in sight.
2025 Giro d’Italia Stage 17 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: LaPresse
