Isaac del Toro Wins 168.5km Tour Stage 2 as Vingegaard Keeps Yellow by 6 Seconds

Q: Did Pogacar gift a win, or is Del Toro a new secret weapon to dethrone Vingegaard at the Tour?

Pogacar appears to have gifted Del Toro the stage, but Del Toro also looks like a genuine new weapon for UAE rather than a mere beneficiary. The evidence from Montjuïc points strongly to a tactical handoff. Del Toro made the decisive move after Skjelmose attacked, and Pogacar then sat on the key rivals, especially Vingegaard and Evenepoel, instead of launching his own full sprint for the win. Reports from the finish described Pogacar as controlling the chase and allowing Del Toro to keep his gap. That gave UAE the ideal outcome: a stage win for Del Toro, second-place bonus seconds for Pogacar, and pressure on Vingegaard, who kept yellow by only six seconds. But calling it only a gift would undersell Del Toro’s ride. He had already overcome a puncture and slow bike change, then still had the legs to counter late on a stage designed for explosive GC riders. This was not a soft present handed to a fading teammate; it was a reward for a rider strong enough to finish the job. That matters for the wider Tour. Del Toro is now more than a promising helper. He is fourth overall, in top form after his Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes win, and has shown he can survive and attack with the best. He is unlikely to replace Pogacar as UAE’s main GC leader, but he can become a second threat who forces Visma-Lease a Bike to defend on two fronts. That makes him a serious strategic asset in the effort to unseat Vingegaard.

Q: With raging wildfires threatening the route, will the Tour de France be forced to cancel stages?

Not yet, but the risk is real and organizers are already modifying the race. Stage 3 to Les Angles has not been cancelled outright. Instead, it is set to go ahead in an adapted format because of a major wildfire in the Pyrénées-Orientales area near the finish and access roads. Officials have barred public spectators on French territory, cancelled the publicity caravan in France, and limited the stage setup to riders and essential vehicles so emergency services are not overstretched. The wider threat remains serious. Wildfires in southern France and extreme heat across the route are forcing daily reviews by Tour organizers and local authorities. Stage 4, from Carcassonne to Foix, is also under pressure because temperatures could approach 41C, with drought and smaller fires adding to the strain on emergency resources. Under French government guidance, regional prefects can cancel a stage in exceptional circumstances if safety for riders, staff, spectators or the public can no longer be guaranteed. The UCI’s high-temperature protocol also allows measures such as changing start times, shortening or neutralizing stages, and, if necessary, cancellation. So the Tour has not yet been forced into outright stage cancellations, but it is operating under clear contingency plans. If fires spread, roads close further, or heat alerts intensify, cancellations or further route changes remain a realistic possibility in the coming days.

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jul 5

22-year-old Isaac del Toro won Tour de France stage two on debut, edging UAE teammate Tadej Pogacar on the steep Montjuic finish in Barcelona.
Pogacar accelerated UAE's challenge by taking six bonus seconds and moving to second overall, but he let Del Toro take the stage after the Mexican closed down Mattias Skjelmose.
Jonas Vingegaard finished fourth in the same time as the front pair and kept the yellow jersey, while Remco Evenepoel took third and Del Toro rose to fourth overall at 16 seconds.
Monday's 195.9km Pyrenees stage into France includes 3,850 metres of climbing, with organisers scaling back operations and urging fans to stay away because of a forest wildfire.