19-year-old Mexican talent Isaac Del Toro signs for UAE Team Emirates

Isaac Del Toro, the 19-year-old Mexican who recently won the Tour de l'Avenir, has signed for UAE Team Emirates, joining the team from 2024 on a three-year deal.

Del Toro was on the radar of multiple teams even before his stunning success at L'Avenir, the world's premier U23 race, where he won the marquee summit finish on the Col de la Loze and won every jersey.

He was already heavily linked with UAE Team Emirates and, having surely upped his value, it has now been confirmed that he has put pen to paper on a first professional contract.

"We are very pleased and excited to welcome Isaac into the team. At UAE Team Emirates we are a very international team and we are proud to say that Isaac will be the first Mexican cyclist to join us in our history," said team boss Mauro Gianetti.

"He is a young man with promising talent and we look forward to seeing him developing both as a cyclist and as a person over the next years with us."

• GCN's exclusive interview with Isaac del Toro: From anonymity to the top of the sport

Del Toro, who hails from Baja California, has a background in multiple disciplines, and has come through the AR Monex development set-up, which has seen him based in Europe for the past couple of years.

In 2022, a leg break threatened to hamper his early progress but he has got stronger and stronger throughout 2023, placing 10th at the pro-level Sibiu Tour and third at the Giro della Valle d'Aosta ahead of the Tour de l'Avenir victory at the end of August.

“It is an honour to be joining UAE Team Emirates. I feel very proud to be welcomed as a part of this great family. It is something incredible to describe and I will give my best over the next years," Del Toro said.

"I have a lot to learn and a huge appetite to start that process and develop within the team. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of to get to this moment and I’m very excited for what the future holds.

"At the same time I’d like to thank all the people who have helped me in reaching this important objective in my life, and I look forward to sharing with them this new chapter.”

• Pro cycling transfers – every move for the 2024 season

Remarkably, Del Toro is the third 19-year-old to sign for UAE Team Emirates in this transfer window, as the team continue to invest in youth. Antonio Morgado and Jan Christen are joining from the renowned Axeon Hagens Berman development set-up, and there's also a 20-year-old recruit in Igor Arrieta from Kern Pharma.

UAE Team Emirates already count Tadej Pogačar and 21-year-old Spanish talent Juan Ayuso, and they're also adding Pavel Sivakov from Ineos Grenadiers to bolster their Grand Tour line-up, while Nils Politt and Filippo Baroncini add Classics-oriented strength.