Del Toro Leads Giro d'Italia After Stage 18, Teammate Ayuso Withdraws

Isaac Del Toro, the first Mexican to wear the Giro d’Italia pink jersey, has maintained his lead and extended it by winning stage 17 with a perfectly timed sprint on a challenging 155-kilometer route. Del Toro broke away from key rivals Romain Bardet and Richard Carapaz near the end, securing his first stage victory and boosting his chances for a first Grand Tour win. Despite setbacks for his team, including the withdrawal of teammate Juan Ayuso due to injury and other contenders like Jay Vine and Luke Plapp, Del Toro remains focused on defending his lead during the upcoming grueling mountain stages. His lead over Carapaz is 41 seconds, with Simon Yates trailing by an additional 10 seconds. The next two stages are expected to be the toughest, featuring multiple climbs and a famous gravel ascent, which will test Del Toro's endurance and team strategy. Del Toro has expressed determination to keep pushing, emphasizing that he has "nothing to lose" and is motivated to stay ahead and fight for the podium.