Questions raised over Isaac Del Toro’s roadside assistance after Tour stage win

Questions raised over Isaac Del Toro’s roadside assistance after Tour stage win

Isaac Del Toro won stage 2 of the Tour de France after receiving roadside mechanical help from Visma and Ineos staff when UAE's car missed him. UCI rules carry a 2–10 minute time penalty for such assistance.

Tim Bonville-Ginn
•4 min read

Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) won stage 2 of the Tour de France after receiving mechanical help from rival-team staff on the roadside, an act of sportsmanship that appears to breach UCI regulations carrying a time penalty of 2 to 10 minutes in a stage race.

The Mexican champion needed a bike change with around 63km to go on the day. The first UAE team car drove past him, supposedly mistaking him for a spectator on the roadside. Mechanics from Visma | Lease a Bike and Netcompany-Ineos then stepped in, fixing his bike well enough for him to continue. He went on to win the stage.

The Inner Ring summarised the potential implications on BlueSky: "Sportsmanship? Possibly but under the UCI rules a team giving mechanical assistance to a rider from another team is potentially a disqualification in a one day race, or a 2-10 minute time penalty during a stage race. Lucky for Del Toro the video commissaires didn't see this."

Race officials were already active on the same stage. UAE mechanic Bostian Kavcnik received a 500 CHF fine and the first yellow card of the 2026 Tour for "irregular assistance" on stage 2, a sanction that may be related to Del Toro's mechanical incident.

Related – How to watch the Tour de France 2026 in the UK

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What the rule says

UCI article 2.3.029 states that riders can receive technical support only from their own team car, team support staff, neutral service (the independent mechanic vehicle that follows the race), or the broom wagon. There is no explicit tolerance for assistance from rival teams.

The penalty framework for a stage race is a 500 CHF fine plus a 2 to 10 minute time penalty for the rider. Each team involved in providing the assistance faces a separate 500 CHF fine. In a one-day race, the sanction would be disqualification.

Stage 2 Results

Tarragone - Barcelone • Jul 5 • 168.5km

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Isaac Del Toro
UAE Team Emirates XRG3:40:01
🥈
Tadej Pogacar
UAE Team Emirates XRG3:40:01
🥉
Remco Evenepoel
Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe3:40:01
4
Jonas Vingegaard Hansen
Team Visma | Lease a Bike3:40:01
5
Mattias Skjelmose
Lidl-trek+0:03
6
Tobias Halland Johannessen
UNO-X Mobility+0:03
7
Romain Gregoire
Groupama-fdj United+0:03
8
Lenny Martinez
Bahrain Victorious+0:03
9
Paul Seixas
Decathlon Cma Cgm Team+0:03
10
Tom Pidcock
Pinarello-q36.5 Pro Cycling Team+0:03
11
Lennert Van Eetvelt
Lotto Intermarche+0:03
12
Juan Ayuso Pesquera
Lidl-trek+0:03
13
Ilan Van Wilder
Soudal Quick-step+0:03
14
Richard Carapaz
EF Education - Easypost+0:07
15
Alex Baudin
EF Education - Easypost+0:10
16
Florian Lipowitz
Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe+0:10
17
Cian Uijtdebroeks
Movistar Team+0:27
18
Adam Yates
UAE Team Emirates XRG+0:39
19
Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia
XDS Astana Team+0:43
20
Tobias Svendsen Foss
Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team+0:43
21
Thymen Arensman
Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team+0:47
22
Mathieu Van Der Poel
Alpecin-premier Tech+0:47
23
Egan Bernal Gomez
Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team+0:47
24
Alex Aranburu Deva
Cofidis+0:49
25
Harold Tejada Canacue
XDS Astana Team+0:51
26
Jose Felix Parra Cuerda
Caja Rural-seguros Rga+0:54
27
Yannis Voisard
Tudor Pro Cycling Team+1:10
28
Davide Piganzoli
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+1:10
29
Jordan Jegat
Totalenergies+1:10
30
Ion Izagirre Insausti
Cofidis+1:11
31
Javier Romo Oliver
Movistar Team+1:18
32
Abel Balderstone Roumens
Caja Rural-seguros Rga+1:18
33
Joris Delbove
Totalenergies+1:36
34
Sean Quinn
EF Education - Easypost+1:39
35
Torstein Traeen
UNO-X Mobility+1:55
36
Jai Hindley
Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe+1:55
37
Tiesj Benoot
Decathlon Cma Cgm Team+1:55
38
Mathias Vacek
Lidl-trek+5:02
39
Brandon Mcnulty
UAE Team Emirates XRG+5:02
40
Ben Alexander O Connor
Team Jayco Alula+5:31
41
Matthew Riccitello
Decathlon Cma Cgm Team+5:31
42
Guillaume Martin Guyonnet
Groupama-fdj United+5:31
43
George Bennett
Nsn Cycling Team+5:31
44
Lucas Plapp
Team Jayco Alula+5:31
45
Derek James Gee
Lidl-trek+5:31
46
Antonio Tiberi
Bahrain Victorious+5:44
47
Quinten Hermans
Pinarello-q36.5 Pro Cycling Team+5:57
48
Matteo Jorgenson
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+6:03
49
Mauro Schmid
Team Jayco Alula+6:21
50
Bruno Armirail
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+6:52
51
Kevin Vauquelin
Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team+6:52
52
Sepp Kuss
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+6:52
53
Anders Halland Johannessen
UNO-X Mobility+6:52
54
Clement Braz Afonso
Groupama-fdj United+7:15
55
Anders Skaarseth
UNO-X Mobility+8:40
56
Pascal Eenkhoorn
Soudal Quick-step+9:28
57
Georg Steinhauser
EF Education - Easypost+9:28
58
Georg Zimmermann
Lotto Intermarche+9:28
59
Rick Pluimers
Tudor Pro Cycling Team+9:28
60
Robbe Dhondt
Team Picnic Postnl+9:28
61
Sebastian Berwick
Caja Rural-seguros Rga+9:28
62
Nicolas Prodhomme
Decathlon Cma Cgm Team+9:28
63
Louis Vervaeke
Soudal Quick-step+9:28
64
Marc Hirschi
Tudor Pro Cycling Team+9:28
65
Lars Craps
Lotto Intermarche+9:28
66
Emiel Verstrynge
Alpecin-premier Tech+9:28
67
Christopher Harper
Pinarello-q36.5 Pro Cycling Team+9:28
68
Ramses Debruyne
Alpecin-premier Tech+9:40
69
Quentin Pacher
Groupama-fdj United+10:24
70
Joel Nicolau Beltran
Caja Rural-seguros Rga+11:01
71
Maxim Van Gils
Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe+11:06
72
Xandro Meurisse
Pinarello-q36.5 Pro Cycling Team+11:06
73
Damiano Caruso
Bahrain Victorious+11:06
74
Thibault Guernalec
Totalenergies+11:06
75
Marco Frigo
Nsn Cycling Team+11:06
76
Robert Stannard
Bahrain Victorious+11:06
77
Nelson Oliveira
Movistar Team+11:06
78
Lorenzo Germani
Groupama-fdj United+11:06
79
Ewen Costiou
Groupama-fdj United+11:06
80
Alexandre Delettre
Totalenergies+11:06
81
Matteo Vercher
Totalenergies+11:06
82
Nicolas Breuillard
Totalenergies+11:06
83
Mattia Cattaneo
Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe+11:06
84
Benjamin Thomas
Cofidis+11:06
85
Joshua Michael Tarling
Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team+11:06
86
Michal Kwiatkowski
Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team+11:06
87
Mike Teunissen
XDS Astana Team+11:06
88
Luke Durbridge
Team Jayco Alula+11:06
89
Dylan Van Baarle
Soudal Quick-step+11:06
90
Raul Garcia Pierna
Movistar Team+11:06
91
Julian Alaphilippe
Tudor Pro Cycling Team+11:06
92
Michael Matthews
Team Jayco Alula+11:57
93
Valentin Paret Peintre
Soudal Quick-step+12:08
94
Clement Russo
Groupama-fdj United+12:08
95
Niklas Maerkl
Team Picnic Postnl+12:08
96
Aurelien Paret Peintre
Decathlon Cma Cgm Team+12:08
97
Aaron Murray Gate
XDS Astana Team+12:08
98
Victor Campenaerts
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+12:08
99
Tim Wellens
UAE Team Emirates XRG+12:08
100
Felix Grossschartner
UAE Team Emirates XRG+12:08
101
Mathis Le Berre
Totalenergies+12:08
102
Carlos Verona Quintanilla
Lidl-trek+12:08
103
Jonas Rickaert
Alpecin-premier Tech+12:08
104
Kasper Asgreen
EF Education - Easypost+12:08
105
Max Walker
EF Education - Easypost+12:16
106
Michael Valgren
EF Education - Easypost+12:16
107
Ben Healy
EF Education - Easypost+12:16
108
Michel Hessmann
Movistar Team+12:16
109
Jenno Berckmoes
Lotto Intermarche+12:16
110
Lewis Askey
Nsn Cycling Team+12:30
111
Edward Planckaert
Alpecin-premier Tech+12:47
112
Felix Engelhardt
Team Jayco Alula+13:33
113
Nils Politt
UAE Team Emirates XRG+13:33
114
Jonas Abrahamsen
UNO-X Mobility+13:33
115
Tom Van Asbroeck
Nsn Cycling Team+13:33
116
Silvan Dillier
Alpecin-premier Tech+13:33
117
Nicolya Vinokurov
XDS Astana Team+13:33
118
Hugo Page
Cofidis+13:33
119
Einer Augusto Rubio Reyes
Movistar Team+13:33
120
Nico Denz
Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe+13:33
121
Dorian Godon
Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team+13:33
122
Warren Barguil
Team Picnic Postnl+13:33
123
John Degenkolb
Team Picnic Postnl+13:33
124
Xabier Azparren Irurzun
Pinarello-q36.5 Pro Cycling Team+13:33
125
Damien Craig Howson
Pinarello-q36.5 Pro Cycling Team+13:33
126
Jefferson Cepeda
Movistar Team+13:33
127
Pablo Castrillo Zapater
Movistar Team+13:33
128
Tim Marsman
Alpecin-premier Tech+13:33
129
Anthon Charmig
UNO-X Mobility+13:33
130
Anthony Turgis
Totalenergies+13:33
131
Matis Louvel
Nsn Cycling Team+13:33
132
Jasper Philipsen
Alpecin-premier Tech+13:33
133
Jasper Stuyven
Soudal Quick-step+13:33
134
Brent Van Moer
Pinarello-q36.5 Pro Cycling Team+13:33
135
Florian Vermeersch
UAE Team Emirates XRG+13:33
136
Tim Van Dijke
Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe+13:33
137
Frits Biesterbos
Team Picnic Postnl+13:33
138
Michael Storer
Tudor Pro Cycling Team+13:33
139
Pavel Bittner
Team Picnic Postnl+13:33
140
Stefano Oldani
Caja Rural-seguros Rga+13:33
141
Fernando Gaviria Rendon
Caja Rural-seguros Rga+13:33
142
Max Kanter
XDS Astana Team+13:33
143
Jenthe Biermans
Cofidis+13:33
144
Jakub Otruba
Caja Rural-seguros Rga+13:33
145
Toms Skujins
Lidl-trek+13:33
146
Krists Neilands
Nsn Cycling Team+13:33
147
Tim Merlier
Soudal Quick-step+13:33
148
Daan Hoole
Decathlon Cma Cgm Team+13:33
149
Milan Fretin
Cofidis+13:46
150
Magnus Cort Nielsen
UNO-X Mobility+13:52
151
Matej Mohoric
Bahrain Victorious+13:56
152
Jan Tratnik
Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe+13:56
153
Quinn Simmons
Lidl-trek+13:56
154
Alex Kirsch
Cofidis+13:56
155
Thomas Jake Stewart
Nsn Cycling Team+13:56
156
Mads Pedersen
Lidl-trek+13:56
157
Biniam Girmay
Nsn Cycling Team+13:56
158
Arvid De Kleijn
Tudor Pro Cycling Team+13:56
159
Phil Bauhaus
Bahrain Victorious+13:56
160
Julius Van Den Berg
Team Picnic Postnl+13:56
161
Frank Van Den Broek
Team Picnic Postnl+13:56
162
Pascal Ackermann
Team Jayco Alula+13:56
163
Kamil Gradek
Bahrain Victorious+13:56
164
Simone Velasco
XDS Astana Team+13:56
165
Alex Molenaar
Caja Rural-seguros Rga+13:56
166
Piet Allegaert
Cofidis+13:56
167
Vlad Van Mechelen
Bahrain Victorious+14:20
168
Alfred Brockwell Wright
Pinarello-q36.5 Pro Cycling Team+14:20
169
Filippo Ganna
Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team+14:43
170
Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal Quick-step+14:51
171
Per Strand Hagenes
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+15:02
172
Soeren Waerenskjold
UNO-X Mobility+15:06
173
Matteo Trentin
Tudor Pro Cycling Team+15:29
174
Huub Artz
Lotto Intermarche+15:29
175
Davide Ballerini
XDS Astana Team+15:44
176
Marco Haller
Tudor Pro Cycling Team+16:08
177
Liam Slock
Lotto Intermarche+16:33
178
Edoardo Affini
Team Visma | Lease a Bike+16:47
179
Kelland O Brien
Team Jayco Alula+17:49
180
Olav Kooij
Decathlon Cma Cgm Team+18:08
181
Cees Bol
Decathlon Cma Cgm Team+18:08
182
Baptiste Veistroffer
Lotto Intermarche+18:25
183
Arnaud De Lie
Lotto Intermarche+18:25

Del Toro currently sits 16 seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) in fourth on GC, with team leader Tadej Pogačar 10 seconds ahead of him in second. Even a two-minute penalty would erase those margins and alter UAE's numerical advantage in the GC battle.

The closest example we have seen comes from the 2015 Giro d'Italia where Richie Porte, riding for Team Sky, punctured in the final kilometres of the 10th stage of the race and received a wheel change from Simon Clarke, riding for Orica-GreenEdge. The race jury applied the non-regulation assistance rule to both riders, handing each a two-minute penalty and a 200 CHF fine. Porte dropped from third to 12th overall.

More recently, Filippo Ganna was disqualified from the 2022 Tour de la Provence for taking a non-regulation bike change from staff at a fixed roadside location. Barbara Malcotti was removed from the 2022 Tour de France Femmes after her Human Powered Health team car provided a bike change in front of the peloton rather than behind it.

It is now up to the commissaires whether they act or not and whether the video circulating online actually shows enough for the UCI to impose these sanctions. The UCI does have a habit of not abiding by the rules they set out and the inconsistency does, on occasion, frustrate fans and teams alike. If the rule was imposed then it would be likely on the lower end, a 10 minute penalty would be very extreme and, as of yet, has not been used. But a 2 minute penalty could be a decider of a podium position or not by the time they get to Paris, so it is very important either way.

Visma and Ineos would also face fines for their help in the matter but the biggest losers would be Del Toro and UAE in the end just because the team car missed their rider on the side of the road.

As of yet, the UCI have said nothing on the matter with nothing being shown on the communiqué beyond the 500 CHF fine for Kavcnik. Time will tell if further action is taken.

Cover image credit: A.S.O./Thomas Maheux

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Tim Bonville-Ginn headshot

Tim Bonville-Ginn

Pro cycling contributor

Tim Bonville-Ginn is a freelance writer who has worked in cycling for well over a decade with his articles being featured across publications such as Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Cyclist, Rouleur, Eurosport, Road cc, Domestique, and more.

As well as writing, Tim has worked as a social media and press manager for professional teams Human Powered Health, Global 6, and Saint Piran across Europe as well as commentating on races such as the African Continental Championships, Tour de Feminin and multiple rounds of the British road and circuit series for Golazo and Monument Cycling.

Expertise:Racing