Is Isaac del Toro the new favourite for the World Championships? He says no but the road may say differently

With Tadej Pogačar out of the World Championships and the rest of the season, the cycling world is simultaneously revelling in the new-found unpredictability of the races to come, and at once trying to pin the 'favourite' badge on a new rider, perhaps seeking the familiarity of races that have one clear favoured winner.

In a Pogačar free-world, where the level below him in the pyramid features many riders of a similar pedigree, assigning one rider that favourite status is not easy, but one name is top of the list for many analysts: Isaac del Toro.

Teammate of the Slovenian and very much built in his image, including finishing third behind him at the Tour de France this year, it's not hard to see why Del Toro is an obvious choice to fill Pogačar's shoes in races like the World Championships and Il Lombardia, though the young Mexican himself isn't quite so sure.

Despite his prodigious talents and swaggering confidence on the road, Del Toro is a different character when he speaks off the bike, and has never been one to over-egg his own chances, even now.

"No, I will say no," he said this week when asked if he could be considered one of the main favourites for the rainbow jersey. "Everybody is super strong. Everybody has their plans, and everybody has history in these kinds of races. As a nation we're still growing, and for sure I have the ambition to try to take the main spot, but yeah, it's hard."

Del Toro is right that, riding for Mexico, he has to count on a smaller, weaker team, up against squads from France, Spain and Belgium, but at the same time, his performance at last year's World Championships seemed to dispel the idea that a smaller team could hold him back.

In Kigali, he was the only rider who would follow Pogačar's eventually race-winning attack, and whilst he ultimately faded to finish seventh, he proved then that – big team or not – he is able to be amongst the best when it matters in the Worlds road race.

After his success at the Tour earlier this summer – as well as victories at Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and the Deutschland Tour – there's no reason to believe his ability will be any different in Montreal in two weeks' time.

"I prepare myself to be good, and if this puts me in the place to fight for it I will do it, but it's not a specific [training]," he said of his preparation for this block in Canada. "More or less my goal is to have the same shape all year and trying to do the best every race, and hoping for the best."

Form-wise, everything points towards Del Toro being in a shape that certainly can compete with the best in the next few races, as he has been doing all year.

"I mean my level is not getting super high week by week, but I will say that I am more or less the same guy [that I was in] February, and hopefully I just can be more healthy and be good for these races that I have in the final part of the year," he said. "Let's see, if I have a good day, maybe I can be in the front."

And if he can be in the front, it seems hard to imagine that Del Toro won't be able to chase after that rainbow jersey, or at least a first World Championships medal.

Despite playing down his favourite status for the world title race in a few weeks' time, Del Toro couldn't help but let that confidence slip out when it comes to the races coming this weekend.

"Which race would be better to win, Montréal or Quebec? Which one would mean more to you?" a journalist asked.

The answer was quick, and with a smile: "Both."

And if he does win both, well, he won't be able to deny his Worlds favourite status much longer.

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