Coppa Sabatini: Isaac del Toro surges from three-rider breakaway on uphill charge in Peccioli for victory

Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) claimed his third victory of the week, adding the Coppa Sabatini to his palmares after winning the Giro della Toscana on Wednesday and the GP Industria & Artigianato on the weekend.

Del Toro leapt away from his two breakaway companions to the victory. Cofidis' Benjamin Thomas finished second and Ben Granger (Mg.K Vis Costruzioni e Ambiente) was third.

"It’s an amazing feeling to finish this week with three wins in Italy," Del Toro said. "I felt strong in the final and when I saw an opportunity, I committed. The team rode brilliantly—positioning me, keeping me protected, and making sure I could deliver in the finale. To win here in Peccioli, in this race, means a lot."

Sunny skies graced the Coppa Sabatini peloton for the 197.6-kilometre race around Peccioli. The day's early breakaway went from the gun with Alexandre Balmer (Solution Tech-Vini Fantini), Samuele Zoccarato (Polti-VisitMalta), Valentin Retailleau (TotalEnergies), Simon Dalby (Uno-X Mobility), Edoardo Cipollini and Luca Creti (MBH Bank Ballan CSB), Edgar Cadena (Petrolike) and Granger making the move.

They gained a maximum of four minutes before the peloton closed in over the last few laps.

With 36km to go, a split formed behind the breakaway, with Marc Hirschi (Tudor), Jan Christen and Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Jefferson Cepeda (EF Education-EasyPost), Natnael Tasfatsion (Movistar), Paul Miquel (Kern Pharma), Davide Piganzoli (Polti-VisitMalta), Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis), Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana), Alexandre Delettre (TotalEnergies) and Francesco Busatto (Intermarché-Wanty) chasing them at 11 seconds with 24km to go.

As the chase group closed in, Cadena and Balmer attacked and held off the chasers until 12km to go. There was a larger peloton only 35 seconds behind, so Christen began drilling the pace to break up the lead group.

With 6.8km to go, Thomas attacked and pulled away Del Toro and Granger, and with 2.3km to go, the trio had 20 seconds over the chasers.

Heading into the final climb, Del Toro made his move while Thomas was looking the wrong way and the Frenchman couldn't react quick enough and had to watch as the Mexican celebrated his third straight victory.

Results

Results powered by FirstCycling