Del Toro, Seixas show glimpse into Tour de France future

Tadej Pogacar romped to another dominant Tour de France victory but cycling fans were treated to a glimpse into the future with the battle for the best young rider’s white jersey.

After a close contest which begun right from the Grand Depart in Barcelona, Mexican Isaac Del Toro, 22, edged 19-year-old French prodigy Paul Seixas both to third place and the white jersey.

Pogacar may go on dominating the sport for many more years, but at the very least he is likely to face some stiffer opposition as younger rivals mature and progress.

Del Toro — a close friend and team-mate of Pogacar’s — eventually finished just over two minutes ahead of Seixas but that gap belied how close their arm-wrestle had been, with just 24 seconds separating them at the start of Saturday’s Queen stage in the Alps.

“I wanted to go as deep as possible, but there was a moment where I was on my limit, and I cracked,” Seixas said of his final effort.

Seixas may feel some disappointment in missing out on the podium, but the magnitude of his achievement cannot be understated.