Vuelta a Mexico to return in 2027, and organisers want Del Toro and UAE to come

Mexico's newly established national cycling federation, CONADE, has announced ambitious plans to revive the Vuelta a México in 2027. The federation explicitly aims to attract star rider Isaac Del Toro and his UAE Team Emirates squad to the resurrected stage race. This initiative seeks to leverage Del Toro's burgeoning international profile, particularly following his impressive debut season, to elevate the event and cycling within the nation.

This move comes as CONADE, only recently recognised by the UCI, attempts to re-establish a credible and significant presence for Mexican cycling on the global stage, a task complicated by years of administrative turmoil and a lack of top-tier events. Del Toro's meteoric rise, culminating in a stage win and third overall at the Tour Down Under, provides a unique opportunity. His participation would not only guarantee international media attention but also inspire a new generation of Mexican riders, potentially fostering a much-needed domestic talent pipeline.

While the ambition is commendable, securing a WorldTour team like UAE, let alone its brightest young talent, three years out, for a nascent race, is a significant undertaking. One might even call it optimistic. Still, a nation finally rallying behind its biggest cycling export? That's a narrative even the most jaded among us can appreciate.