Mexican Del Toro extends Giro lead after rivals marred by crash

In a dramatic turn of events during the 14th stage of the Giro d’Italia, Mexican cyclist Isaac Del Toro solidified his lead in the general classification after several of his key competitors were caught in a crash on the treacherous cobblestones in Slovenia

As the rain-soaked stage unfolded, Del Toro, the first Mexican rider to don the coveted pink jersey, finished strong, gaining crucial time over his closest rivals.

The 195-kilometer leg, which commenced in Treviso and concluded across the border in Slovenia, saw Danish rider Kasper Asgreen triumph in a solo effort, claiming victory on the mostly flat terrain. Del Toro, riding for UAE Team Emirates, crossed the finish line in the second group, only 16 seconds behind Asgreen, but capitalized on the misfortunes of others to extend his overall lead.

Entering the stage with a 38-second advantage over teammate Juan Ayuso, Del Toro now boasts a commanding 1 minute and 20 seconds lead over Simon Yates, who sits in second place. Ayuso has dropped to third, trailing by 1 minute and 26 seconds, while 2019 champion Richard Carapaz and Primoz Roglic follow in fourth and fifth, respectively, with gaps of 2 minutes and 7 seconds and 2 minutes and 23 seconds.

“The goal was to stay ahead to mitigate the risks of crashes or splits in the group,” Del Toro remarked, reflecting on the day’s events. “I’m in good shape and feel confident with the support around me. My focus remains on maintaining my position.”

The crash, which occurred approximately 22 kilometers from the finish line, involved several riders, including Giulio Ciccone, who sustained injuries but managed to complete the stage. Ciccone expressed concern over his condition, stating, “My right leg hurts. It’s not the bone, it’s a muscular thing. But I need to go get an X-ray.”

Del Toro recounted the chaos of the crash, noting, “Some guys crashed in the front. I wasn’t that much in the front but I crashed too because someone hit me from behind. I managed to stand up and quickly get to the front.”

Mads Pedersen, a sprinter with four stage wins in this Giro, was also affected by the crash, necessitating a bike change.

Asgreen’s victory marks his first in the Giro, complementing his earlier successes, including a stage win in the 2023 Tour de France and the Tour of Flanders in 2021. “In the second half of a Grand Tour, everybody has tired legs, and that made the difference today for the breakaway to be successful,” Asgreen stated. “The weather conditions played in my favor, and the wet roads made it harder for the bunch to catch us.”

Looking ahead, Stage 15 promises a challenging climb up Monte Grappa, with a total distance of 219 kilometers from Fiume Veneto to Asiago. Following this stage, the Giro will observe its third and final rest day before entering the decisive mountain stages leading to the grand finale in Rome next weekend.

VIDEO: 2025 Giro d'Italia Stage 14 Highlights

2025 Giro d'Italia Stage 14 Results

1- K Asgreen (Den/EF Education-EasyPost) 4hrs 4mins 40secs
2- K Groves (Aus/Alpecin-Deceuninck) +16secs
3- O Kooij (Ned/Visma-Lease a Bike) Same time
4- O Aular (Ven/Movistar)
5- S Oldani (Ita/Cofidis)
6- M Maestri (Ita/Polti VisitMalta)
7- D Gee (Can/Israel-Premier Tech)
8- T Pidcock (GB/Q36.5 Pro Cycling)
9- R Carapaz (Ecu/EF Education-EasyPost)
10- M Honore (Den/EF Education-EasyPost)

2025 Giro d'Italia General classification after Stage 14

1- I del Toro (Mex/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 50hrs 37mins 55secs
2- S Yates (GB/Visma-Lease a Bike) +1min 20secs
3- J Ayuso (Spa/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +1min 26secs
4- R Carapaz (Ecu/EF Education-EasyPost) +2mins 7secs
5- P Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) +2mins 23secs
6- D Gee (Can/Israel-Premier Tech) +2mins 54secs
7- D Caruso (Ita/Bahrain Victorious) +2mins 55secs
8- A Tiberi (Ita/Bahrain Victorious) +3mins 2secs
9- E Bernal (Col/Ineos Grenadiers) +3mins 38secs
10- T Arensman (Ned/Ineos Grenadiers) +3mins 45secs