Isaac del Toro and the story behind his Tijuana mural after shining in the Tour de France

Gerardo Mode Orozco, a Mexican muralist, has honored cyclist Isaac del Toro with a vibrant mural in Tijuana. Del Toro, a native of Ensenada, recently secured third place in the Tour de France, a significant achievement for national talent.

“

In the penultimate stage, when he emotionally entered making the bull sign, I said 'let's do it tonight, so that tomorrow it dawns, and when everyone is here, people see and pass by here.' It is located at the San Ysidro border crossing, on the line. It is the most visited border in the world, thousands of people pass through there, it is super visible and I could not have chosen better, spectacular.

Orozco chose the San Ysidro border crossing, one of the world's busiest, for the mural's location. He wanted the artwork to be highly visible to the thousands of people who cross daily. "In the penultimate stage, when he emotionally entered making the bull sign, I said 'let's do it tonight, so that tomorrow it dawns, and when everyone is here, people see and pass by here,'" Orozco revealed. The mural aims to motivate, recognize, and celebrate Mexican talent.

While finishing the mural, Orozco found that many people were unaware of Del Toro's accomplishments. He explained the cyclist's success by comparing it to Mexico reaching a World Cup final, which helped people understand the magnitude of the achievement. The mural is particularly special as it is located near another mural honoring Gilberto Mora, a figure from the local soccer team Xolos.

“

I'm not lying, I had to tell more than 100 people who Isaac del Toro was. I had to tell them it was as if Mexico had reached the World Cup final and then people understood a little bit.

Orozco funded the mural entirely with his own resources, using materials he had on hand. He believes this is an investment, as he anticipates it will lead to future work. The artwork serves as a powerful symbol of national pride and artistic expression, celebrating a rising star in the cycling world.

“

This last mural of Del Toro I paid for with my own resources, I worked wonders with the material I had and without expecting anything in return. I think it's also an investment, because I know that work will come from it.