Three prototypes and a win in odd shoes – Isaac del Toro has been experimenting for months as Sidi looks set to join the lace-up trend

It seems that Isaac del Toro has been racing in a new unreleased Sidi cycling shoe for several months.

The shoes in question are a lace-up road model that we don’t recognise; Del Toro has been racing in them since at least last year.

One such example of a pro shoe deal is Remco Evenepoel’s S-Works Torch Remco model, which arrived around this time last year ahead of the Tour de France and was said to have come at Evenepoel’s specific request for a lightweight climbing shoe.

The Tour de France isn’t far away, and as the pinnacle of the cycling year, it’s always a prime time for brands to release new equipment. We recently spotted several new bikes at the renamed Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes this year, which Del Toro himself is competing in.

Cyclingnews has reached out to Sidi for more information on the shoes.

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Del Toro has regularly ridden in the Sidi Shot 3 shoes, as he did at last year’s Giro (Image credit: Dario Belingheri / Staff)What shoes is Del Toro wearing?

Whilst the shoes carried Sidi logos, the system looked a little more prototype than a full production version, with a black toggle at the top of the foot being used to cinch the thin-looking lace down. It’s a similar-looking system to the Rapha Pro Team Lace-up shoe.

Was Del Toro doing a head to head comparison at Tirreno? (Image credit: Tim de Waele / Staff)

Later versions of the shoes that have been used this year have seven eyelets and a white toggle. Suggesting different variants of the shoe have been tried and tested.

After doing some digging, we also noticed Del Toro lined up for Stage 6 of Tirreno Adriatico with odd shoes on.

The Mexican star wore a Shot 3 on his left foot, and one of the unknown shoes on his right, actually crossing the line to claim victory that day wearing the odd shoes. Perhaps he was carrying out something of a head-to-head comparison between the two models.

Jasper Philipsen also won Nokere Koerse in March wearing odd shoes; his shoe change came mid-race, however, after crash damage forced him to change into an unreleased Shimano model.

Here’s the newer seven-eyelet per side all white version of the shoes from Tirreno back in March (Image credit: Tim de Waele / Staff)

Here’s the latest, slicker-looking version Del Toro is using at the Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes this month. (Image credit: Dario Belingheri / Staff)

Del Toro is racing at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (previously the Dauphiné) this month and is riding in what seems to be a third and far more polished version of the shoes.

The eyelet layout appears to have changed again, with fewer being used, and what looks like a front lace and/or toggle cover flap or patch is in place at the front of the shoe.

This looks far neater than some of the previous shoes, particularly the pair with a black toggle from back last year. This pair look closer to a finished article, and we will keep an eye out for them at the Tour de France next month.

The shoes now look a lot cleaner, and whilst we don’t have any information or a launch date yet, you can’t say they haven’t been tested in competition.