Redemption for Yates on epic mountain climb as he closes in on Giro d'Italia title
The pack rides during the 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia from Verres to Sestriere (Via Latteo), Italy, Saturday May 31, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Fans gather along the Colle delle Finestre climb to see riders passing by, during the stage 20 of the Giro d'Italia from Verres to Sestriere (Via Lattea), Italy, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Ecuador's Richard Carapaz, right, and Mexico's Isaac del Toro during the 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia from Verres to Sestriere (Via Latteo), Italy, Saturday May 31, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Britain's Simon Yates pedals during the stage 20 of the Giro d'Italia from Verres to Sestriere (Via Lattea), Italy, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Britain's Simon Yates pedals along the Colle delle Finestre climb during the stage 20 of the Giro d'Italia from Verres to Sestriere (Via Lattea), Italy, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Britain's Simon Yates pedals along the Colle delle Finestre climb during the stage 20 of the Giro d'Italia from Verres to Sestriere (Via Lattea), Italy, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
The pack rides during the 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia from Verres to Sestriere (Via Latteo), Italy, Saturday May 31, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Fans gather along the Colle delle Finestre climb to see riders passing by, during the stage 20 of the Giro d'Italia from Verres to Sestriere (Via Lattea), Italy, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Ecuador's Richard Carapaz, right, and Mexico's Isaac del Toro during the 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia from Verres to Sestriere (Via Latteo), Italy, Saturday May 31, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Britain's Simon Yates pedals during the stage 20 of the Giro d'Italia from Verres to Sestriere (Via Lattea), Italy, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Britain's Simon Yates pedals along the Colle delle Finestre climb during the stage 20 of the Giro d'Italia from Verres to Sestriere (Via Lattea), Italy, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
SESTRIERE, Italy (AP) — Simon Yates produced one of the greatest rides of his career, up one of cycling's most grueling climbs, to all but win the Giro d'Italia on Saturday.
Yates had started the penultimate stage in third, one minute and 21 seconds behind previous leader Isaac Del Toro but the British cyclist launched a solo attack on the beyond-category climb to Colle delle Finestre — the same mountain that spelled heartbreak for him seven years ago — to ride clear of his overall rivals.
Advertisement
The 32-year-old Yates, who won the Spanish Vuelta in 2018, was openly sobbing after he crossed the line more than five minutes ahead of Del Toro.
With just the mostly ceremonial finish in Rome left on Sunday, Yates moved into the lead of the three-week race and is all but certain to lift the famous Trofeo Senza Fine (Trophy With No End) for the first time.
Yates' attack had echoes of Chris Froome's audacious move on the Finestre in 2018 that earned him the title.
It was also redemption for Yates who had been leading the Giro at that point in 2018, having worn the pink jersey for 13 days, before cracking on that climb.
Advertisement
Australian cyclist Chris Harper claimed his first individual victory in a Grand Tour on Saturday's 20th stage, a 205-kilometer (127-mile) leg from Verres to Sestriere.
___
AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Italy in defensive injury crisis ahead of World Cup qualifiers after latest training blow
Italy and CT Luciano Spalletti have hit crisis mode in defence ahead of June's World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Moldova, as Milan centre-back Matteo Gabbia has now come down with a calf issue in training. According to reports from Sky Sport Italia, Gabbia was forced out of the Italy national team training session on Tuesday with a calf injury, which is likely to be a tendon issue according to the initial updates. Advertisement The severity of the issue, and whether Italy will need to call in a replacement, remains to be seen. Matteo Gabbia in action during a Italy training session at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on October 08, 2024 in Florence. (Photo by) Gabbia adds to Italy's defensive injury crisis The Azzurri are already without regular first-team centre-backs Riccardo Calafiori of Arsenal and Napoli's Alessandro Buongiorno through injury. Inter's Francesco Acerbi has recently refused a call-up to join the national team for June's World Cup qualifiers, while there are ongoing fitness concerns over Federico Gatti of Juventus and Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, both of whom trained separately on Tuesday. Riccardo Calafiori goes down with an injury during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal leg one match between Italy and Germany at Stadio San Siro on March 20, 2025 in Milan. (Photo by) Additionally, Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli, who is also able to cover in defence, also dropped out of the squad as a result of an injury issue on Monday. Advertisement That means that Inter's Alessandro Bastoni is the only capped central defender currently available in the Italy national team squad. The injury crisis at centre-back could be good news for Fiorentina captain Luca Ranieri, who was called into the squad to replace Buongiorno earlier this week, while the uncapped 21-year-old Diego Coppola could also be in line for an opportunity in his first camp.
New York Times
4 hours ago
- New York Times
Willem Dafoe Shines His Spotlight on Theater's Avant-Garde Past
What happens when an avant-garde becomes history? The question came to mind during the opening weekend of the Venice Theater Biennale, newly under the direction of Willem Dafoe. As a co-founder in 1980 of the New York City-based Wooster Group, Dafoe had a front-row view of the experimental theater of his time. In Venice, he is turning the spotlight back onto it — at the risk of the event turning nostalgic. This year's edition is a 50th anniversary celebration for an important edition of the Theater Biennale, an annual event put together by the same organization as the (much bigger) Art Biennale. In 1975, the Italian director Luca Ronconi convened a long list of revolutionary American and European ensembles for the theater event, including La MaMa, Odin Teatret, the Living Theater and the Théâtre du Soleil. Only one of them, Odin Teatret, is actually back this year, but others are being honored through talks and exhibitions. And the Wooster Group, which has its roots in that era, opened the festival on Saturday. The next morning, that company's longtime director, Elizabeth LeCompte, received the event's Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement award. While the Biennale's lineup also includes younger stars and emerging artists, this year's historical dive is unusual. Theater festivals tend to be singularly focused on the present, always looking for new and emerging voices. Yet there is value in revisiting the work of artists who had a significant impact on 20th-century stages. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FTAL-palermo-sicily-ITTRAVADVIS0625-5d7148e964ec4627b022f6d983615ea2.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Travel + Leisure
4 hours ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Popular European Country Just Got a Heightened Travel Advisory Over Terrorism—What Travelers Should Know
As the summer travel season begins and travelers start getting ready to go on their European vacations, the U.S. government wants to make sure everyone is careful in certain areas with the potential for terrorism. Recently, the U.S. Department of State released a travel advisory for Italy warning travelers to exercise increased caution due to the threat of terrorism. The advisory ranks Italy at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, which recommends travelers stay alert to possibly heightened risk. The country has held that ranking since April 2022. 'There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Italy,' the advisory states. 'Terrorists may attack with little or no warning.' The advisory warns that common targets for terror attacks include popular tourist spots, transportation centers, shopping malls and markets, local government buildings, hotels, clubs, restaurants, religious sites, parks, sporting events, schools, airports, and other public areas. It suggests that travelers should stay alert in tourist areas, and make sure to check local media for breaking news. At the moment there is no specific threat or terror plot that is cited. According to the State Department's 2023 Country Reports on Terrorism for Italy, there were no terrorism incidents in Italy that year. 'Domestically, Italy aggressively investigated and prosecuted terrorist suspects and regularly deported foreign nationals for terrorism-related security reasons,' the report states. 'Italian law enforcement has advanced capacity to detect and deter terrorist activity, links, and associations within its borders. Authorities employ those capabilities to counter terrorist recruitment, radicalization to violence, and networking. Law-enforcement agencies and intelligence services coordinate their efforts and meet regularly to review terrorist threats and share information.' The advisory should not deter travelers from going to Italy this summer. Instead, it should just function as a reminder to be aware of one's surroundings. It is only guidance, especially for countries ranked at Level 2. (And for some perspective, other countries have issued similar warnings to their citizens about traveling to the U.S.) Other countries in Europe that have a Level 2 ranking and a higher risk of possible terrorism activity include Belgium, Germany, France, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, and The Netherlands. The United Kingdom also has a Level 2 ranking. Travelers abroad are advised to enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) in order to receive up-to-date messages and alerts from the local U.S. Embassy.
