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Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Simon Yates overcomes doubts to secure his first Giro d'Italia triumph
Simon Yates (above) is the first man to win the Giro without taking a single stage since Alberto Contador 10 years ago. PHOTO: REUTERS – Simon Yates won the Giro d'Italia on June 1 after cruising home in the pack to seal a career-defining victory in the final procession stage, won by his teammate Olav Kooij, around Rome. Briton Yates effectively secured his second Grand Tour triumph on May 31 when he took the leader's pink jersey from Isaac del Toro with an epic effort in the Italian Alps. Yates, a 32-year-old who rides for Visma-Lease a bike, is the first man to win the Giro without taking a single stage since Alberto Contador 10 years ago. Yates came out on top in a Giro missing 2024 winner Tadej Pogacar and Yates' teammate Jonas Vingegaard and blown wide open by the retirements of pre-race favourites Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayuso. He is the Giro's 12th different winner in as many editions. The win also validates Yates' pre-season decision to move to cycling giants Visma after 10 years with the same Australian team, now called Jayco-AlUla. 'I wanted to come to a team that knew how to win the Grand Tours. They have done it successfully with different riders and it's looking like it paid off,' said Yates. 'All of us have doubts if we are doing the right thing or on the right path. I've also had a lot of setbacks, not just here at the Giro but at other races as well, where I've thought maybe it's time to stop and do something else. 'I had no bad luck this year, which is what I had in the past.' Kooij won the bunch sprint which has become a feature of the finales in Rome, pipping Kaden Groves, Matteo Moschetti and Mads Pedersen to claim his second win of this year's hugely entertaining three-week race around Italy. Visma wanted the perfect finish, with Yates and Kooij both victorious in the Eternal City, and they executed it to perfection when Wout van Aert led the sprint out on the final kilometre before Kooij surged ahead to take the victory, his second after winning stage 12. 'We couldn't wish for a better final weekend. Yesterday was really amazing for the team and today I just had to give everything that was still left in the legs. The team made it a lot easier. I just had to push it until the line,' said Kooij. 'With sprints it's never easy to do it like perfectly, but today we really committed, we just went all in, we were in perfect position and just happy to make it to the line. 'I was really happy with this Giro, making it to Rome and then winning here, it's really special.' Van Aert added: 'When the ketchup bottle is almost empty... keep shaking, shaking, shaking. Then at some point everything comes out at once, that's what happened. Yates started the day stood alongside Pope Leo XIV who blessed the peloton in a short stop in Vatican City before the race proper started. The Pope told the riders: 'I hope that, just as you have learned to take care of your bodies, you will also take care of your spirits.' The riders dismounted in front of the pontiff and Yates shook the Pope's hand before standing alongside points jersey winner Pederson, king of the mountains Lorenzo Fortunato and del Toro for a pre-race blessing. 'For some reason, I didn't realise we were going to stop. Immediately I thought we just passed through. An unforgettable moment for me and, I think, for all the riders,' said Yates. Del Toro had to content himself with the white jersey for best young rider after failing to spot the danger in Yates' attack on the Colle delle Finestre climb on May 31, which ended up deciding the title. Yates could still be on a high from his Giro win when he lines up alongside Vingegaard at the upcoming Tour de France which starts on July 5. AFP, REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
RTHK
15 hours ago
- Sport
- RTHK
Simon Yates secures first Giro d'Italia triumph
Simon Yates secures first Giro d'Italia triumph Yates sealed victory in the Giro d'Italia after the final stage from the Vatican City to Rome. Photo: AFP Simon Yates won the Giro d'Italia after cruising home in the pack to seal a career-defining victory in the final procession stage, won by his teammate Olav Kooij, around Rome. Briton Yates effectively secured his second Grand Tour triumph on Saturday when he took the leader's pink jersey from Isaac del Toro with an epic effort in the Italian Alps. Yates, a 32-year-old who rides for Visma-Lease a bike, is the first man to win the Giro without taking a single stage since Alberto Contador 10 years ago. Yates came out on top in a Giro missing last year's winner Tadej Pogacar and Yates' teammate Jonas Vingegaard and blown wide open by the retirements of pre-race favourites Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayuso. The win also validates Yates' pre-season decision to move to cycling giants Visma after 10 years with the same Australian team, now called Jayco-AlUla. "I wanted to come to a team that knew how to win the Grand Tours. They have done it successfully with different riders and it's looking like it paid off," said Yates. "All of us have doubts if we are doing the right thing or on the right path. I've also had a lot of setbacks, not just here at the Giro but at other races as well where I've thought maybe it's time to stop and do something else," he added. "I had no bad luck this year, which is what I had in the past." Kooij won the bunch sprint which has become a feature of the finales in Rome, pipping Kaden Groves, Matteo Moschetti and Mads Pedersen to claim his second win of this year's hugely entertaining three-week race around Italy. It was a perfect day for Visma with Yates and Kooij both victorious in the Eternal City. "We couldn't wish for a better final weekend. Yesterday was really amazing for the team and today I just had to give everything that was still left in the legs. The team made it a lot easier. I just had to push it until the line," said Kooij. "With sprints it's never easy to do it like perfectly, but today we really committed, we just went all in, we were in perfect position and just happy to make it to the line," he added. "I was really happy with this Giro, making it ot Rome and then winning here it's really special." Yates started the day stood alongside Pope Leo XIV who blessed the peloton in a short stop in Vatican City before the race proper started. The riders dismounted in front of the pontiff and Yates shook the pope's hand before standing alongside points jersey winner Pederson, king of the mountains Lorenzo Fortunato and Del Toro for a pre-race blessing. "For some reason I didn't realise we were going to stop. Immediately I thought we just passed through. An unforgettable moment for me and, I think, for all the riders," said Yates. Del Toro had to content himself with the white jersey for best young rider after failing to spot the danger in Yates' attack on the Colle delle Finestre climb on Saturday which ended up deciding the title. Yates could still be on a high from his Giro win when he lines up alongside Vingegaard at the upcoming Tour de France which starts on July 5. (AFP)
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Simon Yates secures his first Giro d'Italia triumph
Pope Leo XIV (L) Simon Yates' hand before the final stage of the Giro d'Italia (Handout) Simon Yates won the Giro d'Italia on Sunday after cruising to a career-defining victory in the final procession stage, won by his teammate Olav Kooij, around Rome. Briton Yates effectively secured his second Grand Tour triumph on Saturday when he took the leader's pink jersey from revelation Isaac del Toro with an epic effort in the Italian Alps. Advertisement The 32-year-old, who rides for Visma-Lease a bike, is the first man to win the Giro without taking a single stage since Alberto Contador 10 years ago. Yates came out on top in a Giro missing last year's winner Tadej Pogacar and teammate Jonas Vingegaard and which was blown wide open by the retirements of pre-race favourites Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayuso. The win also validates his pre-season decision to move to cycling giants Visma after 10 years with the same Australian team, now called Jayco-AlUla. "I think it's really still sinking in. What a huge moment in my career, probably, yeah, the defining moment," said Yates. Advertisement "I've had some good successes, but I don't think anything (else) comes close. So I will celebrate, for sure, and we'll see what's to come." Kooij won the bunch sprint which has become a feature of the finales in Rome, pipping Kaden Groves, Matteo Moschetti and Mads Pedersen to claim his second win of this year's hugely entertaining three-week race around Italy. - Perfect finale - It was a perfect day for Visma with Yates and Kooij both victorious in the Eternal City. "We couldn't wish for a better final weekend. Yesterday was really amazing for the team and today I just had to give everything that was still left in the legs. The team made it a lot easier, I just had to push it until the line," said Kooij. Advertisement "With sprints it's never easy to do it like perfectly but today we really committed, we just went all in, we were in perfect position and just happy to make it to the line. "I was really happy with this Giro, making it ot Rome and then winning here it's really special." Yates started the day stood alongside Pope Leo XIV who blessed the peloton in a short stop in Vatican City before the race proper started. The riders dismounted in front of the pontiff and Yates shook his hand before standing alongside points jersey winner Pederson, king of the mountains Lorenzo Fortunato and Del Toro for a pre-race blessing. Advertisement Del Toro had to content himself with the white jersey for best young rider after failing to spot the danger in Yates' attack on the Colle delle Finestre climb on Saturday which ended up deciding the title. Yates could still be on a high from his Giro win when he lines up alongside Vingegaard at the upcoming Tour de France which gets underway on July 5. td/dmc
19 hours ago
- Sport
British rider Simon Yates wins elusive Giro d'Italia title
ROME -- British rider Simon Yates cruised to overall victory in the Giro d'Italia on Sunday — finally winning the race that had eluded him so often. After attacking on the gravel-road climb to take the pink jersey in the penultimate stage on Saturday, Yates finished nearly four minutes ahead of runner-up Isaac Del Toro, the 21-year-old Mexican who wore pink for 10 days before Yates took control. It's the second Grand Tour title for Yates after he won the Spanish Vuelta in 2018. Yates wore pink for 13 days during the 2018 Giro before cracking on one of the final climbs. He also had to withdraw from the Italian race in 2020 and 2022 — because of coronavirus and a knee injury, respectively. 'I'm still in shock of what I've done,' Yates said. 'It's something that I've been working toward for a long time.' Yates, who rides for Team Visma Lease a Bike, finished 3 minutes, 56 seconds ahead of Del Toro and 4:43 ahead of Richard Carapaz, the 2019 champion from Ecuador. Dutch rider Olav Kooij, Yates' teammate, won the final stage in a sprint finish. During the non-competitive neutralized period just before the mostly ceremonial final stage actually began, the peloton passed through the Vatican and was blessed by Pope Leo XIV. The 143-kilometer (89-mile) final stage concluded with a circuit of eight laps through downtown Rome and finished next to the Circus Maximus. At age 32, Yates already acknowledged that this victory is 'the peak' of his career. His best finish in the Tour de France was fourth in 2023. Yates and his twin brother, Adam, have long been among the peloton's elite. Adam Yates rode this Giro for UAE Team Emirates as a support rider for Del Toro — so was competing against his brother. But the brothers posed arm-in-arm for photos together during the final stage. Before the final stage started, a moment of silence was observed following the death of former Visma rider Robert Gesink's wife. Del Toro finished with the white jersey for the top young rider. Despite his tactical mistakes on Saturday, Del Toro appears to have a promising career ahead of him. This was just his second Grand Tour after placing 36th in the Vuelta last year. 'I'm learning,' Del Toro said. 'I should be happy with myself.' Danish rider Mads Pedersen took the maroon jersey for points after winning four stages.
France 24
19 hours ago
- Sport
- France 24
Simon Yates secures his first Giro d'Italia triumph
Briton Yates effectively secured his second Grand Tour triumph on Saturday when he took the leader's pink jersey from revelation Isaac del Toro with an epic effort in the Italian Alps. The 32-year-old, who rides for Visma-Lease a bike, is the first man to win the Giro without taking a single stage since Alberto Contador 10 years ago. Yates came out on top in a Giro missing last year's winner Tadej Pogacar and teammate Jonas Vingegaard and which was blown wide open by the retirements of pre-race favourites Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayuso. The win also validates his pre-season decision to move to cycling giants Visma after 10 years with the same Australian team, now called Jayco-AlUla. "I think it's really still sinking in. What a huge moment in my career, probably, yeah, the defining moment," said Yates. "I've had some good successes, but I don't think anything (else) comes close. So I will celebrate, for sure, and we'll see what's to come." Kooij won the bunch sprint which has become a feature of the finales in Rome, pipping Kaden Groves, Matteo Moschetti and Mads Pedersen to claim his second win of this year's hugely entertaining three-week race around Italy. Perfect finale It was a perfect day for Visma with Yates and Kooij both victorious in the Eternal City. "We couldn't wish for a better final weekend. Yesterday was really amazing for the team and today I just had to give everything that was still left in the legs. The team made it a lot easier, I just had to push it until the line," said Kooij. "With sprints it's never easy to do it like perfectly but today we really committed, we just went all in, we were in perfect position and just happy to make it to the line. "I was really happy with this Giro, making it ot Rome and then winning here it's really special." Yates started the day stood alongside Pope Leo XIV who blessed the peloton in a short stop in Vatican City before the race proper started. The riders dismounted in front of the pontiff and Yates shook his hand before standing alongside points jersey winner Pederson, king of the mountains Lorenzo Fortunato and Del Toro for a pre-race blessing. Del Toro had to content himself with the white jersey for best young rider after failing to spot the danger in Yates' attack on the Colle delle Finestre climb on Saturday which ended up deciding the title.
