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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Not redemption but release - how Yates finally conquered the Giro
Simon Yates loves the Giro d'Italia but he could have been forgiven for hating it. Even in a sport synonymous with suffering, this Grand Tour has inflicted unusual punishment on Yates over the years. Advertisement The British rider looked set to win at his first attempt in 2018, only to dramatically crack two days from Rome. Illness, injury and indifferent form plagued his attempts over the next four years. He returned for this edition, after two years away, a contender, but not widely considered one of the pre-race favourites. Perhaps the absence made his heart grow fonder. The Englishman's determination to conquer this beautiful yet brutal race steelier. After quietly keeping himself in contention, Yates' audacious attack on stage 20 saw him seize the maglia rosa - the leader's jersey - for the first time since that 2018 collapse. Advertisement On Sunday in Rome, he rolled across the line in pink, sealing his second Grand Tour title since the 2018 Vuelta a Espana. Yates' tumultuous love affair with the Giro has its happy ending. Quietly seeking closure The tears tumbled from Yates as soon as he crossed the line in Sestriere on Saturday and continued to fall throughout his post-stage interviews. "I've really invested a lot of my career and my life into targeting this race, and there've been a lot of setbacks," said the usually stoic 32-year-old when he could finally speak. Setbacks is an understatement. An underwhelming eighth in 2019. Forced to withdraw after contracting Covid-19 in 2020. Advertisement A difficult fortnight in 2021 before a strong final week to finish third. Sustaining a knee injury in a crash early on in 2022 that ultimately forced him to abandon. That first year still cut the deepest though. In 2018, he held the leader's jersey for 13 days, won three stages, but on stage 19 fell from first to 18th overall as compatriot Chris Froome pulled off a staggering comeback on his way to his first and only Giro title. Yates ended up finishing 21st. How fitting it was on the same climb Yates crumbled on seven years ago - the Colle delle Finestre - that he saw his window and rode away from rivals Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz to glory. Advertisement Afterwards, Yates revealed he had privately been targeting the climb since the route was announced, wanting to "close that chapter" from 2018, despite not having ridden it since. Even then, Yates thought it would be for a stage win, rather than for the pink jersey. He did not draw attention to his aim and Yates' return to the Finestre was not the dominant narrative before stage 20. The focus was on a showdown between leader Del Toro and second-placed Carapaz. And it helped free Yates to ride away. New team, new approach Visma won three stages in the 2025 Giro as well as the overall title [Getty Images] Having resisted the allure of Team Sky when he turned professional in 2014, Bury-born Yates and twin brother Adam joined Australian outfit Orica–GreenEdge. Advertisement Adam left at the end of 2020, but Simon remained with the team, now called Jayco–AlUla, until the end of last season, taking a pay cut to join Visma-Lease a Bike. Visma's experience of winning Grand Tours has proved vital for Yates. The Dutch team have won four Vueltas, two Tours de France and now two Giros since 2019. Putting generational talent Wout van Aert up the road to help Yates bury his rivals on the final climb on Saturday was masterful. It had not all been heartbreak for Yates at the Giro. He won six individual stages from 2018 to 2022, often in swashbuckling style. This year was different. He quietly went about his business before striking at the ideal moment. Advertisement Yates did not place higher than third on any stage and did not enter the top 10 overall until stage seven. He is the first Giro winner since Alberto Contador in 2015 not to also win a stage. Yates moved up to second on stage 14 and, though he slipped back to third on stage 17, his measured approach appeared to be paying off, with 2019 chamion Carapaz left to do most of the attacking. Then came stage 19. Yates lost more time and was visibly annoyed at the finish, saying his team had not raced to the agreed plan. He went into the penultimate stage one minute 21 seconds down on Del Toro. That sense of 'not again' that engulfed Rory McIlroy's final round at this year's Masters was palpable. It seemed Yates' chance had gone. Advertisement Even Adam was against him, riding in support of UAE Team Emirates-XRG team-mate Del Toro. But Yates showed maturity by apologising to his team before the start on Saturday, admitting he was just disappointed at his own performance, before channelling that frustration as Visma's plan worked perfectly. Dropping to third probably helped him in the end, with Del Toro and Carapaz marking each other somewhat bafflingly as Yates went clear. Regardless of their tactics, Yates was the strongest when it mattered most. What next? Yates' partner missed her initial flight to Italy on Saturday because she was watching him race but joined him for the celebrations in Rome on Sunday [Getty Images] Like McIlroy, Yates sobbed before the smile arrived when he knew he had finally won the title he wanted most. Advertisement He had a broad grin in Rome, but was also perceptive about what he has achieved. "A lot of people can resonate with the story, losing the race a long time ago now, in 2018," he said before the final stage. "The way I've managed to take it, I really think it's touched a lot of people." He is set to ride this year's Tour in support of team-mate Jonas Vingegaard, who is bidding for a third title, with Yates possibly able to target stage wins too. Perhaps this victory will free him up to win more Grand Tours. Perhaps it won't. There will be a lot of talk of redemption but Yates had not shamed himself in failing to win the Giro before. Misfortune and stronger competitors had defeated him. Advertisement How poetic this year gave him the chance to complete the circle of his Giro story. As Yates said: "Life comes around, it gives and it takes." This is not redemption but release. Relief. Rejoice.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Not redemption but release - how Yates finally conquered the Giro
Simon Yates loves the Giro d'Italia but he could have been forgiven for hating in a sport synonymous with suffering, this Grand Tour has inflicted unusual punishment on Yates over the British rider looked set to win at his first attempt in 2018, only to dramatically crack two days from injury and indifferent form plagued his attempts over the next four returned for this edition, after two years away, a contender, but not widely considered one of the pre-race the absence made his heart grow fonder. The Englishman's determination to conquer this beautiful yet brutal race quietly keeping himself in contention, Yates' audacious attack on stage 20 saw him seize the maglia rosa - the leader's jersey - for the first time since that 2018 Sunday in Rome, he rolled across the line in pink, sealing his second Grand Tour title since the 2018 Vuelta a tumultuous love affair with the Giro has its happy ending. Quietly seeking closure The tears tumbled from Yates as soon as he crossed the line in Sestriere on Saturday and continued to fall throughout his post-stage interviews."I've really invested a lot of my career and my life into targeting this race, and there've been a lot of setbacks," said the usually stoic 32-year-old when he could finally is an underwhelming eighth in 2019. Forced to withdraw after contracting Covid-19 in 2020.A difficult fortnight in 2021 before a strong final week to finish third. Sustaining a knee injury in a crash early on in 2022 that ultimately forced him to first year still cut the deepest 2018, he held the leader's jersey for 13 days, won three stages, but on stage 19 fell from first to 18th overall as compatriot Chris Froome pulled off a staggering comeback on his way to his first and only Giro title. Yates ended up finishing fitting it was on the same climb Yates crumbled on seven years ago - the Colle delle Finestre - that he saw his window and rode away from rivals Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz to Yates revealed he had privately been targeting the climb since the route was announced, wanting to "close that chapter" from 2018, despite not having ridden it then, Yates thought it would be for a stage win, rather than for the pink did not draw attention to his aim and Yates' return to the Finestre was not the dominant narrative before stage 20. The focus was on a showdown between leader Del Toro and second-placed it helped free Yates to ride away. New team, new approach Having resisted the allure of Team Sky when he turned professional in 2014, Bury-born Yates and twin brother Adam joined Australian outfit Orica– left at the end of 2020, but Simon remained with the team, now called Jayco–AlUla, until the end of last season, taking a pay cut to join Visma-Lease a experience of winning Grand Tours has proved vital for Yates. The Dutch team have won four Vueltas, two Tours de France and now two Giros since generational talent Wout van Aert up the road to help Yates bury his rivals on the final climb on Saturday was had not all been heartbreak for Yates at the Giro. He won six individual stages from 2018 to 2022, often in swashbuckling year was different. He quietly went about his business before striking at the ideal did not place higher than third on any stage and did not enter the top 10 overall until stage is the first Giro winner since Alberto Contador in 2015 not to also win a moved up to second on stage 14 and, though he slipped back to third on stage 17, his measured approach appeared to be paying off, with 2019 chamion Carapaz left to do most of the came stage 19. Yates lost more time and was visibly annoyed at the finish, saying his team had not raced to the agreed went into the penultimate stage one minute 21 seconds down on Del sense of 'not again' that engulfed Rory McIlroy's final round at this year's Masters was palpable. It seemed Yates' chance had Adam was against him, riding in support of UAE Team Emirates-XRG team-mate Del Yates showed maturity by apologising to his team before the start on Saturday, admitting he was just disappointed at his own performance, before channelling that frustration as Visma's plan worked to third probably helped him in the end, with Del Toro and Carapaz marking each other somewhat bafflingly as Yates went of their tactics, Yates was the strongest when it mattered most. What next? Like McIlroy, Yates sobbed before the smile arrived when he knew he had finally won the title he wanted had a broad grin in Rome, but was also perceptive about what he has achieved."A lot of people can resonate with the story, losing the race a long time ago now, in 2018," he said before the final stage. "The way I've managed to take it, I really think it's touched a lot of people."He is set to ride this year's Tour in support of team-mate Jonas Vingegaard, who is bidding for a third title, with Yates possibly able to target stage wins this victory will free him up to win more Grand Tours. Perhaps it won' will be a lot of talk of redemption but Yates had not shamed himself in failing to win the Giro before. Misfortune and stronger competitors had defeated poetic this year gave him the chance to complete the circle of his Giro Yates said: "Life comes around, it gives and it takes."This is not redemption but
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Simon Yates finishes safely in peloton to seal victory at Giro d'Italia
Britain's Simon Yates sealed victory in the Giro d'Italia following the final stage from the Vatican City to Rome. Yates took a lead of almost four minutes into stage 21 and finished safely in the peloton as Visma-Lease a Bike team-mate Olav Kooij came out on top in a sprint finish. Advertisement Yates effectively sealed victory on Saturday's penultimate stage when he exorcised his personal demons on the Colle delle Finestre with a stunning solo attack to claim the race leader's pink jersey. On the mountain where his dreams of victory were shattered by Chris Froome's famous solo breakaway in 2018, Yates turned the tables with a masterclass of his own as his rivals were left to question their own tactics. The 32-year-old Lancastrian rode away from leader Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz on the brutal gradients and the gravel to turn an 81-second deficit and third place into a three minute, 56-second lead over Del Toro. Advertisement With the final stage a largely-ceremonial affair, which started with the leading riders meeting Pope Leo XIV, only a serious crash would have denied Yates a second Grand Tour victory following his success in the 2018 Vuelta a Espana. He is the third British rider to win the Giro after Froome in 2018 and Tao Geohegan Hart in 2020.
New York Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Demi Vollering wins second straight Vuelta a Espana after dominant final stage
Demi Vollering has won La Vuelta Femenina after breaking away in the last kilometre of Saturday's final stage to take her second stage victory of the race. The Dutch rider has been the dominant Grand Tour rider in women's cycling over recent seasons, and took her second consecutive Vuelta a Espana title by one minute and one second over Switzerland's Marlen Reusser. Advertisement This is Vollering's first Grand Tour win since moving to French team FDJ-Suez over the winter, when she became the first female cyclist to earn a salary of over €1million (£846k; $1.13m) per season. She won the Tour de France in 2023, but lost the 2024 edition to Katarzyna Niewiadoma in heartbreaking fashion, missing out on the yellow jersey by just four seconds — the closest finish in race history — despite winning the final stage. During this Vuelta, Vollering remained close to the race lead during the first four stages before winning the first summit finish to Lagunas de Neila to seize the maillot rojo (red jersey). Post-stage, a visibly emotional Vollering dedicated the win to a friend struggling with their mental health. A very emotional Demi Vollering dedicates her win to those suffering with mental health challenges ❤️ — Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) May 8, 2025 The 28-year-old then comfortably navigated the sprint on Stage Six to take a 45-second lead into the race's final day, which culminated with an ascent of Alto de Cotobello in northern Spain's Asturias region. 'I always like it when it's really hard, because I want the group as small as possible,' Vollering told The Athletic last September. 'Then the situations are simpler, and it's a woman-against-woman fight. It's not about tactics any more, but just a really hard battle. That's what I like.' This was how Saturday's final stage unfolded. Anna van der Breggen, who entered in second place, set a high pace with her SD-Worx Protime team — incidentally, Vollering's old squad. Van der Breggen had taken the first victory of her comeback with a breakaway victory on Stage Four — the Dutchwoman returned to competing this season, having previously retired in 2021 to work as a directeur sportif at SD-Worx. Advertisement However, Vollering was too strong for her compatriot, comfortably sitting on Van der Breggen's wheel after the latter attacked with just over 6km left, reducing the peloton to just four riders. Vollering then demonstrated her superiority by launching a seated attack with 800m remaining to take the stage victory, her second of the Vuelta, and ninth overall in Grand Tours. 'I'm really happy I could win both mountain stages,' Vollering said post-race. 'My team was so strong and I felt we were always in control. Van der Breggen was trying to drop us with a high speed, but I knew I had something left, so I waited for the less steep part to attack and take the win.' Van der Breggen had only entered the final stage with a lead of one second over third-place time-trialling specialist Reusser. However, Reusser broke away from Van der Breggen in the final two hundred metres to take second in the general classification, her first Grand Tour podium.
