Simon Yates will skip Tour de France 2020

Simon Yates has announced his plans for 2020, with the British Grand Tour star skipping the Tour de France.

Yates will be returning to the Giro d’Italia, a race he has a bittersweet relationship with, before he focuses all his attention on the Olympic road race in Tokyo.

This season, the Mitchelton-Scott rider banked on a general classification bid at the Giro where he finished eighth, before lining up at the Tour to support his brother Adam, eventually coming away with two stage wins for himself.

Announcing his plans for the 2020 season, Yates told Cycling Weekly: “The decision to skip the Tour, I enjoyed it this year, it’s a good race, but the way the race schedule is it looks better for me to do the Giro and prepare for the Olympics that way.

“There’s not really that much time in between the Tour and the Olympics, so I just think for me personally it’s the best way to do it.

“I have my own goals. People like certain races for whatever reason. I really enjoy the Giro as a race so I’m happy with my race programme.

“I’ll go back to the Tour another year.”

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Yates, 27, will open his season early at the Tour Down Under, racing a full schedule in Australia at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and the Herald Sun Tour, before he looks to the Giro in May.

“I’m excited to go back [to the Giro],” He said.

“It’s a great race. I enjoy being there. The style of racing suits me as well. I’ll have another crack. Of course it was my main goal last year and I didn’t pull it off, so I’d like to go there and give what I’ve got.”