'A dream is the wrong word': Adam Yates on his day in yellow jersey at Tour de France 2020
The Brit still seems uncomfortable with the manner in which he took the jersey from Julian Alaphilippe
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Despite saying wearing the yellow jersey at the Tour de France is something you dream of as a kid, Adam Yates says those words would be the wrong way to describe his first ever day in the maillot jaune.
"Dreamed is the wrong word but when you grow up as a kid everyone wants to wear yellow at the Tour de France, that’s what you watch growing up," Yates said, still uncomfortable with the manner in which he took the jersey off of Julian Alaphilippe, after the Frenchman received a time penalty on stage five.
"It was a nice experience, hopefully we can keep it for a few more days at least and really savour it," Yates added, more positively. "We’re already looking forward to tomorrow and we’ll see how long we can keep it for."
Any hopes of GC action or Yates trying to take the stage win, which he said was still his plan despite being in the race lead, failed to materialise on the climb to Mont Aigoual.
After Alexey Lutsenko had taken the stage win from the breakaway, Alaphilippe attacked the GC group in the closing kilometre, finishing fifth and gaining one second over his rivals.
"From the start we controlled it quite well, there was a nice group up the road, no-one really dangerous to the GC," Yates explained of how the stage unfolded. "In the final, the steep climb was quite far out and the finish line wasn’t too hard, it was quite a shallow climb, so if you attacked there it was pretty difficult to gain seconds and you’d have made a big effort so I think everyone was just keeping kind of quiet and saving their energy for later days."
With stage victories still at the top of his wish list for the 2020 Tour, Yates says he will target the upcoming Pyrenean days.
"Like I've said from the beginning before I was sitting here in the yellow jersey, hopefully we can do something, today wasn't the day, it was a long flat stage before we hit the climb. Maybe it would have been a tricky stage to try and win. Maybe in the high mountains I can try something."
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
-
Strava insists new pricing structure is legal
The company is varying its subscription prices depending on the user's country of residence
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
‘Cyclo-cross can’t exist with just three riders’ - Sven Nys on CX appearance fee disparity
Some CX riders reportedly forced to race for free due to large appearance fees handed to Tom Pidcock, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Adam Yates insists his Grand Tour dream is not over: 'When I am at my best, I am amongst the best'
The Briton admits that one week racing is his strength but hasn't given up on the Grand Tour dream
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
Adam Yates leaves Ineos Grenadiers for UAE Team Emirates
British rider agrees three year deal with new team
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
‘He came to me and said Jumbo are struggling’ - Tadej Pogačar seeks alliance with Geraint Thomas
With a depleted team the UAE Emirates leader was looking for allies on stage 14, he didn’t find them at Ineos Grenadiers
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
Tour de France 2022: Jonas Vingegaard takes yellow jersey from Tadej Pogačar with victory on stage 11
Vingegaard wins epic battle of the favourites taking overall lead in dramatic Alpine showdown
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated
-
‘The main thing is having no regrets’: Geraint Thomas sees opportunities in Tour de France high mountains
‘We’re still in a good place’ says the Welshman on the races’ second rest day
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
'I had proper fever and chills' - Adam Yates bounces back from Covid for Tour de France
British rider heads to fifth Tour de France as one of Ineos Grenadiers' leader, but with doubts over form
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Covid threatens to disrupt Tour de France line-up
Virus sweeps through the peloton at key preparation races with Tour de Suisse race leader Vlasov forced to abandon
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated
-
Adam Yates out of Tour de Suisse with covid
Brit returns a positive test for coronavirus but the rest of Ineos Grenadiers will race on in Switzerland.
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated