Simon Yates to target stage wins after ending general classification challenge at Giro d'Italia
Team BikeExchange-Jayco rider to hunt stage wins in final two weeks
Among the interesting figures jumping off the front in the final kilometres of stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia was Simon Yates. The Team BikeExchange-Jayco rider is sticking around at the race, and so we should expect to see a lot more of the Briton in the coming stages, especially once the Giro heads to the Alps.
Yates escaped off the front, and was joined by Mathieu van der Poel in an unsuccessful move, but one that hinted that the man from Bury will be seeking to force things more in the coming days.
It represents a change in tactics from him and his team, after his general classification ambitions ended on the climb to Blockhaus. Yates, suffering from a knee injury and struggling with the high heat on stage nine, lost over 11 minutes.
The injury came from a crash on stage four to Mount Etna, when Yates struck a kerb after being hit from behind by another rider. There was speculation that his heavily-strapped knee was causing him such problems that he would be forced to quit the Giro on the second rest day, but that has not come to pass.
He is expected to ride the Tour de France as well in July, but it is unlikely that he will target GC there as well after his tilt at the overall at the Giro. If that was the case, one would expect him to have headed home early in order to be at his best for that race.
With the weight of riding for the pink jersey taken off his shoulders, however involuntarily, Yates will now have the freedom to target stage wins later in the race. Of course, he has already won one in this edition, in the time trial around Budapest.
He had won a further four before this year, including three in his thrilling tilt at pink in 2018, which actually saw him end up in 21st place overall. He has the speed and the skill to win on punchy finishes as well as on the days in the mountains, so it would not be a surprise to see him win on multiple occassions.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Yates has had a turbulent relationship with the Giro since his debut in 2018, when he won those stages and led the race for 13 days before conceding it to compatriot Chris Froome. The 2019 and 2020 editions were fruitless for him, but he roared back in 2021 to take a sensational stage win to Alpe di Mera and finally grab an overall podium, finishing third.
His BikeExchange directeur sportif Matt White told VeloNews this week that Yates did not have an injury severe enough to send him home, and that they would now be looking at new objectives.
“The health of our athletes is always the first priority,” White said. “Our medical team would not want to him start if there were any issues.”
“We have to look to different goals. We haven’t got a sprinter here, so we will take it day-by-day, and reassess what we want to do. There is still plenty of Giro left.”
Yates' next chance might come on Thursday's stage 12 to Genoa, if he fancies getting in the breakaway, before there are lots more climbing opportunities in the final week.
His attempt to get away on Tuesday showed that he has not lost the fight yet, and he might be able to return to success rather than disappointment at this Giro.
Thank you for reading 20 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
Adam is Cycling Weekly’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling, he's happy. Before joining CW in 2021 he spent two years writing for Procycling. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds.
Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to riding bikes.
-
Tom Pidcock 'deselected' from Ineos Grenadiers squad for Il Lombardia
British rider says 'I guess off season starts early' in Instagram post
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Our relationship survived 800 km on 10 minutes of sleep — less hardy pairings would have quit
Hallucinations, crashes, and no sleep: Ultraracing couple share the secrets that keep them racing together
By Rob Kemp Published
-
How Tadej Pogačar created history and claimed cycling's Triple Crown of the Giro-Tour-Worlds
A journey that was supposedly fraught with risk and uncertainty was anything but for Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and World Championships victor Tadej Pogačar
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Simon Yates says he took a pay cut in order to join Visma-Lease a Bike
32-year-old says it was now or never as he gets set to leave Jayco AIUla after eleven years
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Miguel Ángel López receives four-year doping ban
Lengthy ban relates to findings from 2022 Giro d’Italia
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Who won each classification at the Giro d'Italia 2024?
Who won the maglia rosa, maglia ciclamino, maglia azzurra and maglia bianca after the final stage?
By Joseph Lycett Published
-
Tim Merlier wins the final stage of the Giro d’Italia in Rome as Tadej Pogačar is crowned the overall winner
The Belgian rider takes his third stage win of the race in the sprint ahead of Jonathan Milan
By Joseph Lycett Published
-
Giro d’Italia stage 21 as it happened: The race heads to Rome for a sprint on the final stage
Tadej Pogačar set to be crowned the overall winner in the Italian capital
By Joseph Lycett Last updated
-
Tadej Pogačar seals the overall victory with an emphatic win on stage 20 of the Giro d’Italia
The Slovenian puts the cherry on the cake at the Giro d’Italia with the win on the penultimate stage after a decisive attack on the Monte Grappa
By Joseph Lycett Published
-
Giro d’Italia stage 20 as it happened: Double ascent of the Monte Grappa on the penultimate stage
Can Tadej Pogačar take his sixth stage win of the race?
By Joseph Lycett Last updated