On Sunday, Simon Yates, the British rider, finally achieved success in the Giro d’Italia, clinching the overall victory after previous attempts had been unsuccessful.
Following his impressive performance in Saturday’s penultimate stage, during which he claimed the pink jersey on a gravel-road climb, Yates crossed the finish line nearly four minutes ahead of the runner-up, 21-year-old Mexican Isaac Del Toro. Del Toro had held the pink jersey for 10 days prior to Yates’ takeover. This victory marks Yates’ second Grand Tour title, following his win at the Spanish Vuelta in 2018.
Yates expressed his shock at his accomplishment, stating: ‘It’s something that I’ve been working towards for a long time.’ Riding for Team Visma Lease a Bike, Yates finished 3 minutes and 56 seconds ahead of Del Toro and 4 minutes and 43 seconds ahead of Richard Carapaz, the 2019 champion from Ecuador. Yates’ teammate, the Dutch rider Olav Kooij, claimed victory in the final stage with a sprint finish, marking his second win in this Giro.
The final stage of the race covered 143 kilometres (89 miles) and featured a circuit of eight laps through central Rome, concluding next to the Circus Maximus, an ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium. During a non-competitive neutralized period before the final stage officially began, the peloton, including Yates, passed through the Vatican and received a blessing from Pope Leo XIV.
Yates, aged 32, acknowledged that this victory represents the pinnacle of his career. His best finish in the Tour de France was fourth place in 2023. Despite competing against his brother, Adam Yates, who rode for UAE Team Emirates in this Giro, the twin brothers posed for photos arm-in-arm during the final stage.
Isaac Del Toro secured the white jersey for the top young rider, demonstrating his potential for a successful future in cycling despite making some tactical errors during the race. Danish rider Mads Pedersen secured the maroon jersey for the points classification after winning four stages, while Lorenzo Fortunato of Italy claimed the blue jersey for the mountains classification.
Before the final stage began, a moment of silence was held in memory of Robert Gesink’s wife, who was a former Visma rider.
