Cycling – Simon Yates rode a stage for the ages when he stormed into the overall lead of the Giro d’Italia yesterday as the Visma-Lease a Bike rider erased Isaac Del Toro’s lead to take the pink jersey on the penultimate stage.
The stage was won by Australian Chris Harper of Jayco-AlUla, who was part of a 31-rider breakaway before he rode solo to the finish to claim a first Grand Tour stage win with Alessandro Verre was second, nearly two minutes behind.
All eyes were on Yates, however, as he finished third to flip the general classification battle on a climb where he had once endured one of the worst days of his career at the 2018 Giro.
Having started the day more than a minute behind Del Toro, Yates now holds a commanding lead of three minutes and 56 seconds with Richard Carapaz a further 47 seconds behind.
Yates will wear the pink jersey in what should be a procession to the winning line in Sunday’s final flat stage in Rome.
“I was on the radio blabbing asking for the time gap because I never truly believed until the very last moment really. I’m a bit speechless,” Yates said.
“It’s still sinking in. I’m not really an emotional person but even coming over the finish line I couldn’t hold back the tears.
“It’s something I’ve worked towards throughout my career, year after year and I’ve had a lot of setbacks. I’ve finally managed to pull it off.”
On the 205 km ride from Verres to Sestriere where riders gained 4,500 metres in altitude, it was Carapaz or Yates who had to make a move if they were to take the pink jersey from Del Toro.
The stage is famous for its Colle delle Finestre climb, one of the hardest climbs on the continent which is 18 km long, of which the final eight kilometres are in the gravel before they approach the ski resort of Sestriere.
In 2018, Yates saw his dreams of winning the Giro crumble on the Colle delle Finestre when Chris Froome’s attack left him far behind.
“Once the route was released I always had it in the back of my mind that maybe I could come here and close the chapter. Maybe not to take the pink jersey and the race but at least win the stage win or something,” Yates added.
“To try and show myself, the way I know I can do, to pull it off - I really didn’t believe it!”
Carapaz first attacked on the lower slopes, but Del Toro followed suit as Yates was left behind. The Briton chased them down before attacking himself, with the other two doggedly holding on.
However, a fourth attack from Yates saw him put some distance between himself and the GC contenders as he approached the gravel section.
Del Toro initially played it cool having started the day 81 seconds ahead of Yates, but as the Briton went across the summit, he had built a lead of a minute and 40 seconds.
“Del Toro lost the Giro,” Carapaz said. “He doesn’t know to race well. The smartest rider won.”
Del Toro did not respond even as the cavalry arrived in the form of Wout van Aert, who joined his teammate Yates on the descent to lend his support to the Briton’s quest for the pink jersey.
With five kilometres left, Van Aert slowed down but that was all the help Yates needed as he powered to the finish.
“I don’t know what I’m happier about, winning the stage or seeing Yates win pink,” said Harper, a former team mate of Yates.
“I don’t think anyone deserves the pink jersey more than him.”
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