Simon Yates stands to win the Giro d’Italia after putting to bed his personal demons on the Colle delle Finestre with a stunning solo attack that put him in pink after the penultimate stage.
On the mountain where his dreams of Giro victory were shattered by Chris Froome’s famous solo breakaway in 2018, Yates turned the tables with a masterclass of his own as his rivals were left to question their own tactics.
The 32-year-old Lancastrian rode away from Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz on the brutal gradients and the gravel to turn an 81-second deficit and third place into pink and a three minute, 56-second lead over Del Toro, and can now celebrate his second Grand Tour crown in Rome on Sunday.
That it happened on the Finestre made it all the more special for Yates.
“I think when the route of the parcours was released, I always had in the back of my mind to try and do something here and close the chapter, let’s say,” he said. “I’m just still a bit speechless that I was able to do it.
“I felt good, the whole race I did, but I never had the right moment to show what I could do and I found the opportunity today. I was trying to get away from Richard and Isaac because I knew when I could race at my own pace, I’d be really strong – and that’s what I managed to do.
“The whole team have been fantastic the entire race, and without Wout (Van Aert) in the valley and the rest of the team the entire day, it wouldn’t have been possible.
“Maybe I was looking relaxed this morning, but I had doubts I could do it. The guys encouraged me and believed in me, so thanks to them.
“It’s unbelievable, I’m trying to find the words now, but words are failing me – sorry.”
Australian Chris Harper took the stage 20 win from a breakaway in Sestriere but all eyes were further down the road as Yates blew the race apart with surely his finest day on a bike, shedding tears after the finish line.
Carapaz and his EF Education-EasyPost team had been lining up an attack at the foot of the feared Finestre – the 18km climb which averages 9.2 per cent, with the final third ridden on gravel – and duly launched it almost as soon as the road went up.
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As UAE Team Emirates’ Del Toro followed, Yates was initially distanced but was merely biding his time as he soon set off in pursuit, catching the pair and then launching his own attacks, opening up a gap with the fourth and riding clear, still with more than 40km of the 205km stage remaining.
Carapaz tried to respond but could not, while the 21-year-old Del Toro, spending an 11th day in the pink jersey, simply stuck the Ecuadorian’s wheel, refusing to take a turn until it proved to be too late.
Yates crossed the summit of the climb, above the snow line and in the clouds, more than 90 seconds ahead of them, already the virtual leader of the race.
That gap only grew on the descent as he hooked up with Visma-Lease a Bike team-mate Wout Van Aert and the pair behind accepted defeat, allowing the gap to balloon on the approach to the final climb into Sestriere.
With Sunday’s final stage in Rome one for the sprinters, Yates stands ready to celebrate his second Grand Tour victory following his win in the 2018 Vuelta a Espana. He will be the third Briton to win the Giro after Froome in 2018 and Tao Geohegan Hart in 2020.
