Simon Yates finishes safely in peloton to seal victory at Giro d’Italia

Britain’s Simon Yates sealed victory in the Giro d’Italia following the final stage from the Vatican City to Rome.

Yates took a lead of almost four minutes into stage 21 and finished safely in the peloton as Visma-Lease a Bike team-mate Olav Kooij came out on top in a sprint finish.

Yates effectively sealed victory on Saturday’s penultimate stage when he exorcised his personal demons on the Colle delle Finestre with a stunning solo attack to claim the race leader’s pink jersey.

On the mountain where his dreams of 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 leader Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz on the brutal gradients and the gravel to turn an 81-second deficit and third place into a three minute, 56-second lead over Del Toro.

“I still think it’s sinking in,” Yates told TNT Sports after Sunday’s finale. “What a huge moment in my career, the defining moment.

“I’ve had some good success but I don’t think anything comes close.

“I’m just incredibly proud of the whole team in the three weeks and, of course, I’ve just finished it off so an amazing three weeks.

“It’s been a quick turnaround (from Saturday), we got the plane here to Rome and we kept the focus.

“A good chance for Olav today and he pulled it off. I’ll celebrate for sure and see what’s to come.”

With the final stage a largely ceremonial affair, which started with the leading riders meeting Pope Leo XIV, only a serious crash would have denied Yates a second Grand Tour victory following his success in the 2018 Vuelta a Espana.

He is the third British rider to win the Giro after Froome in 2018 and Tao Geohegan Hart in 2020.