SESTRIERE, Italy (AP) — Simon Yates produced one of the greatest rides of his career, up one of cycling’s most grueling climbs, to all but win the Giro d’Italia on Saturday.
Yates had started the penultimate stage in third, one minute and 21 seconds behind previous leader Isaac Del Toro but the British cyclist launched a solo attack on the beyond-category climb to Colle delle Finestre — the same mountain that spelled heartbreak for him seven years ago — to ride clear of his overall rivals.
The 32-year-old Yates, who won the Spanish Vuelta in 2018, was openly sobbing after he crossed the line more than five minutes ahead of Del Toro.
With just the mostly ceremonial finish in Rome left on Sunday, Yates moved into the lead of the three-week race and is all but certain to lift the famous Trofeo Senza Fine (Trophy With No End) for the first time.
Yates’ attack had echoes of Chris Froome’s audacious move on the Finestre in 2018 that earned him the title.
It was also redemption for Yates who had been leading the Giro at that point in 2018, having worn the pink jersey for 13 days, before cracking on that climb.
Australian cyclist Chris Harper claimed his first individual victory in a Grand Tour on Saturday's 20th stage, a 205-kilometer (127-mile) leg from Verres to Sestriere.
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AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling
The Associated Press
