Cyclist of immaculate class on the bicycle, elegant like few others, possessor of an enviable track record and a dedication to preparing for his goals that he has … Enough said. Simon Yates has announced his retirement. He hangs his bike high up. The current winner of the Giro d’Italia, after a memorable penultimate stage, leaves by surprise. «I’ve been thinking about it for a long time and now I feel like it’s the right time to step away from the sport. It is not a decision that I have made lightly,” he explains.
The 33-year-old British rider leaves “proud” and states in a letter that the high demands force him to step aside from the peloton. «While the victories will always be memorable, the hardest days and setbacks were just as important. “They taught me resilience and patience, and made successes even more valuable.”
Visma is left without an exceptional lieutenant for Jonas Vingegaard. “Thank you for your understanding and support in my decision to stop now.” After spending his entire career in the Australian structure of what is now called Jayco, one season with the Dutch was enough to leave his mark. »They gave me the opportunity to rewrite my story and, with trust and conviction, we achieved it together», he thanks them.
Although English has always had the soul of free verse, of a winning cyclist. His incontestable victory in the 2018 Vuelta Ciclista España was overshadowed by what happened months before in the Finestre. Dressed in the pink jersey, he was left empty, and lost 40 minutes to Froome on his last big day on the bike of the Kenyan, who has not yet officially announced his retirement.
That defeat weighed on him during his career. The general of the Tour choked him, although he won three stages. The coronavirus also took its toll. He had to abandon two grand tours, the 2020 Giro and the 2022 Vuelta, due to symptoms. But his thorn was in the Giro, his favorite race. “The Tour is good, but what I like is the Giro, it coincides more with my way of understanding cycling,” he acknowledged to this newspaper during the 2023 Itzulia.
Until 2025, seven years later, in the same scenario as his sinking, Simon Yates reached the top. He turned the race around with a distant attack that neither Carapaz nor, especially, Del Toro, knew how to read. Pulling from class and with the invaluable help of Van Aert on the flat road to Sestriere, the Briton managed to vindicate himself and win the pink race. He leaves in peace, with 36 victories in total, “more than I ever imagined”, and with time to decide “what comes next.”
This is how their statement reads:
Dear all,
I have made the decision to retire from professional cycling.
It may come as a surprise to many, but it is not a decision I made lightly. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time and now I feel like it’s the right time to step aside.
Cycling has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. From competing on the track at the Manchester Velodrome to racing and winning on the biggest stages and representing my country at the Olympic Games, this sport has marked every chapter of my life.
I feel deeply proud of everything I have achieved and, in the same way, very grateful for the lessons this path has given me. Although the victories always stand out, the toughest days and setbacks were just as important. They taught me resilience and patience, and gave even more value to successes.
To all of you who have supported me along the way, from the staff to my teammates: your unwavering faith and loyalty made it possible for me to fulfill my own dreams. When I doubted myself, you never did. Thank you.
To my team, Team Visma–Lease a Bike, thank you for your understanding and support of my decision to stop now. You gave me the opportunity to rewrite my story and, through mutual trust and belief, we did it together. Thank you.
To my family, you shared the sacrifices that this sport demands. Absences and missed birthdays were never easy, but you understood what this trip meant to me and supported me wholeheartedly. I owe you more than I can ever properly express. Thank you.
I say goodbye to professional cycling with deep pride and a sense of peace. This chapter has given me much more than I ever imagined: memories and moments that will stay with me long after the competition is over and in everything that comes after.
