LONDON (AP) — British rider Simon Yates announced his immediate retirement from cycling on Wednesday, ending a career that included overall victories at the Spanish Vuelta and last year’s Giro d’Italia as well as stage wins at the Tour de France.
Yates’ decision came as a surprise, since he was under contract with Team Visma-Lease a Bike until the end of 2026 following his departure from Jayco-AlUla after 11 years.
“But it is not a decision I have made lightly,” the 33-year-old climber said in a statement released by his team. “I have been thinking about it for a long time, and it now feels like the right moment to step away from the sport.”
Yates won the Vuelta in 2018 for his first Grand Tour title, which cemented Britain’s dominance of cycling at that time. In the same year, Geraint Thomas captured the Tour de France and Chris Froome won the Giro.
Seven years later, Yates cruised to a win at the Giro — calling it “a defining moment of my career.”
His best finish at the Tour de France was fourth place in 2023.
“Cycling has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. From racing on the track at the Manchester Velodrome, to competing and winning on the biggest stage and representing my country at the Olympic Games, it has shaped every chapter of my life,” said Yates, who also won gold in the points race at the track world championships in 2013.
At the 2025 Giro, Yates produced one of the greatest rides of his career on one of cycling’s most grueling climbs.
He 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 climb to Colle delle Finestre — the same mountain that spelled heartbreak for him seven years before — to ride clear of his title rivals.
“It is a shame that he is stopping now, but he does so at an absolute high point,” said Grischa Niermann, head of racing at Team Visma-Lease a Bike.
The Giro win acted as redemption for Yates, who wore the pink jersey for 13 days at the Italian Grand Tour in 2018 before he cracked. He also had to withdraw from the race in 2020 and 2022 — because of coronavirus and a knee injury, respectively.
“I am deeply proud of what I have managed to achieve and equally grateful for the lessons that came with it,” Yates said. “While the victories will always stand out, the harder days and setbacks were just as important. They taught me resilience and patience, and made the successes mean even more.”
Another Yates — Simon’s twin brother Adam — will keep on racing next season, with the UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
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