
Simon Yates has won the Giro d’Italia after safely finishing the 21st stage in Rome.
The British rider seized the Maglia Rosa after gaining almost six minutes on Isaac del Toro over the Colle delle Finestre on Saturday.
With Sunday’s stage largely ceremonial, the 32-year-old simply needed to complete the stage in order to secure his first Giro title, and second Grand Tour overall.
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He did this with no issues, dropping back in the final kilometres as his Visma-Lease a Bike team — all clad in bespoke pink helmets and shirt trim — turned their attention to winning the stage with their Dutch sprinter Olav Kooij.
They executed their sprint perfectly, with Wout Van Aert, one day after pacing Yates to Giro glory, leading out Kooij for his second stage of the race.
However, Kooij was still nowhere near overhauling Lidl-Trek’s Mads Pedersen’s lead in the points competition. The Danish rider, who won four stages of the Giro, has worn the ciclamino jersey throughout.
Similarly, Italian rider Lorenzo Fortunato was awarded the blue polka dot mountains jersey, a contest he has dominated after entering the breakaway on almost every hilly stage.
Despite losing his Maglia Rosa on the penultimate stage, Del Toro achieved the solace of the white jersey, awarded to the race’s best young rider. The 21-year-old’s second place is the best placement ever achieved by a Mexican rider in a Grand Tour.
Before the stage, which began in the Vatican Gardens, every jersey winner met the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, who blessed the competing riders.
“Cycling is so important,” the American told them. “Thank you for everything you do. I hope you always remember your role as a role model for others. You are always welcome here.”
The next Grand Tour in the calendar is the Tour de France, which begins in Lille on July 5.
Its leading protagonists, including reigning champion Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, and Remco Evenepoel will meet next Sunday in the week-long warm-up Criterium du Dauphine.

(LUCA BETTINI/AFP via Getty Images)
Giro d’Italia Standings:
- Simon Yates (GBR), Visma-Lease a Bike — 79 hours, 18 minutes, 42 seconds
- Isaac del Toro (MEX), UAE Team Emirates — +3.56
- Richard Carapaz (ECU), EF Education-EasyPost — +4.43
- Derek Gee (CAN), Israel-Premier Tech — +6.23
- Damiano Caruso (ITA), Bahrain-Victorious — +7.32
- Giulio Pellizzari (ITA), Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe — +9.28
- Egan Bernal (COL), INEOS Grenadiers — +12.42
- Einer Rubio (COL), Movistar — +13.05
- Brandon McNulty (USA), UAE Team Emirates — +13.36
- Michael Storer (AUS), Tudor — +14.27
(Top image: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)
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