Yates quits cycling after career that included Vuelta and Giro titles

By Canadian Press on January 7, 2026.

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.

“This may come as a surprise to many, but it is not a decision I have made lightly,” the 33-year-old Yates said in a statement released by Team Visma-Lease a Bike. “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.

“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.”

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The Associated Press