Transfers and rumours

[Dan Lotus]

Re Yates retiring, could it be related to Jonas riding the Giro - the article below was published December 1st, not even 6 weeks ago.

"2025 Giro winner explain why he loves the Corsa Rosa and Italy so much

Simon Yates confirmed his love for Italy and the Giro d'Italia at the presentation of the 2026 race route, making a special effort to travel to Rome and confirming his desire to target another maglia rosa in 2026.

The Visma-Lease a Bike rider told Cyclingnews how he savoured his 2025 win during the winter by watching extended highlights with his family and celebratory bottle of Italian red wine.
"For me to win and to be here in Rome again is amazing. My victory will live with me for the rest of my life," Yates said after studying the 2026 route on stage during the presentation and spending a day visiting Rome with his wife.


His Visma-Lease a Bike team leader Jonas Vingegaard could decide to ride the 2026 Giro to complete a triple crown of Grand Tour victories and so Yates has to wait for final indications from the team about his 2026 goals. However his desire to defend his 2025 victory was clear.


"It'd be hard to dissuade anyone from going for the Grand Tour triple crown, so we'll see what Jonas and team decide," Yates told Cyclingnews.

"I'd love to come back. Not many people are able to race a Grand Tour with a number one race number. There's still a lot of discussions going on behind the scenes in the team about which riders will target the different races. We'll find out soon.

"We were in Amsterdam last week and there were a lot of meetings, which were pretty exhausting. It's a complex puzzle that also includes my role in the Tour de France and other riders."

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

When will sports, including cycling, come to their senses and spread the top talent between a number of teams rather than allowing $$$ to buy strength in depth between limited teams but reduce the spectacle?

I'd rather see the top ten genuine GC riders split between ten teams; have the top ten genuine sprinters split between ten teams; the top ten climbers split between ten teams; the top ten puncheurs split between ten teams etc.

 

[phreak]

When will sports, including cycling, come to their senses and spread the top talent between a number of teams rather than allowing $$$ to buy strength in depth between limited teams but reduce the spectacle?

I'd rather see the top ten genuine GC riders split between ten teams; have the top ten genuine sprinters split between ten teams; the top ten climbers split between ten teams; the top ten puncheurs split between ten teams etc.

You get the odd occasion, like Lemond/Hinault, Froome/Wiggins, and Ulrich/Riis where the "domestique" was stronger than the leader, but more often it's a Porte/Froome or Heras/Armstrong kinda situation in that very good riders who would lead other teams but are still a level below those ultimately challenging. I think both Yates are in that camp. Simon has won GTs when the field has been more open and things have gone his way, but more often, he's been a step below the very best. If he was still at Orica and Vingegaard did the Giro, it's highly unlikely that he'd win (which isn't a slight on him as he's clearly an incredibly good cyclist who has had a wonderful career).

 

[matticus]

Curious to see if Simon looks to become a DS or similar,

Might have to work on his speed of speech ...

 

[DCLane]

It may be to do with other things, such as family.

He started out at the Manchester Track League on a Friday evening. I wonder if he'll pop back there?
(yes, there are current and ex-pro's who turn up at the track for sessions/races - a current pro from Lotto-Intermarche was at Derby yesterday evening. Fortunately not in my group).

 

[cyberknight]

You get the odd occasion, like Lemond/Hinault, Froome/Wiggins, and Ulrich/Riis where the "domestique" was stronger than the leader, but more often it's a Porte/Froome or Heras/Armstrong kinda situation in that very good riders who would lead other teams but are still a level below those ultimately challenging. I think both Yates are in that camp. Simon has won GTs when the field has been more open and things have gone his way, but more often, he's been a step below the very best. If he was still at Orica and Vingegaard did the Giro, it's highly unlikely that he'd win (which isn't a slight on him as he's clearly an incredibly good cyclist who has had a wonderful career).

indeed , i think in the current climate potential GC winners have to be realistic about their chances even if they are given the lead of the team .Now that Jonas is planning to target the giro what palmares are left for him to go for or does he feel playing super domestique is not something he wants ?

 

[Dan Lotus]

I suspect the decision was made that Jonas is going to go for the Giro (Maybe they don't even believe the TDF is even possible for Visma), so either Yates wasn't happy playing domestique only, and or didn't fancy his chances at either of the other two - let's be honest if Pog is at the Tour, it only leaves the Vuelta, and there's a lot of hungry young guns out there to battle against.
I wonder if he thought with the Giro either not being available, or only riding in support, it was going to be a damp squib of a year, and better to jump out still at the top of his game, and not diminish last years huge achievements.

Shame though, as he clearly had the form, and I suspect would have come out of the blocks as hard as ever - going to JV really seemed to rejuvenate him.

 

[phreak]

indeed , i think in the current climate potential GC winners have to be realistic about their chances even if they are given the lead of the team .Now that Jonas is planning to target the giro what palmares are left for him to go for or does he feel playing super domestique is not something he wants ?

He may justifiably think that as the defending Giro champion he's earned a bit more than being a super domestique at the race this year. I suppose it'll all come out in the wash.

 

[CarbonClem]

Respect to him for not doing a Froome and soft pedalling a €1m (?) season.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Being a top pro is very hard and takes a ton of commitment. Not all riders are like Cav, capable of doing it season after season. Maybe he feels he just doesn't have the stomach, or hunger (or other alimentary metaphor) to put himself through it all over again when he must know it's downhill from last year.

I imagine Jonas taking the Giro leadership may well have tipped the scales.

 

[Dan Lotus]

I really think it is the Jonas thing.

Just watched an interview with him from circa 5 weeks ago, at the Giro presentation, and he was asked about the Giro, and what it would mean to defend the title, and how he would feel if Jonas was there and he was in a supporting role.

He didn't answer the question, and basically replied to say there were a lot of tiring discussions ongoing.
To me, he really did not look like someone contemplating imminent retirement, though I appreciate you can't always see this!

It wouldn't surprise me if he gave them two options - give him leadership at the Giro, and he would then be happy to support anyone else's ambitions throughout the rest of the year, or he would retire with immediate effect.