Tour of Britain: GB’s Simon Yates 2nd on GC

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Winner of two stages in the Tour l’Avenier recently, Simon Yates, is now second after all after a truly second epic stage in the Tour of Britain.

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The leading under 23 rider in the country, Simon Yates, is also the leading Under 23 rider in the Tour of Britain after fourth on stage 2 in the Lake District. The young rider, who is hoping for a top 10 overall in the race, and to hopefully spark some interest from pro teams, is quite surprised by his place on GC in a race with many a star rider.

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Simon (right) crosses the line in 4th on Stage 2 and is now second on GC.

“I am pretty happy with being second on GC really. I was feeling a bit stiff and cold before we hit the final climb and wasn’t sure how I’d go but I went full gas and managed to get a good result. I couldn’t ask for much more really”

The race he said was quite controlled despite the tough terrain and conditions they were racing over. “There were a few little digs by a few guys like Lovkvist went off at the end and gave it a real good go and finished third. I think everyone was happy though for the race to be controlled in those conditions.”

Simon, like me who was on a motorbike and travelled the whole course, agreed that many of the little climbs in between the KoM’s were harder and that on the big climbs no-one was really going full gas to split the race wide open. “Not really. Dan Martin and Quintana had a go but no-one else really wanted to follow and I think Sky kinda blocked the road and tried to put people off going.”

“I think people were happy enough to roll up as it was hard enough just doing that.” Talking about the finish climb, “that was a bit unexpected” says Simon. “I heard there was going to be a bit of a kick up but I didn’t expect that. I normally go well on those type of finishes so I thought ‘I’ll give this a good shot even though I was quite far back.”

“I did make up quite a lot of ground but Ciolek had already gone and Sam Bennett so I just went full gas and nobody went with him and I just hoped I could hold on.”

Simon says he had 39×27 on his bike for the stage today and he used all of that on the steep climb (Honister). He added that the roads in Britain are always pretty grippy and hills steep. Simon then said how Jon Dibben helped the team getting in the early break and how Jon, a first year senior, is going really well. “I’m impressed! He’s still a first year senior and he was looking good on the first day as well getting up there in the sprint.”

Not everything went to plan for Simon’s GB team though as his brother Adam, second overall in the Tour l’ Avenier, crashed on stage 2 of the Tour of Britain. “He fell on the steep descent of Honister when he hit a bit of a pot hole and his stem snapped. He was lucky in the fall though in not being too badly injured but he was on his own for the last 60k.”

The next stage for Simon is the Time Trial. “I have done a few in stage races but nothing major. I’m expecting something outside the top ten with all the riders in the pro teams being stronger than me. I am though going to give it 100 per cent and hope I am still up there on the GC.”

 

 

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