Adam Yates plays down dual leadership ploy despite taking victory on stage 1 of the Tour de France: "We are here for Tadej"
Cycling
Adam Yates was delighted to win the first stage of the 2023 Tour de France. The UAE Team Emirates rider rode a breakaway with his brother Simon towards the end of the stage and ended up winning solo in Bilbao.
"I don't know what to say, we tried to toughen up the climb for Tadej, then he attacked, but again he came back to the group on the descent, so I gave it everything," Yates said in his post-stage interview. "I attacked from behind and my brother caught me and we worked together, I didn't know if I had to keep pulling and on the radio they told me to go for it so I did."
On his fight with his identical twin brother Simon, he said it was a very special moment. "I knew it was going to be even with him, we talk every day and to share moments like this with him is very nice. I wish it would have been easier because he almost left me at one point (laughing). I'm very happy, very happy."
It is not the first time he has worn yellow but his focus is on helping his leader Tadej Pogacar in the coming weeks to try to win the Tour de France. "I already wore the yellow jersey in 2020, it was also a special moment, but I want to keep my feet on the ground, we are here for Tadej, the boss, he has shown this year that he is the best in the world and he will show it again."
Finally, he sent a message to those who did not believe that he and Tadej could work together and could hurt Jonas Vingegaard and Jumbo Visma. "This has always been the plan, a lot of people didn't believe in the two leaders plan, I'm not a leader, I'm a guy who is going to try to do things like today to put the other teams under pressure. In the next few weeks I'm going to give 100% for Tadej, I'm sure we're going to do a good job".
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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Por desgracia, os confirmamos que @EnricMasNicolau no podrá completar la 1ª etapa del #TDF2023. El balear, con fuerte dolor en la zona del hombro derecho, será examinado en un centro hospitalario. Os mantendremos informados. 📸 @GettySport
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