“He couldn’t hold back the emotion” – Giro legend Francesco Moser heaps praise on 2025 winner Simon Yates
Cycling
On the final day of the 2025 Giro d’Italia, Italian cycling
legend Francesco Moser, winner of the race in 1984, shared his thoughts on the
dramatic penultimate stage and the riders who shaped this year’s edition.
Speaking ahead of Stage 21 in Rome, the 73-year-old offered praise for Simon
Yates, insight into the tactical mistakes, and encouragement for young Italian
hopefuls.
Reflecting on Yates’ triumph atop the Colle delle Finestre,
the same climb where he lost the maglia rosa in 2018, Moser acknowledged the
emotional significance of the moment to Bici Sport.
“It had already happened in 2018 that the blow came there,
and it hit Simon himself,” Moser recalled. “Yesterday he took his revenge. I
saw when he arrived that he couldn’t hold back the emotion.”
Moser remembered how dominant Yates had been in that earlier
Giro, only to lose everything in the final mountain days. “He had kept the
jersey and had gone strong that Giro,” Moser said. “But that day gave him a
real blow.”
He also recalled the 2018 stage finish in Bardonecchia,
where Chris Froome launched his historic long-range attack. “I remember
arriving there and seeing all the Ineos, well, Sky at the time, team cars. I
wondered, ‘What are they doing here?’ Later, I understood why. They had
prepared everything in advance.”
When asked about the dramatic tactics between Richard
Carapaz and Isaac Del Toro on Stage 20, Moser didn’t shy away from pointing out
mistakes.
“They should’ve sent a man in the breakaway like Van Aert,
who was decisive in the stage,” he said. “But they also needed teammates with
them and just didn’t manage it. I think they didn’t have the strength. You saw
that not even on the descent did they try to chase.”
Tensions between the two rivals were visible in the final
stages, with each criticising the other’s tactics. Moser said, “There were even
skirmishes between the two. Carapaz said Del Toro raced badly. Del Toro said,
‘Everyone can think what they want.’ Me? I got distracted and didn’t understand
much of what was going on anymore.”
As a whole, though, Moser enjoyed the 2025 edition. “It was
a good Giro,” he said. “I was supporting Del Toro, he’s young, and it wouldn’t
have been bad if he had won. But he spent a lot of energy defending the jersey
all those days. That’s how it went. He still has a lot of time to make up for
it.”
Moser also praised Giulio Pellizzari, who impressed in the
final week after being freed from domestique duties.
“In the end, sixth place overall, that’s a good Giro,” Moser
said. “In the final week, once he was no longer helping Roglic, he did well. He
lost some time earlier by waiting for Roglic, which affected things, and then
there was that crash near the finish, not decisive, but still.”
“He’s a climber, and in the Giro there are too many climbs.
You have to be a climber.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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