"Insane that the man who’s ended up winning the Giro was never the strongest rider" - Simon Yates a lucky Maglia Rosa according to Michael Rasmussen
CyclingFriday, 06 June 2025 at 09:15
On an incredibly dramatic stage 20 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia, Simon Yates turned the whole race in its head with a stunning long range raid, securing the Maglia Rosa and a second career Grand Tour victory in the process. According to Danish ex-pro turned expert Michael Rasmussen however, the Brit's victory owes a little to luck.
“It’s absolutely insane that the man who’s ended up winning the Giro was never the strongest rider at any point in the race," analyses Rasmussen for Viaplay, taking the view that, rather than Yates winning the Giro on stage 20, Isaacs del Toro and Richard Carapaz gifted the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader the overall victory.
Rather than look towards any brilliance from Yates or Visma, Rasmussen believes it's poignant to analyse the failings of UAE Team Emirates - XRG and EF Education-EasyPost. "He wins because two teams that had ridden better overall made huge tactical blunders on the most important day,” claims the Dane.
Whilst the stalemate between Del Toro and Carapaz when Yates attacked on the Finestre was a very notable moment of this tactical uncertainty, Rasmussen believes the more telling issue came in the form of UAE and EF allowing Wout van Aert to get into the early breakaway without having satellite riders of their own up the road.
"An enormously stupid move," Rasmussen assesses harshly. “It’s as if UAE have been affected by the fact that they have the best cycling team in the world – and Tadej Pogacar. They’re used to turning up, going to the front, and letting the best rider in the world crush everyone when it counts.”
“It’s the team’s responsibility, for goodness’ sake. They must have made a plan. ‘You have to mark these two riders.’ A gap of 1:20 is nothing on a climb like the Colle delle Finestre,” concludes Rasmussen, adding that it was “incredibly bloody stupid” of Del Toro not to mark Yates.
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He'd won the Giro after all. That should put him as the strongest rider by itself.
His rivals couldn't match him on the Finestre. Superior team tactics, but also superior legs by no means.
He didn't even miss a doping test. Believe it or not
no brilliance from Yates or Visma?? you don't win Grand Tour without being strong rider. He stayed podium thru mtns without teammates Toro had full team of super climbers.Brilliant WVA and Yates, both monumental, inspiration comebacks, crushing the ride (all-time record time and he's not strong?). We all know Toro and Carapaz failed, but they didn't trust their legs; you might win by a few seconds if the others look at each other but not 5min.
Insane that Yates lost the Giro seven years earlier when he was winning stages for fun in first two weeks.
Luck is when Issac Del Toro and Carapaz get a puncture and Yates gets 30 s. Stupid tactics of others is not considered luck. Yates won by 4 minutes. There is not way he gets 4 unless the people behind him acting out.
Giro 2025 is like Tour 2008 when Carlos Sastre won atop Alpe d'Huez. He should like ride Cadel Evans winning in Tour 2011.