Simon Yates made big error on stage 16 says former Giro d'Italia runner-up: "Tactically, it wasn't his best ride"

Simon Yates closed in on the race lead at the 2025 Giro d'Italia on stage 16, ending the day just 26 seconds off the Maglia Rosa, Isaac del Toro. Could things have been even better for the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader though? Well, according to one former Giro d'Italia runner-up it definitely could.

In the opinion of Philippa York, star of the 1987 Giro d'Italia when she finished 2nd overall, won a stage and took home the King of the Mountains, Yates made a big tactical error in the finale of the chaotic stage 16. One that ultimately may have cost the Brit a chance to get himself into the pink leader's jersey. "Simon Yates messed up when he let Derek Gee ride off while he worried about the Maglia Rosa being stuck to his wheel," York explains in her column for Cycling News.

"Choosing not to follow the Israel - Premier Tech rider meant dropping Del Toro would be harder," York adds. "He was clearly strong in the first half of San Valentino; his acceleration on one of the steepest sections showed that. However, by accelerating so early, he had shown his hand too soon. The others would then let him do most of the work if they could. His only chance of getting some help was to have a steadier rider with him."

But when the chance to get up the road with Gee arose, Yates opted to stay put. "When he let Gee ride away in an effort to force Del Toro to come past, that opportunity was gone," York laments. "He slowed too much for too long, and the race went up the road without him. Once the second of his attacks saw the race leader drop, Yates was tired."

"This explains why Michael Storer was able to stay with him. The British rider doesn’t have the same ferocity of accelerations as Richard Carapaz and is more suited to a sustained effort, which usually burns off other riders. But in the last 4km, he was climbing at the same rate as his rivals ahead," concludes York. "Yates was good, though he couldn’t have matched Carapaz when he went by. Concentrating on the race leader instead of realising Derek Gee would always ride a steady pace cost him a lot of energy and time. His climbing legs are there; he rode most of the last climb on the big ring. Tactically, it wasn't his best ride."