Simon Yates clinched the 2025 Giro d’Italia, securing his second Grand Tour title after his 2018 Vuelta a España victory.
The 108th edition commenced on May 9 in Durrës, Albania, and concluded on June 1 in Rome, covering 3,413 kilometers across 21 stages. Yates, riding for Visma-Lease a Bike, seized the pink jersey on Stage 20 following a decisive mountain attack on the Colle delle Finestre, overtaking long-time leader Isaac del Toro of UAE Team Emirates. He finished 3 minutes and 56 seconds ahead of del Toro, with Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz rounding out the podium.
South Africa’s ‘MainCheese’ Louis Meintjes placed 18th in the final GC standings. With three Giros, seven Tours de France and nine Vueltas to his name, Louis has ridden more Grand Tours than any rider from the continent.Incredible!This edition of the Giro began in Albania.The ‘great Dane’ Mads Pedersen was the first rider to wear the leader’s pink jersey.As is always the case, this year’s race had all kinds of weather for the riders to deal with.In pink, Mads continued to use his excellent form to outsprint the peloton. Rising star Isaac Del Toro (far left) animated the race on stage 9.Stage 13 presented a brutal uphill sprint to the line with Mads and Wout van Aert, all in. A favorite for the final GC, Primoz Roglic suffered four crashes throughout the race and eventually abandoned on stage 16.The Giro: 3413km with 52500m of elevation.A third in the final GC standings for the aggressive and always-attacking Richard Carapaz is not what the Ecuadorian was after. Hello Italy!Isaac Del Toro; the young Mexican was just one and a half big mountains away from holding the leader’s jersey till the end of the race.Just another switchback in San Valentino, Italy — too beautiful. Race leader Simon Yates tucks in as the last stage rolls into Rome.The final sprint went to Olav Kooij of the Netherlands and Team Visma Lease a Bike.Simon Yates celebrates the overall victory.
Remarkably, Yates did not win any individual stage, becoming the first rider since 2015 to win the Giro without a stage victory. His triumph was attributed to consistent performance, strategic attacks, and strong team support, particularly from Wout van Aert. The race featured 52,500 meters of elevation gain, including challenging climbs like the Colle delle Finestre and Mortirolo. The final stage in Rome included a sprint finish won by Yates’s teammate Olav Kooij, marking a successful conclusion for the team. // IMAGES: UCI, Meta, Red Bull //
