Simon Yates Retires: A Farewell in the Maglia Rosa

The final image we’ll ever have of Simon Yates at the Giro d’Italia is pure cycling poetry: standing on the top step of the podium in Rome, wrapped in the Maglia Rosa, the Trofeo Senza Fine in his hands. Just days before the start of the 2026 season, the winner of the most recent Corsa Rosa announced – somewhat out of the blue – his immediate retirement from professional racing.

The climber from Team Visma–Lease a Bike bows out with 36 career victories and the awareness of having touched the sky in his final year. A perfect ending to a story that feels like a fairy tale. The collapse on the Colle delle Finestre in 2018 while wearing pink – on the unforgettable day of Chris Froome – was a label many thought Yates would carry forever. But cycling loves redemption arcs. Seven years later, on that very same monster climb, Yates took everything back, scripting a tactical masterpiece and a stage we’ll remember forever. The circle was closed – and this time, for good.

Simon Yates’ farewell letter to cycling

“Dear all,
I have made the decision to retire from professional cycling.
This may come as a surprise to many, but it is not a decision I have made lightly. I have been thinking about it for a long time, and it now feels like the right moment to step away from the sport.
Cycling has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. From racing on the track at the Manchester Velodrome, to competing and winning on the biggest stage and representing my country at the Olympic Games, it has shaped every chapter of my life.
I am deeply proud of what I have managed to achieve and equally grateful for the lessons that came with it. While the victories will always stand out, the harder days and setbacks were just as important. They taught me resilience and patience, and made the successes mean even more.

To everyone who has supported me along the way, from the staff to my teammates, your unwavering belief and loyalty made it possible for me to realise my own dreams. Whenever I doubted myself, you never did. Thank you.
To my team, Team Visma–Lease a Bike, thank you for your understanding and support of my decision to stop now. You gave me the opportunity to rewrite my history, and through trust and belief, we did it together. Thank you.

To my family, you shared the sacrifices that came with this sport. The absences and missed birthdays were never easy, yet you understood what this journey meant to me and supported it wholeheartedly. I owe you more than I can ever properly express. Thank you.

Thank you for the journey.
Simon Yates”.