CyclingPub Interview - Simon Yates on Giro d'Italia: If I can race aggressively, I will do it
May 04 2019 08:19 pm CET
Photo of Simon Yates by Mitchelton-Scott
Simon Yates is wrapping up the last details before heading to the Giro d'Italia. The rider took a moment to speak to media, including CyclingPub.com.
For Yates, this will be the first grand tour after his victory at the 2018 Vuelta a España. He faces the Corsa Rosa with renewed confidence, not only because he already has one grand tour win on his palmares, but also because he has taken good results at one of his weakest points, the time trials, as he specifically won the individual time trial in Paris-Nice in March.
The rider comes back to the race after spending 13 stages in the Pink Jersey in 2018 before losing it to Chris Froome on the 19th stage.
Do you think the result in the time trial of Paris-Nice gives you a new advantage over direct rivals like Tom Dumoulin or Primoz Roglic?
I don't think I will ever be at that level. They are more or less specialists in the discipline but the time trial of Paris-Nice has given me a lot of confidence with my time trialing. I've actually always put a lot of work into my time trialing, I've just never had the results to back it up. So I think now we're slowly seeing all the hard work come out.
Do you think this time trial improvement will take a bit of pressure off your shoulders during the mountain stages?
We will see once we get to the race. We will start right away with the prologue, so we will see how everybody's form is there. If I can race aggressively like I always do, I will do it because that is how I like to race and that is what I enjoy.
Do you have your eye on any particular stages of the race?
I think the last week will be very very difficult and I think everybody is talking about it. I think that will shape the race, actually. A lot of the guys will be very conservative until that point and we will see from there.
Do you have any lessons from the 2018 edition of the race that you can apply in the race?
I think just being calm in the moment. Like I said before I like to race aggressively but you can't always do that, unfortunately. I will apply that lesson and hopefully, go for the win.
During the talk to the media, the rider also discussed the return of Esteban Chaves to the Giro d'Italia after a difficult year in which he suffered from allergies and the Epstein-Barr virus. "We have actually worked very well together before and when you look at his palmares, he's a great rider," Yates commented.
"He's getting better day by day, I think he's more or less over it now, so I think he's going to be a huge part in the race."
Yates has also discussed in the past that he's not interested in riding the Tour de France for now. "The Giro is what's driving me at the moment, that's what gives me the passion to get out of bed," he explained. "At this moment that is how it is. I'm sure in the future I will go back to the Tour someday but this year is not the year."
By Mary Cárdenas.
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