Simon Yates to combine Giro d'Italia and Olympic Games in 2020
Dec 24 2019 02:18 am CET
Photo of Simon Yates by Mitchelton-Scott
Mitchelton-Scott's Simon Yates has announced parts of his 2020 calendar, which includes the Giro d'Italia and the Olympic Games.
The winner of the 2018 Vuelta a España and of two stages of the 2019 Tour de France, will kick off his season in Australia for the first time since joining Mitchelton-Scott. He will ride the Santos Tour Down Under, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and the Jayco Herald Sun Tour.
Yates will also rider the Italian grand tour of the third consecutive season and the Tokyo Olympics. "I have always wanted to do the Aussie summer," said the Briton. "Of course riding for an Australian team there is more pressure, but I really enjoy getting stuck into racing and giving it a good go. With these being our home races, the boys are super motivated to give everything.
"I would love to hit the ground running, so when any opportunities to take my own chances come, I hope to grab them with both hands. After competing in both the Giro and the Tour last season, I was extremely tired and so we decided as a team to stop earlier than normal to give myself the best possible preparation for 2020. Winter has been going great so far and I have just finished a very important block of training in Gran Canaria, but I will fly out early to Australia to be able to adapt to the heat."
Yates will want to start in the Giro in good shape and then work it all the way to the road race of the Olympics. "The Giro is a race with a lot of charm and character - the fans are passionate, the parcours are amazing and it always produces exciting aggressive racing which I enjoy," he explained.
"Last year I just felt I never really got to the level that I expect of myself, I want to go back in the best shape possible and try again. That, and along with the Olympics coming so close to the Tour de France this year; I believe the best way to approach the Olympics would be to do the Giro. The 2020 route is a very traditional course with a lot of time trailing kilometers, and many high altitude mountain passes. We will have to prepare for anything to happen. The aim is to have the condition and shape that I know I can have, and give everything I have, which I hope will give me the best possible chance of winning."
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