Britain's two-time grand tour champ ends professional career

Briton Simon Yates, a two-time grand tour champion, has decided to end his professional career, his Visma-Lease a Bike team said on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old, who won the Vuelta in 2018, retires on a high after claiming the Giro d'Italia title last May to add to his six career stage wins in the three-week race.

Yates, the twin brother of Adam Yates, also grabbed two stage wins on the Spanish grand tour as well as three on the Tour de France, where his best general classification result was fourth in 2023.

Thanks for everything, Simon! 🩷🐝 pic.twitter.com/twnRcPtNHa — Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) January 7, 2026

"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," Yates, who served a four-month doping ban in 2016, said in a team statement.

"They taught me resilience and patience, and made the successes mean even more."

Yates started his career on the track, winning the points race gold medal at the world championships in Minsk in 2013.

A message from Simon:

Dear all,
I have made the decision to retire from professional cycling.⁰

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… pic.twitter.com/wTcfbhZOGn — Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) January 7, 2026