Simon Yates consolidates British supremacy in the youngest Vuelta

Simon Yates | Best of La Vuelta 18
Simon Yates | Best of La Vuelta 18 © PhotoGomezSport

La Vuelta 18 will be remembered as the finale for the golden year of British cycling. United Kingdom triumphed in all 3 Grand Tours with 3 different riders: Chris Froome in Italy, Geraint Thomas in France & Simon Yates in Spain. The Mitchelton Scott rider wore the red for the first time in La Covatilla, recovered it in Les Praeres and kept it until La Gallina. 

23 days after, the race has Simon Yates (26 years old) among it’s GC and combined classification winners, Yates shares the podium along with other young cyclists such as the Spaniard Enric Mas (23 years old) in second place, and the Colombian Miguel Ángel López (24 years old) in third place. 

While some youngsters push hard the veterans hold on. Alejandro Valverde (38 years old), finished fifth in GC, won 2 stages and the Points jersey. Thomas de Gendt got the Mountains jersey after fighting it with Luis Ángel Maté, and Bauke Mollema ends up being the Super combative rider of this Vuelta.

Movistar Team consolidated it’s dominance in Teams classification, due to the good performances of Alejandro Valverde, Nairo Quintana and Richard Carapaz, among others.

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