¡Adiós!

[Ilmaestro99]

So you changed gears by not shifting?

The cancellara method!!!

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

From the first until the last, the adage remains. If you want to tell the Yates twins apart, ask yourself, "are they doing anything interesting?" If the answer is "yes", it's Simon. He even made his retirement a point of interest.

Is looking confused after winning San Sebastián interesting, or does the lack of celebration render the win uninteresting?

 

[RedheadDane]

From the first until the last, the adage remains. If you want to tell the Yates twins apart, ask yourself, "are they doing anything interesting?" If the answer is "yes", it's Simon. He even made his retirement a point of interest.

Last year, I just kinda used the method of:
Is he wearing UAE clothes? Then it's Adam.
Is he wearing Visma clothes? Then it's Simon.

 

[pastronef]

Is he wearing UAE clothes? Then it's Adam.
Is he wearing Visma clothes? Then it's Simon.

all I needed was the flag and name. I cheered without even knowing who was who of them

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Lost the motivation in summer 2025. Regained it on stage 10 when he found himself in the winning break. Then lost it again when the team car asks him to pull for Vingegard. Having to listen to that podcaster tell him to pull hard on flat stages to 'make the race hard' for pocagar was probably the final straw.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

all I needed was the flag and name. I cheered without even knowing who was who of them

I understand that with Adam as it fits your wilful contrarian ethos, but Simon never rode for Sky and was somewhat popular?

 

[pastronef]

I understand that with Adam as it fits your wilful contrarian ethos, but Simon never rode for Sky and was somewhat popular?

after Froome left Ineos my mad cheering for them diminished though. but I keep cheering every British athlete

 

[Libertine Seguros]

after Froome left Ineos my mad cheering for them diminished though. but I keep cheering every British athlete

I thought you weren't going to be that fan anymore once Geraint Thomas retired?

 

[Sciatic]

Im sure he also sacrificed a lot and achieved something great in his last season. He might feel he has accomplished everything he needed or wanted to now. Especially, winning the Giro on Finestre... with his own history of the climb and the race.

It is a fairytale end to his career with the last season. He is 33 years old.

He is good enough to continue and could have earned a pay-check riding for a couple of more seasons... but if his heart aint in it anymore... there is literally no better time than for him to retire after a season like this. 33 is still a respectable age to retire at and very few get to retire like this. Spend more time with the family. Best wishes to him.

Well said. I can see that some other folks think he deserves a thumbs down because he's leaving Visma in the lurch. But when it comes to retirement from your profession, it's the employee who knows when it is the best to leave, and as long as it's not stabbing your team in the back (which perhaps would for a cycling might be leaving mid-season or middle of a Tour would be) that's as it should be.

 

[pastronef]

I thought you weren't going to be that fan anymore once Geraint Thomas retired?

you can't forget an old love. now with G gone, nothing remains of those wild years (sauf Sir Dave). but Onley, Turner, Tarling, will give me joy.

 

[Sciatic]

I don't think this holds up to scrutiny.

A short story of Adam Yates and the Tour:

Stage 7, 2016: While on the attack for a couple of seconds on GC (not for the stage win), he gets assaulted by a deflating kilometer banner which makes him crash and does not gain any time.
Stage 12, 2016: Is initially awarded the yellow jersey but the jury decides that crashes should not impact GC, so Froome gets it back.
Stage 16, 2018: Is on track for a certain stage win but crashes on the final downhill due to the stress of being chased by Alaphilippe.
Stage 5, 2020: Gets revenge over Alaphilippe and the jury of Ventoux due to the former taking an illegal feed late in the stage, resulting in a time bonus so that Yates gets the yellow jersey.
Stage 1, 2023: Is embroiled in the coolest twin attack of all time and ends up winning the first stage (finally as it was his first ever GT stage win) and taking the yellow jersey again.

I guess you could say that much of it is circumstantial but he has definitely had one of the most eye-catching Tour arcs I have ever seen.

But when it comes to "interesting" that's definitely not in the same category of saying the other riders behind him in GC "should be dumping in their pants" (paraphrase) and then spectacularly blowing up in subsequent stages. And nothing Adam has done will be as interesting and exciting as Simon's bold (or perhaps just well timed) winning attack to capture the Giro last year

 

[Cycling111]

A few days ago.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2006024370863378893

View: https://x.com/vismaleaseabike/status/2006024370863378893?s=20

 

[Squire]

A few days ago.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2006024370863378893

View: https://x.com/vismaleaseabike/status/2006024370863378893?s=20

Yeah, that is really strange. Why couldn't it be announced before those publicity photos? They would have saved themselves an extra bike and a brand new kit, too.

 

[Tim Cahill]

No official confirmation but; https://cyclingmole.com/2026/01/02/2026-here-we-come/

I want to end this piece by taking a moment to pay some appreciation to Hugh Carthy. The big man has called it a day at the age of 31. I’ve followed Hugh from the start, first interviewing him before he joined Caja Rural, back at the end of 2014. I could talk all day about The Lancashire Longshot, he achieved an awful lot at the pointy end of the sport, starting with 9th in Catalunya in just his 2nd pro season. His epic stage win in Tour de Suisse will live long in my memory, taking a solo win after breaking away not long after the start of the 101.5km stage, it’s still one of the craziest rides I’ve ever seen. Then we have his win on l’Angliru in 2020. Winning on such an iconic climb was an amazing achievement, especially considering he beat the likes of Roglič, Carapaz, Mas, Kuss and Vlasov. The big man went on to finish on the overall podium, just 1:15 behind Roglič, not bad for a wee guy from Preston. It’s been a pleasure to follow Hugh over the last 12 years, I wish him all the best for the future.

Hugh grew up the road from me, same age, didn't know him personally but this town is a small place, from what I've been told about the kind of person he is I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't bother with a statement, doesn't care much for a big fuss.

We have our own theories on what happened, 2020 was a strange time, I suppose cycling is and will always be cycling, half the story can never really be told, I have my memories for myself as someone once said.

 

[Cycling111]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2008892356746211478

View: https://x.com/irishpeloton/status/2008892356746211478?s=20

 

[Sciatic]

Yeah, that is really strange. Why couldn't it be announced before those publicity photos? They would have saved themselves an extra bike and a brand new kit, too.

Maybe he hadn't decided by then?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

No official confirmation but; https://cyclingmole.com/2026/01/02/2026-here-we-come/


Hugh grew up the road from me, same age, didn't know him personally but this town is a small place, from what I've been told about the kind of person he is I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't bother with a statement, doesn't care much for a big fuss.

We have our own theories on what happened, 2020 was a strange time, I suppose cycling is and will always be cycling, half the story can never really be told, I have my memories for myself as someone once said.

Finally a retiree that I'd actually like to see on the commentary team.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Finally a retiree that I'd actually like to see on the commentary team.

I'm terrified they're going to try and get Yates in just so Blythe can act all chummy with him, 'my mate Si', they couldn't get his mate G in and his mate Brad's gone off the deep end so this is the next best thing.

Carthy would completely no-sell his rubbish which would be amusing, but I get from their personalities that we are never going to hear from either him or Yates again.

 

[JR1012]

Iserbyt announced on Instagram, the end of his cycling career.

 

[Wvv]

Iserbyt announced on Instagram, the end of his cycling career.

Because of the endofibrosis syndrome on the femoral artery.

He gathered a nice CX palmares already (European and Belgian champion, 2 times world cup winner, 2 times medalist a the world championships and 2 times world champion U23), but at 28 it still feels too soon. Sad. I hope he can find a nice new passion or another role in cycling. He was also a good student back in the day, so I have good hopes for him.

Kudos on your career Eli.