Teams & Riders Brothers in (crank) arms - Yates Discussion Thread

[Potomac]

What is "world points title?"

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

What is "world points title?"

Being World Champion in the Points race

Track cycling events, explained

velo.outsideonline.com

 

[Oldman]

Being World Champion in the Points race

Track cycling events, explained

velo.outsideonline.com

Means you're fast enough to sprint after creating, attacking and bridging gaps for 100km, fixed gear. Special engine and will for that race.

 

[Cookster15]

Yes this was a shock retirement. But he has left on a high after that massive Giro victory to avenge his 2018 collapse on the same mountain. Good story here with thoughts from AC:

Alberto Contador understands Simon Yates' sudden retirement: "Cycling is a very sacrificial sport. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year"

Simon Yates retires from cycling at 33: a review of his career, wins at the Vuelta and Giro, Contador’s reflection, and the reasons behind his unexpected farewell.

cyclinguptodate.com

33 is a good age to retire IMO. Not always great seeing successful riders try to hang on too long. He and Adam turned pro in 2014, so that's a 12 year career as a pro.

Also interesting that a sub 60kg climber can have a track background. No mountains on a velodrome but it shows how the physiology for endurance track racing can apply to grand tour racing.

 

[proffate]

I'm not in denial that this could be a 2nd doping offense but I have to also give him benefit of the doubt.

An old school guy, already said what a PITA it is with the new training methods, then his big goal of the season gets rug-pulled from him.

I can see him saying *** this, I'm not putting my museli on a scale every day to be a donkey for Jonas

edit - plus notoriously anti media guy who always stayed out of the limelight so its hard to get a read on him and his ambitions so who know how he really felt. I mean the guy won a GT I dont remeber any single interview with him in the last year

Kind of lame not to repay the team when they set him up for victory last year. Won't say they delivered it on a platter but Wout obviously did more than carry bottles.

If he actually cared about the 2026 giro so much, why not seek a transfer to another team?

Feels like it's probably a case of burnout and a contract that's not too lucrative to walk away from. Wonder what marketable skills he has developed in his life so far if he doesn't like talking in front of a camera and has been spending all his time exercising since he was 10. Edit: well I guess his peak earnings were around 1.5M/yr so he may have enough in the bank to just retire. Doesn't have the same taste in watches or cars as a MVDP.

 

[Gratemans]

Although like I already said, the timing is weird (yes I know retiring after winning a huge race makes sense, but he could also have announced retirement right after the season ended, why do people not get this?!) I gotta say I loved how unpredictable he was. Especially in this age.
He certainly provided us with a ton of entertainment, and in the end, that's what it's all about.

 

[yaco]

Kind of lame not to repay the team when they set him up for victory last year. Won't say they delivered it on a platter but Wout obviously did more than carry bottles.

If he actually cared about the 2026 giro so much, why not seek a transfer to another team?

Feels like it's probably a case of burnout and a contract that's not too lucrative to walk away from. Wonder what marketable skills he has developed in his life so far if he doesn't like talking in front of a camera and has been spending all his time exercising since he was 10. Edit: well I guess his peak earnings were around 1.5M/yr so he may have enough in the bank to just retire. Doesn't have the same taste in watches or cars as a MVDP.

He was getting more than 1.5m at Jayco.

 

[Cookster15]

Kind of lame not to repay the team when they set him up for victory last year.

I think it’s a bit much to credit all of that win to the team? He delivered the Giro victory for Visma, breaking the Finestre climb record in the process. I’d say the ledger was even? They did their job and he delivered.