SIMON SOLO AND THEN SO HIGH

SIMON YATES admitted to feeling “a bit emotional” after producing a great solo win at the Giro d’Italia.

Yates (right) attacked on the penultimate climb, 12 miles from the finish on the 109-mile stage to Sappada, and managed to stay away to claim his third stage of this year’s race.

The sensational stage-15 win saw the 25-year-old from Bury strengthen his grip on the race lead as he increased his gap on his nearest challenger, Tom Dumoulin, by another 41 seconds.

Yates now has a 2min 11sec advantage over Dumoulin going into today’s final rest day.

“When we came off the descent I saw a little gap to a few guys so I asked Jack Haig to push the pace,” Yates said. ”Then George (Bennett, LottoNL-Jumbo) attacked really hard from the very bottom. I chose my moment to go. They responded the first time but then I gave everything the second time and I managed to get away.”

Yates is the first man to win three stages while in the pink jersey since Gilberto Simoni in 2003 – with Simoni going on to claim overall victory that year. “I didn’t know that,” Yates said. “I do like the stats, I like the numbers. It’s really fantastic.

“I don’t know why but I’m a bit emotional after today. I really gave it everything.”

Asked if his lead was enough to keep pink after the time trial tomorrow, he said: “I’m happy with that gap but it could disappear in 35km. We’ll have to see.”