Briton Yates is in the pink
● Mitchelton-scott rider gives team-mate stage glory but grabs overall lead in Giro
Britain’s Simon Yates took the overall lead of the Giro d’italia yesterday when he finished second on stage six, just behind Mitchelton-scott team-mate Esteban Chaves on the summit of Mount Etna.
Yates overtook Chaves in the final metres but sat up and told his team-mate to cross the line first after the Colombian had spent the whole day in the breakaway.
Thibaut Pinot was third on the 164-kilometre route from Caltanissetta. The Groupamafdj rider led Chris Froome and most of the other favourites over the line, 26 seconds behind the leading duo.
“It was a crazy day with a lot of attacks going at the beginning. As Esteban was at the front with a pretty big group, it made me sit back. I could save some energy. It worked out perfectly,” Yates said.
“I felt good so I took my chance to ride across. Esteban had been out all day so he deserved the win.
“I said to him as soon as I caught him that he could take the stage because if I had enough time then I would take the jersey.”
Chaves had been out front as part of a 28-man break away for most of the day and attacked on the final climb with five kilometres remaining, and swiftly built a significant advantage. Yates made his move with 1.5 kilometres remaining. The duo hugged each other in celebration immediately after crossing the line.
“It’s unbelievable,” Chaves said. “This is the best start for the Giro d’italia. I knew we had to be up front, we had a very hard stage to Etna. I’m also in the king of the mountains jersey – it’s like a dream.”
Yates replaces Rohan Dennis in the leader’s pink jersey and has a 16-second advantage over defending champion tom Dumoulin. Four-time Tour de France winner Froome is 1 minute, 10 seconds behind, in eighth place.