Yates plans aggressive Vuelta

Cycling: Simon Yates plans to ride La Vuelta with the same aggression which saw him spend 13 days in the leader’s pink jersey at the Giro d’italia.

Yates won three stages in May’s Giro and took pink on stage six, holding it until he cracked on stage 19 as Chris Froome stormed into the lead.

“I don’t feel any difference in my approach of the racing after the Giro,” said Yates. “Since the very beginning, I’ve always turned up to races trying to win.”

The 26-year-old, above, said he finished the Giro “completely dead” but he is pleased with his preparations for the Vuelta, which starts with an eight-kilometre time trial in Malaga today. Yates is joined in the Mitcheltonscott squad by twin Adam. Defending champion Froome is rested after riding the last four Grand Tours, winning three. Team Sky had planned for Geraint Thomas to race, but his Tour de France victory changed that and Michal Kwiatkowski is given the chance to lead a Grand Tour squad. Yates will be up against the likes of Richie Porte, Nairo Quintana and Miguel Angel Lopez in the fight for the red jersey.