Simon Yates Embraces New Pursuits After Shock Retirement from Professional Cycling

Former Giro d’Italia champion Simon Yates has embarked on a new chapter following his unexpected retirement from professional cycling in January 2026. While the cycling world absorbed the news of his departure, Yates is now focusing on personal goals and exploring interests previously sidelined by the demands of elite competition.

A New Focus: Strength Training and Personal Enjoyment

According to his brother and fellow professional cyclist Adam Yates, Simon is embracing a different kind of training regimen. “He’s still happy. I indicate, he’s getting in the gym now, trying to get big in a different way,” Adam shared with Cyclingnews. “You know, he’s gonna do upper body, and he’s gonna perform out. He’s just trying things that he never had a chance to do as a bike rider.” This shift marks a departure from the typical cyclist’s focus on minimizing upper body muscle mass to maximize power-to-weight ratio.

A Decorated Career Cut Short

Simon Yates’s retirement came at the peak of his career, having recently won the 2025 Giro d’Italia. Throughout his 13-year professional career, he achieved significant victories, including the general classification of the 2018 Vuelta a España and stage wins in all three Grand Tours – the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España. He also secured the young rider classification at the 2017 Tour de France. According to Wikipedia, Yates also won the Tirreno–Adriatico in 2020.

Adam Yates Reflects on His Brother’s Timing

Adam believes the timing of Simon’s retirement was ideal. “You win the Giro and a stage of the Tour, and to finish it on that high, I think that’s a nice way to go out,” he stated. He emphasized the long-term commitment required in professional cycling, noting, “It’s not just a professional career that you do for 10 years or so, we’ve been riding a bike since we were eight or nine. It’s a long time to be doing the same thing… Now it’s time to call it a day.”

Supporting the Next Generation

While Simon enjoys his newfound freedom, Adam is currently focused on supporting his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate, Isaac del Toro, at the UAE Tour. Adam clarified that he is not competing for the general classification himself, stating, “No, no, I’m not here for GC.” He explained the team’s strategy, emphasizing the importance of backing the strongest rider. “Here is more completely flat and a climb at the complete. So it’s a different kind of dynamic, and here you should back the best horse, and our horse is Isaac.”

High Hopes for Isaac del Toro

Del Toro, who finished second to Simon Yates at the 2024 Giro d’Italia, has impressed Adam with his rapid development. “I think he surprised himself [last year], to be honest,” Adam noted. He praised Del Toro’s intelligence and dedication, stating, “He’s super smart, Isaac; he knows what he’s doing. And when you listen to the body, listen to yourself, and you take advice from other people – you put it all together, and you get the results as he does.” Adam believes Del Toro has unlimited potential, adding, “He’s still young, he’s got the room to improve, and as long as he keeps his feet on the ground and keeps working hard, then the sky’s the limit.”