The Australian WorldTour team announced the contract renewal of Vuelta a España champion Simon Yates, through to 2024. The two-year contract extension will see the 10-time Grand Tour stage winner continue his career with the Australian outfit, after turning professional with the squad nine years ago, back in 2014.
Fresh from two stage victories at this year’s Giro d’Italia, Yates, the team’s most successful general classification rider was a high-priority re-signing. The 29-year-old feels it is important to continue with the squad that assisted with his development from a young and talented 21-year-old neo-pro, into a Grand Tour winner, describing GreenEDGE Cycling as ‘home.’
With big ambitions for the remainder of the 2022 season and looking ahead to 2023, Yates will continue to be one of the valued leaders at GreenEDGE Cycling and a rider that the up-and-coming talent can look up-to and learn from.
“To continue with this team is very important for me," said Yates. "The journey so far from being a young neo-pro through to 2022 has been great, I’ve had a lot of success and many failures, and the team has always kept believing in me, given me the chance, and given me the support and space to develop.
"Everybody in the organisation knows me very well as a rider, how I work best, and the environment of the team has been important for me to feel comfortable and grow."
The major signing for BikeExchange-Jayco is sign of continuing support from team owner Gerry Ryan, the Australian businessman and supporter of cycling keen to see Yates in action for season to come. He also outlined the direction for the squad in the future as it looks to develop young talented riders into stars.
“We are very proud to have Simon continue his journey with us," said Ryan, "he has been a key member of the team for nine years now and has provided our organisation with some of the most incredible moments, including our first Grand Tour victory.
"Simon will be an important part of the team’s future; we have big ambitions and we are confident that together, we can achieve many more great things. We’ve had a turning point after this first decade, but the direction remains the same; we will continue to look for young new talent and work to try to turn them into champions, like we have done with Simon.
"We believe he will continue to be a great leader and be a great example to the new generation of GreenEDGE cycling riders.”
Simon Yates:
Date of birth: 7th August 1992
Nationality: British
Joined GreenEDGE Cycling: 2014
New Contract: 2023 & 2024
Top Results:
1st Vuelta a España Overall General Classification (2018)
3rd Giro d’Italia Overall General Classification (2021)
1st Tour de France Young Rider's Jersey (2017)
13x days in the Maglia Rosa at the Giro d’Italia (2018)
6x 1st Giro d’Italia stage victories (2022, 2021, 2018)
2x 1st Tour de France stage victories (2019)
2x 1st Vuelta a España stage victories (2018, 2016)
4x Paris-Nice stage victories (2022, 2019, 2018, 2017)
