After decades in the shadow of his twin, UAE team Emirates rider Adam Yates struck back Saturday, taking a stage win and the overall lead in the Tour de France by beating brother Simon to the line in Bilbao.
UAE Team Emirates' Adam Yates celebrates on the podium wearing the yellow jersey after winning stage 1 of the 2023 Your de France. - Reuters
Simon won the first race between the two when he was born a few minutes ahead of his sibling in August 1992
At the finish, Simon told reporters that the brothers had had countless contests growing up "not just even in racing but in training as well".
The twins come from the same town, Bury in the Manchester region, as football's Neville brothers Gary and Phil of England and Manchester United fame.
Back in 2013 the Yates brothers came first and second at the Tour de l'Avenir, a sort of junior Tour de France, with Simon winning.
UAE Team Emirates' Adam Yates celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win stage 1. - Reuters. Photos by
The pair are close. They started their careers together with the Orica team, which has evolved into Jayco. While Simon, who won the Vuelta a Espana in 2018, stayed put Adam moved to Ineos in 2021 before a further switch to Team UAE where he is understudy to Tadej Pogacar.
"We get on great and see each-other almost every day. He lives just five minutes away," Adam said on Saturday.
"I saw him this morning and he asked me what my plans were but obviously I couldn't tell him," said the younger sibling.
"I'm sure he'll be a pain in the ass for me somewhere along the road though," he said smiling.
Simon Yates said that was his plan.
"I've a fantastic relationship with my brother. I'm really happy for him," he said warming down after the finish. "I'll stick it to him in a couple of days."
The win came after confusion followed the race to the top of stage one's final hill on the outskirts of Bilbao.
Adam had led his teammate Pogacar up the climb, with the champion Jonas Vingegaard lurking close behind.
But when the Yates brothers broke, nobody seemed interested in intervening in the fraternal struggle.
UAE Team Emirates' British rider Adam Yates (R) cycles in the ascent of the col de Pike ahead of UAE Team Emirates' Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (2nd R), Jumbo-Visma's Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard (C) and Cofidis' French rider Victor Lafay (L) during the 1st stage of the 110th edition of the Tour de France. - AFP. Photos by
Pogacar raised his arms as he followed them over the line in third.
"I cannot tell you how much that means to me," said the Slovenian Team UAE leader.
"It's wonderful to see this team developing and a win for the team like that is almost better than a win for myself," he said, with what sounded like genuine joy.
It must have meant quite a lot to their mother too.
"I haven't spoken to my parents yet," Adam said after the race. "They are here somewhere along the coast in a campervan."
Simon was long considered the more talented of the two and has won two stages on the Tour de France previously, with Saturday's outcome Adam's first Tour de France stage win.
Simon also won the Tour de France white jersey as best young rider in 2017 before winning the Vuelta a Espana the following season.
Saturday's stage win was a first for Adam on the Tour de France but he did have the yellow jersey, by default, in 2020 after Julian Alaphilippe was hit with a time penalty.
He then defended the yellow for four more stages.
Yates has promised to defend the jersey again, and try and help team leader Pogacar win a third Tour de France
"Tadej's the best rider in the world, and if I can cause a bit of carnage here that helps him I will. Tomorrow there's a time bonus and we'll target that.
But maybe this is a bluff.
Concern over two-time winner Pogacar's fitness led his UAE Emirates team to name Yates as their co-leader for the Tour de France
"Sometimes you get injured or sick and you always need back up," Yates had said in the build up to Saturday's opening stage in the Bilbao back-country.
Pogacar, 24, suffered the injury during April 24's Liege-Bastogne-Liege. He was soon training in a gym but missed over a month on the bike as he allowed time for his wrist to heal.