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\u201cIf anyone\u2019s going to win<\/strong> other than us, it\u2019s my brother,\u201d Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) said last night.<\/p>\n \u201cHappy for him. I\u2019m sure I will congratulate him. Also celebrate a little bit. We did a good race, so we can\u2019t be disappointed.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam Yates. Photograph: Zac Williams\/SWpix.com\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s still sinking in<\/strong>,\u201d says Simon Yates<\/a> at the start line in Rome. \u201cAfter yesterday\u2019s stage we didn\u2019t have much time, we had to rush to the airport to fly here, and we arrived late in the hotel. Yeah, still sinking in.<\/p>\n \u201cThe job\u2019s not actually finished yet,\u201d Yates says, laughing, when it is suggested that tonight will be a big party. \u201cI need to cross the finish line here in Rome. I am trying to soak up the atmosphere as much as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cMy phone did explode a little bit [last night]. But I wanted to speak to my family. They are the ones who\u2019ve been with me, through all the ups and downs.<\/p>\n \u201cTo pinpoint one [message last night] would be impossible. I don\u2019t know, a lot of people can resonate with the story, losing the race a long time ago now, in 2018 \u2026 and the way I\u2019ve managed to take it, I really think it\u2019s touched a lot of people. It\u2019s great.<\/p>\n \u201cIt [the decisive attack] was all circumstantial. I just needed the right moment. I don\u2019t know, to be honest, I always had the hope I could do something, but I never really believed it could happen.<\/p>\n \u201cLife comes around, it gives and it takes. Yeah, that\u2019s how it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.19 EDT<\/p>\n Such sad news.<\/strong> Robert Gesink\u2019s wife, Daisy, died yesterday. The riders are now having a minute\u2019s silence on the start line in her memory.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Simon Yates before Stage 21.<\/strong><\/p>\n I bet you he enjoyed his colazione.<\/p>\n Simon Yates. Photograph: Luca Bettini\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThis is incredible<\/strong>,\u201d Wout van Aert told reporters after Stage 20. \u201cWe didn\u2019t really think about this, this morning. Such a brave effort of Simon, to go all-in from so far. I love it when people are not racing for a \u201cblaze of honour\u201d. So yeah. Chapeau for him.\u201d<\/p>\n Wout Van Aert on Stage 20. Photograph: Zac Williams\/SWpix.com\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI never truly believed<\/strong> until the very last moment there,\u201d Yates told the reporter and former pro rider, Adam Blythe. \u201cI\u2019m speechless, really.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s still sinking in \u2026 I couldn\u2019t hold back the tears. It\u2019s something I\u2019ve worked towards \u2026 yeah. I\u2019ve had a lot of setbacks, but I finally managed to pull it off.\u201d<\/p>\n Yates eyes fill with tears of happiness.<\/p>\n \u201cYou should be proud of yourself mate,\u201d Blythe tells him. \u201cEveryone at home is proud of you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks mate,\u201d Yates said. \u201cAppreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n He meant that, too.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.55 EDT<\/p>\n \u201cWe love this sport<\/strong>,\u201d Matt Stephens said on pundit duty for TNT. \u201cWe\u2019ve had a go at this sport. We know what it takes \u2026 that performace was fuelled by the memories of a capitulation that he\u2019s constantly reminded of.<\/p>\n \u201cThe race fell perfectly for him, but he had to ride the race of his life today. That ride will define his career. To see those tears was immensely powerful. His family will be so proud. His brother as well. What a day.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.51 EDT<\/p>\n If you\u2019d written that script<\/strong> they\u2019d have said: \u201cYep, that\u2019s good, we\u2019ll use that.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rob Hatch on commentary<\/strong>, describing the incredible scenes as Yates rolls in for the final kilometre on yesterday\u2019s Stage 20: \u201cFive-and-a-half hours of the most epic bike riding you are ever likely to see \u2026 the tension built for three weeks before an explosion on the Colle delle Finestre \u2026 They called it \u201cdoing a Froome\u201d \u2026 But now, this is the day we will all remember. Now they will call it \u201cdoing a Yates\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cNot even the best Hollywood scriptwriters would have put this together. It is sensational. One of the most glorious chapters in the history of professional cycling.\u201d<\/p>\n Thumbs up from Simon Yates. Photograph: Luca Zennaro\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.47 EDT<\/p>\n Sean Kelly<\/strong>, commentating for TNT Sports with his customary common sense, describes what happened among the other GC contenders when Yates attacked on Stage 20:<\/p>\n \u201cIsaac del Toro decided: \u2018No, I\u2019m not riding.\u2019 Carapaz of course said: \u2018Well, if you\u2019re not riding mate, I\u2019m not riding.\u2019 And it\u2019s just played into the hands of Simon Yates<\/a> \u2026 there will be a lot of questions asked.\u201d<\/p>\n Richard Carapaz (EF Education Easypost) and Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) on Stage 20. Photograph: Zac Williams\/SWpix.com\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.39 EDT<\/p>\n Live pictures from Rome<\/strong> will start at 2pm BST. Did you watch yesterday\u2019s punch-up in the Cottian Alps? “>Email me with your thoughts<\/a>.<\/p>\n I\u2019m now catching up on yesterday\u2019s highlights: Wout van Aert has just sat up, and Yates is five minutes ahead on the road. Exciting!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.35 EDT<\/p>\n In other #sports news<\/strong>, Will Unwin has the vroom-vroom Formula One from Barcelona here:<\/p>\n While James Wallace<\/strong> is blogging like a man possessed for England v West Indies in the second one-day international:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.25 EDT<\/p>\n Wowzers<\/strong>, Elena Rybakina is 5-0 up on Iga Swiatek in their first set at Roland Garros. Join Daniel Harris, as long as you promise to come back for some Giro action later:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.20 EDT<\/p>\n \u201cOnce the parcours was released<\/strong> I always had it in the back of my mind that maybe I could come here and close the chapter,\u201d Yates told TNT Sports yesterday, referring to his painful experience on the Colle delle Finestre<\/a>, at the hands of Chris Froome, in 2018. \u201cMaybe not to take the pink jersey and the race but at least win the stage win or something.<\/p>\n \u201cTo try and show myself, the way I know I can do, and to pull it off \u2013 I really didn\u2019t believe it. I have to thank the guys, the team. They believed in me and even during the stage they were saying \u2018just give it a try\u2019 and I did it in the end.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not really an emotional person but even coming over the finish line I couldn\u2019t hold back the tears. It\u2019s something I\u2019ve worked towards throughout my career, year after year, and I\u2019ve had a lot of setbacks. I\u2019ve finally managed to pull it off.\u201d<\/p>\n Deep joy for Simon Yates. Photograph: Zac Williams\/SWpix.com\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.21 EDT<\/p>\n Preamble<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t matter where Saturday\u2019s Stage 20 ranks in the pantheon of historic grand tour drama. Comparison being the thief of joy and all that. All we need worry about is that Simon Yates<\/a>, of Team Visma\u2013Lease A Bike, is about to win the Giro d\u2019Italia after his astonishing climbing performance yesterday. All Yates needs to worry about, meanwhile, is crossing the finish line in one piece, in his shiny new maglia rosa, with his Visma-Lease A Bike teammates in tow.<\/p>\n Yates has been on the road in this gruelling race for 79 hours, 18 minutes and 42 seconds. Personally I have watched a grand total of zero seconds of that time, so I\u2019m coming to this distinctly freddo. “>Feel free to email me<\/a> with a concise summary of what\u2019s happened up to this point, so I can subsquently pretend to know what I\u2019m talking about.<\/p>\n As for yesterday\u2019s excitement, you can read Tom Bassam\u2019s excellent report here:<\/p>\n