3. Simon Yates (Orica-GreenEDGE)
3. Simon Yates (Orica-GreenEDGE)
Simon Yates’ talents were already known before his debut year with Orica-GreenEDGE, but few could have predicted what followed his signing for the Australian team last winter.
World points champion on the track and a stage winner and third overall at the Tour of Britain, Yates was expecting to take a back seat and enjoy a learning curve in 2014.
Having turned down Team Sky among others to join the team, however, his decision proved a masterstroke as he enjoyed possibly one of the best learning curves imaginable.
Having finished 12th overall in the Basque Country, injury at the Tour of Turkey proved a blessing in disguise when he was drafted in as a late replacement for the Tour de France squad.
And in his two weeks on the Tour, Yates certainly did his best to impress – twice joining a day-long break and putting in some big turns for the team.
Withdrawn in the final week so as to not hinder his long-term development, Yates’ performances certainly promise much for the future.