Giro d'Italia 2025 Stage 21 recap - Simon Yates crowned champion as team-mate Olav Kooij wins final stage in Rome

The dust had hardly settled from Simon Yates’s sensational ride into the pink jersey in Sestriere when the Briton’s Visma-Lease a Bike team put the cherry on the top of an exquisite Giro d’Italia with a second win for their Dutch sprinter Olav Kooij in the final stage in Rome.

After another superb lead-out from the ever-dependable Wout van Aert and Edoardo Affini, Kooij beat Australia’s Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Italy’s Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) for a commanding win besides the historic Circus Maximus in the Eternal City.

But all eyes were on Yates as the 32-year-old rider from Lancashire secured the second Grand Tour victory of his career following his earlier triumph in the Vuelta a Espana in 2018.

Seven years after dramatically relinquished the pink jersey on the gravel slopes of the Colle delle Finestre, Yates had returned to the scene of the crime to put things right on Saturday – setting a record time on the lofty Alpine peak as he came full circle by wresting the maglia rosa from the shoulders of Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG).

Yates then navigated eight laps of a technical city centre loop in Rome to secure the famous Trofeo Senza Fine and draw a line under his emotional rollercoaster of a relationship with the Giro – a race that has regularly thwarted his ambitions in testing circumstances, but a race that he has now won at the sixth attempt.

After conceding the pink jersey to Yates in Sestriere on Saturday, Mexican tyro Del Toro finished second in his maiden Giro, almost four minutes behind. The 2019 champion from Ecuador, Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) came third at 4:43, with Canada’s Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) and Italy’s Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) completing the top five.

No change to the standings in the Eternal City as Simon Yates secures his second Grand Tour stage win, seven years after his Vuelta victory in 2018.

1 Simon Yates (Visma-Lease a Bike)
2. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +3:56
3. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) +4:43
4. Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) +6:23
5. Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) +7:32
6. Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) +9:28
7. Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) +12:42
8. Einer Rubio (Movistar) +13:05
9. Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +13:36
10. Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling) +14:27

British duo Max Poole and Adam Yates finished 11th and 12th respectively, while Tom Pidcock was 16th.

Visma-Lease a Bike were hampered early on in this race with both Wout van Aert and Olav Kooij ill in the first week. Both riders then took wins in the second week, before Simon Yates took the maglia rosa yesterday and Kooij a second success today...

Here's how they took the win today:

1. Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike)
2. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
3. Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5)
4. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
5. Luke Lamperti (Soudal Quick-Step)
6. Max Kanter (XDS Astana)
7. Filippo Baroncini (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
8. Orluis Aular (Movistar)
9. Enrico ZAnoncello (Bardiani CSF)
10. Giovanni Lonardi (Polti VisitMalta)

Ireland’s Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) could only take 12th place.

The man in pink finished safely and he has finally won the Giro at the sixth attempt – seven years on after he crashed so spectacularly when leading his maiden Giro three days from the finish. What a story.

Olav Kooij sprints to a second win ahead of Kaden Groves and Matteo Moschetti after a dominant lead-out from Edoardo Affini and Wout van Aert – one day after the Belgian secured the overall win for Simon Yates. What a finish to this Giro from Visma-Lease a Bike.

Can Visma cap off this Giro with another stage win as well as the maglia rosa? They’re on the front with three riders: Affini, Van Aert and Kooij…

They still have Hermans on the front but the others – including Groves – have dropped back. Van Aert and Affini are there for Kooij. It’s very hectic.

They’ve past the 5km mark and so many of the GC riders have sat up to take things easy now. Ineos have appeared for Ben Turner, while Lidl-Trek have Daan Hoole for Pedersen now. Buit it’s still Alpecin, Tdor and Visma on the front, with Picnic there too.

They have four riders on the front but the other sprint teams are rallying their troops. Decathlon, Picnic, Tudor, Astana and Visma are all there, while Pedersen seems to be freelancing today in his purple jersey.

Our lone leader is still Cerny’ing a big gear, but there’s nothing left in the tank and he sits up and lets the inevitable happen. Gruppo compatto – and it’s Alpecin-Deceuninck who take it up for Kaden Groves, with Jensen Plowright riding on the front.

What a beast the Czech is! He stamps on the pedals as the road ramps up – and that has destroyed his Italian colleague, who sits up. Cerny looks to be on the edge, but he still has seven seconds.

Their faces are a picture of pain as they come under the 10km banner with 10 seconds over the pack. You do the maths – their chances are not great, especially with Visma and Alpecin now gathering behind for Kooij and Groves. Still no Lidl-Trek, mind, as they go through the finish to the sound of the bell. Last lap!

Verre and Cerny lose the wheel and Paleni edges ahead as the peloton closes in. Cerny doesn’t give up and all but catches Paleni again, but Verre is cooked and the gap is just eight seconds.

Michael Storer, who is 10th on GC, is currently pulling for Tudor Pro Cycling, who have Rick Pluimers for the sprint. The gap is 10 seconds. Q36.5 Pro Cycling are there, too, working for Matteo Moschetti.

Martin Marcellusi is the next to fold, the local rider disappearing from the break. Cerny, Verre and Paleni have 15 seconds again but their carrots are surely cooked.

Our five leaders will be caught soon with Decathlon’s presence having the desired effect. They’re approaching the home straight ahead of the final two laps of this circuit. Pietrobon has been caught and Hepburn will be next after he sits up...

I’d completely forgotten about Sam Bennett! Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale come to the front and take up the chase – and that’s just what the pack needs, some fresh blood. The Irishman has had a frustrating race but a win today would turn things round for Bennett.

But Pietrobon is still distanced and the break has lost its momentum a bit, with the gap down to 21 seconds.