Who's Who? July 9, 2016: Adam Yates of the Australian team Orica-BikeExchange arrived late at the finish line of stage 7 of the Tour de France. The flamingo eclipse threw him to the ground. Nevertheless, he will start today's stage 8 wearing the white jersey . It's high time to take a look at Adam Yates' career so far and to venture a glimpse into his bright future.
Adam Yates struck down by the air arc and the flamme rouge
These are the kinds of scenes that will be featured in every cycling year-end review. Whether it's a flock of sheep bringing the entire peloton to a standstill, a railway crossing halting riders, a team bus stalling in the middle of the finish line, or, in this case, an aerial arch falling directly on Adam Yates. As with the team bus mishap a few years ago, Team Orica-BikeExchange was affected, but this time they were truly blameless. Before the stage, Adam Yates was only six seconds behind Julian Alaphilippe in the general classification , and thus in the lead of the white jersey as the best young rider. On the short but challenging descent from the Col d'Aspin, he launched an attack in the final kilometers. No one chased him down, and he sped towards the white jersey – until one kilometer from the finish, when the aerial arch fell on him. The tragedy of this entertaining scene only dawned on the spectators several minutes later. That was when Adam Yates, with blood on his face, resignedly slunk across the finish line and was consoled by his teammate Rubén Plaza.
Three-kilometer timekeeping brings Adam Yates the maillot blanc
A few moments after this incident, the awards ceremony began, and Julian Alaphilippe was once again presented with the white jersey. However, due to the incident with the aerial arch, the timing was later set back three kilometers. This is the standard procedure when no unavoidable incidents occur on a mountain finish. Three kilometers from the finish, Adam Yates had already broken away from the leading group and held a seven-second advantage – exactly one second more than his deficit in the young rider classification. The stage results and overall standings were updated, and therefore Adam Yates will be able to wear the white jersey for tomorrow's Stage 8. A stroke of luck, then, for the talented young rider, who will now do everything in his power to defend this white jersey all the way to Paris. That this ambition is not so far-fetched is evident from his still very young career.
| Name | Adam Yates | |
| Birthdays | August 7, 1992 | |
| Place of Birth | Bury | |
| Nationality | Great Britain | |
| Size | 173 cm | |
| Weight | 58 kg | |
| Current team | Orica Bike Exchange | |
| Active as an amateur | since 2013 | |
| Active as a professional | since 2014 | |
| Greatest successes | Winner Clasica de San Sebastián 2015 Winner Tour of Turkey 2014 |
The Yates surname is well known in cycling
Sean Yates is certainly still known to older cycling fans. In 1988 he won, among other things, a stage in the Tour de France and in the Vuelta a España. He now works for the Tinkoff team in the management area. Now there are two pro cyclists named Yates again. While not related to Sean Yates, Simon Yates and Adam Yates are twin brothers. During their time as an amateur they were coached by their father. After the latter was injured in a training accident, he sent the two to train at the Manchester Velodrome. There they found a close connection to track cycling, which is why their roots lie on the track. Adam Yates also competed on the road in several races for the British national team and French amateur team CC Etupes. At the Tour de l'Avenir in 2013 he finished second overall behind Ruben Fernandez. As a result, the Australian professional team Orica-GreenEdge (today: Orica-BikeExchange) became aware of him and his brother and signed both of them for 2014.
Adam Yates' first professional win at the end of 2015 at the Clásica de San Sebastián
Adam Yates impressed in his very first professional season. He won the Presidential Tour of Turkey stage race and the GP Industria & Artigianato Larciano one-day race. He also finished third in two stages of the Critérium du Dauphiné. In 2015, he competed in his first Tour de France. However, he didn't achieve any significant results until the end of the year, when he finished second in both the Tour of Alberta and the GP de Montréal. His first real breakthrough came at the Clásica de San Sebastián, where he celebrated his first true professional victory, beating renowned riders such as Philippe Gilbert and Alejandro Valverde. This year, he made a name for himself on stage 5 of the Critérium du Dauphiné , hinting at his good form for the Tour de France when he finished third on a mountain stage, behind only Chris Froome and Richie Porte.
Can Adam Yates win the white jersey?
Adam Yates has now confirmed the good form he hinted at three weeks ago and taken over the white jersey at the Tour de France. His chances of winning the young rider classification at the end of the three-week race aren't bad at all. His biggest rival, Warren Barguil of the German team Giant-Alpecin, already showed signs of weakness on yesterday's stage. Other serious contenders include Julian Alaphilippe, Wilco Kelderman, and Louis Meintjes. A young group of talented stage racers, and Adam Yates is every bit their equal. The next two stages will show whether the young Briton has what it takes to wear the white jersey all the way to Paris. He certainly deserves it – especially after yesterday's debacle.