British rider Simon Yates wins elusive Giro d'Italia title

ROME (AP) — British rider Simon Yates cruised to overall victory in the Giro d’Italia on Sunday — finally winning the race that had eluded him so often.

After attacking on the gravel-road climb to take the pink jersey in the penultimate stage on Saturday, Yates finished nearly four minutes ahead of runner-up Isaac Del Toro, the 21-year-old Mexican who wore pink for 10 days before Yates took control.

It’s the second Grand Tour title for Yates after he won the Spanish Vuelta in 2018.

“It’s a defining moment of my career, there’s no doubt about that,” Yates said.

Yates wore pink for 13 days during the 2018 Giro before cracking on one of the final climbs. He also had to withdraw from the Italian race in 2020 and 2022 — because of coronavirus and a knee injury, respectively.

“I’m still in shock of what I’ve done,” Yates said. “It’s something that I’ve been working toward for a long time.”

Yates, who rides for Team Visma Lease a Bike, finished 3 minutes, 56 seconds ahead of Del Toro and 4:43 ahead of Richard Carapaz, the 2019 champion from Ecuador.

Dutch rider Olav Kooij, Yates’ teammate, won the final stage in a sprint finish. It was his second victory in this Giro after also winning the 12th stage — and third overall after winning one in 2024.

“Perfect final weekend for us. After yesterday we were all really happy with what Simon pulled off,” Kooij said. “To finish it off is really cool.”

During the non-competitive neutralized period just before the mostly ceremonial final stage actually began, the peloton passed through the Vatican and was blessed by Pope Leo XIV.

The 143-kilometer (89-mile) final stage concluded with a circuit of eight laps through downtown Rome and finished next to the Circus Maximus — the ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium.

At age 32, Yates already acknowledged that this victory is “the peak” of his career. His best finish in the Tour de France was fourth in 2023.

Yates and his twin brother, Adam, have long been among the peloton’s elite.

Adam Yates rode this Giro for UAE Team Emirates as a support rider for Del Toro — so was competing against his brother. But the brothers posed arm-in-arm for photos together during the final stage.

Before the final stage started, a moment of silence was observed following the death of former Visma rider Robert Gesink’s wife.

Del Toro finished with the white jersey for the top young rider. Despite his tactical mistakes on Saturday, Del Toro appears to have a promising career ahead of him. This was just his second Grand Tour after placing 36th in the Vuelta last year.

“I’m learning,” Del Toro said. “I should be happy with myself.”

Danish rider Mads Pedersen took the maroon jersey for points after winning four stages.

Lorenzo Fortunato of Italy took the blue jersey for the mountain classification.

AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling

Britain's Simon Yates, winner of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, celebrates on the podium with second-placed Mexico's Isaac Del Toro, left, and third-placed Ecuador's Richard Carapaz, in Rome, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Olav Kooij, from the Netherlands, celebrates after winning the last stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Britain's Simon Yates kisses the trophy after winning the Giro d'Italia cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

The pack rides past the ancient Colosseum during the last stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Britain's Simon Yates, in the pink jersey, center, observes a minute of silence with other riders for the passing of former Dutch cyclist Robert Gesink's wife, during the last stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Flanked by race leaders, from left, Denmark's Mads Pedersen, Mexico's Isaac Del Toro, Britain's Simon Yates and Italy's Lorenzo Fortunato, Pope Leo XIV blesses the pack before the start of the final stage of the Giro d'Italia, at the Vatican, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Britain's Simon Yates, in the pink jersey, pedals with his team during the last stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Britain's Simon Yates, in the pink jersey, shares a light moment with his brother Adam Yates, during the last stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, in Rome, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)