The Mexican dream at the 2025 Giro d’Italia came crashing down just 50 kilometers from the finish line of the queen stage. After wearing the maglia rosa for eleven days, Isaac del Toro lost the race lead to a resurgent Simon Yates, who delivered a legendary performance to become the virtual winner of the Italian Grand Tour.

The British rider from Visma-Lease a Bike attacked on the mythical Colle delle Finestre, obliterating his closest rivals — Del Toro and Richard Carapaz — in what will be remembered as one of the most iconic comebacks in Giro history.

Stage 20: The moment everything changed

The brutal 205-kilometer stage from Verrès to Sestriere, with over 4,500 meters of elevation gain, lived up to its billing. On the ascent to Le Finestre, Simon Yates, who had heartbreakingly lost the Giro in 2018 after leading for more than 10 days, launched a bold, long-range attack.

Carapaz was the first to react, followed by Del Toro, but neither could match Yates’s rhythm. The Brit surged past both and rode solo into the mountains.

By the summit, Yates had built a 1:43 lead. But with help from teammate Wout van Aert, who set a relentless pace on the descent and final climb to Sestriere, the gap widened even more — leaving the favorites stunned.

Why did Del Toro falter?

• Yates’s perfectly timed and unexpected attack , rewriting his own Giro history on the same mountain where he lost it in 2018.
• Lack of team support in crucial moments, while Yates had a world-class helper in Van Aert.
• Accumulated fatigue , as Del Toro had shown signs of weakness in previous stages and couldn’t respond when it mattered most.

General classification after Stage 20

Thanks to his mountain masterclass, Simon Yates now wears the maglia rosa, with a commanding lead:

• 1st – Simon Yates
• 2nd – Isaac del Toro at +3:56
• 3rd – Richard Carapaz at +4:43
• Egan Bernal and Einer Rubio (both from Colombia) round out the Top 10.

The final stage, a flat 143-km route around Rome, will be a ceremonial ride. The GC is effectively sealed, and Simon Yates — with his audacious attack and redemption arc — has already etched his name into Giro d’Italia history.