It’s the end of April, which means it is almost time for the first Grand Tour of the season, Simon Yates’ main goal of the year, the Giro d’Italia. As the start date creeps closer, the form has been building and despite some setbacks with a lingering illness and therefore fewer racing days than planned, the British climber is feeling ready.
 
In Episode 3 – Final Touches, part of our three-part documentary series ON THE WHEEL, we caught up with Yates to see how he is really feeling after dramatically pulling out of Volta a Catalunya. We explore further how the team leader, with so much pressure and expectation, bounces back mentally and physically from sickness and such a documented race exit, just 10 days after an empathic victory at Paris-Nice. 
 
Yates takes us inside his final training phase at his altitude base in Andorra, and we hear first-hand from his girlfriend what it is like being the partner of one of the world’s best climbers.

Simon reflects on the 2018 Giro d’Italia, admitting how he felt ‘embarrassed’ with what happened but how it is still regarded as a successful tour in his eyes. The lessons were invaluable, he’s older and wiser now and hungrier than ever.
 
The form is there but the preparation hasn’t been straightforward, there’s still some doubt, there are still some unknowns, but it has been done before. The ‘Final Touches’ are being added, is 2022 going to be the year that Simon conquers the Giro d’Italia once and for all!?