Yates also paid tribute to his rival Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who had worn pink up until stage 20, and happens to be the teammate of Yates' twin Adam – though when the brothers road through Rome together on Sunday, they weren't talking about the race, just about meeting the Pope.

Simon Yates stands to win the Giro d’Italia after putting to bed his personal demons on the Colle delle Finestre with a stunning solo attack that put him in pink after the penultimate stage.

The British rider seized the Maglia Rosa after gaining almost six minutes on Isaac del Toro over the Colle delle Finestre on Saturday.