Simon Yates solos to spectacular final stage victory in Poland as Kwiatkowski secure overall win

Simon Yates made no mistake on the final stage of the Tour of Poland, timing his late attack to perfection to take a memorable stage win in the summer rain.

Holding ninth place on the general classification going into the last stage, the victory saw Yates jump onto the podium in second place overall behind race winner Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky).

A large group of around 18 riders broke free over the opening kilometres to form the breakaway, gaining close to three minutes on the peloton after 40kilometres of racing.

Today’s stage covered a short gravel section and the leaders came through holding two minutes over the bunch as ominous clouds started to roll into the final 65kilometres.

Yates was up there within the reduced yellow jersey group as tentative attacks started to spring into the closing kilometres, with the last two climbs looking to be pivotal.

The 26-year-old Briton wasn’t going to wait around and attacked on the penultimate climb, pushing on to gain 30seconds advantage. The group chased hard behind Yates as the rain fell, but the three-time Giro d’Italia stage winner was on song and held onto enough of an advantage to seal the stage win and second overall.

“I am really happy to pull off the win today. We’ve been working hard every day, and the whole team have tried to get a stage win all week and today our efforts have finally paid off”, said Yates.

“It was a tough stage and I chose my moment well to get away over the penultimate climb. Once I had the gap I went full gas into the final and didn’t look back.  It’s great to see my from is bubbling slowly in the right direction, I feel good and now it’s onwards towards the Vuelta a Espana.”

Tour of Poland 2018 – stage 7 results (Bukowina Tatrzańska – Bukowina Tatrzańska):

Final general classification: