Yates brothers face off again at Canadian WorldTour races

Simon and Adam Yates have been compared and contrasted ever since they broke onto the scene in 2014. Now, the two brothers are nearly ten years into their careers, on separate teams and looking at another possible showdown in Canada this weekend at the GP Québec and the GP Montréal.

After the two riders have ridden separate programs for years, when they were both on the same team and as rivals, 2023 has seen the two square off at different junctures, at Jayco AlUla for Simon, and UAE Team Emirates for Adam. After a memorable Tour de France this summer, the two are back on the same startlists as favourites in Québec as they wind down their successful seasons.

Read more: Tour de France: Adam Yates beats brother to take stage 1 victory and yellow jersey

“This year I have been quite good – maybe missing a few wins here or there, only got one win on the board – but to be honest that's how it goes these days,” Simon Yates told GCN.

“The best guys tend to soak up the wins – like Remco [Evenepoel], Pogačar, Vingegaard – so it's difficult to beat those guys, but otherwise I have been quite consistent, like top ten in pretty much every stage race I've done so I am quite happy.”

Simon Yates, who has traditionally focused on the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España, switched his focus this season to the Tour de France and it paid off with a fourth place finish in Paris, one spot from the podium – which was taken by his brother, Adam Yates. Third at the Tour, plus a stage win also ahead of Simon on stage 1, was Adam’s career best finish. So, he too could reflect back on a successful year.

“Throughout my career I have been quite consistent,” Adam told GCN.

“Yeah, okay, I have won some nice races this year, but the only place I haven't really brought it together [previously] was Grand Tours. For one reason or another the last couple of years I have gotten sick or injured. This year I had no problems, no illness, no injuries and it went perfect.”

In Canada, both riders return to go head to head as favourites, but even still the two riders have very different experiences with the Canadian races thus far. Simon Yates, with his typical season built around the Giro and/or Vuelta, is coming back to Canada after a long time away: "I haven't been back to Canada in a long time now, I always go to the Vuelta or something would come up, so actually I am happy to be back here."

Meanwhile Adam has become more of a Canadian expert, with two top fives to his name at the GP Montréal. For him, he knows the races enough to pick his battles between the two.

“Québec is a bit more difficult for me while Montréal is a bit harder and the climbs are a bit steeper. I was second in 2015 and fourth last year so it suits me better.”

Yet, with a long successful season behind them both, the weekend really comes down to one simple goal, as it does for most of the riders mulling about the race hotel on this muggy September afternoon in Quebec City. As Simon said before heading up the elevator to the cool confines of his room: “I am just hoping for a good result here to finish up the year.”