Tour de France 2023: Did Simon Yates let twin brother win on Stage 1? Debate rages over Adam Yates victory

The pair combined magnificently to open up an advantage on a select group containing pre-race favourites Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), ensuring it would be a famous day in the Yates household and the rarest of one-two finishes.

But Simon’s role in the finale prompted suggestions he might have been working for his brother. The 2018 Vuelta champion offered a huge pull inside the final kilometre before Adam swept past him on the uphill run to the line.

The conspiracy is not without merit. Simon arrived in Bilbao with two Tour stages on his palmares, both from 2018, while Adam was still chasing a first win at cycling’s biggest race despite wearing the yellow jersey for four days in 2020.

“If you’re going to give yourself the best chance of winning, you don’t be the guy doing a massive turn within the last kilometre,” said Robbie McEwen as he laid out the case for a secret pact.

“They are twins, Simon’s won two stages of the Tour in the past, Adam’s never won one until today.”

McEwen also said that Simon was unlikely to see his brother as a threat in the general classification, given Adam will likely play super-domestique to Pogacar in the mountains.

“Adam’s going to be at the service of Tadej Pogacar for the rest of the race, he’s not here really for his own ambitions,” he continued.

“Whereas Simon is riding for GC, he’s the leader of his team.”

However, McEwen’s view was not widely shared in the studio, with Adam Blythe and Dan Lloyd highlighting the four-second gap between the brothers at the finish.

“If you’re going to gift it, you would just roll across together and not lose any time on the road, just the bonus seconds,” said Lloyd.

“But he [Simon] was gradually distanced on the way into the finish line.”

Blythe added: “On the first climb when they went away, Adam was the one that split the group up massively. So I think he had better legs than Simon today.

“Coming into that finish, Simon did a big turn and I think he was just at his limit. I think if it was gifted by Simon, which I don’t believe it was, he would have kept that gap very close because of the GC.”

What did the twins say?

Neither twin alluded to any conspiracy in their post-race interviews, with both seemingly content at the outcome.

“When he saw it was me coming across, I think he was put in a difficult situation,” said Simon.

“He asked on the radio ‘what can I do? Can I roll through?’ At first he wasn’t pulling, but I kind of new that [would happen] anyway.

“But at the same time I had to take an opportunity. Normally on a finish like that I would not beat Pogacar and Vingegaard in a real fast sprint.

“I had some cramps in the final so unfortunately he got the better of me, but I’m sure there’s more chances.”

Adam, who leads his brother by eight seconds in GC courtesy of time bonuses, will roll out in yellow on Sunday’s second stage to San Sebastian.

“At first I didn’t know if I should work with him, I asked on the radio and they said ‘go for it’,” said Adam.

“I knew he was going good, I speak to him every day and we’re really close. To share this experience with him is really nice. But I wish he would pull a bit easier because he almost dropped me at one moment!”

Adam also reiterated his plan to assist Pogacar’s bid for a third Tour crown, rather than pursue his own GC mission.

“We’re here for Tadej, the boss. He’s shown before he’s the best in the world and over the next few weeks I’m sure he’s going to show that,” he added.

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