Yates and his identical twin brother Adam turned professional in 2014 with Orica-GreenEdge, now known as Jayco-AlUla.

Simon, who spent 11 years with the Australian team before joining Jumbo, finishes his career with 11 Grand Tour stage wins in addition to his two overall victories, while he also won the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race in 2020.

His crowning moment was a stunning performance on the penultimate stage of last year’s Giro to snatch the pink jersey and effectively ensure his second Grand Tour title.

It came on the same Colle delle Finestre climb where Yates cracked in 2018, ending his hopes of winning a maiden Grand Tour.

Yates thanked Visma for the team’s “understanding and support of my decision to stop now”.

“You gave me the opportunity to rewrite my history, and through trust and belief, we did it together,” he added.

Representing Great Britain, Yates won the points race at the 2013 Track World Championships before embarking on a professional career on the road.

He competed in the Tour de France eight times, with his best finish being fourth in the general classification in 2023, when his brother Adam was third with UAE Team Emirates.

“Simon was an exceptional climber and general classification rider who always delivered when it mattered most,” Niermann added.

“In the Giro, he peaked at a moment when almost no-one expected him to be able to win anymore, which truly characterises him as a rider.”