SIMON Yates extended his overall lead with a second stage win, coming home first in stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia.

The Bury Clarion star had continued to wear the leader’s pink jersey and he successfully attacked late in yesterday’s stage for his second stage win of the Giro, in Osimo.

Yates kicked with one-and-a-half kilometres remaining and held off a challenge by defending champion Tom Dumoulin to go further ahead overall.

In his quest to win a first Grand Tour, Yates now leads by 47 seconds from Dutchman Dumoulin, with Thibaut Pinot of Groupama-FDJ in third.

Yates had taken an impressive victory in stage nine at Gran Sasso d’Italia, pouncing in the final 100 metres of a climb that finished above the snow line, meaning he retained the leader’s spot he had held since stage six of the event, when he finished second behind Chaves on the slopes of Mount Etna.

Meanwhile, Yates’ twin brother Adam claimed third place on the second stage of the Tour of California.

Yates is also third overall in the seven-stage event, 31 seconds behind Bernal and six seconds adrift of Majka.