Bury’s Simon Yates soloed to his second Tour de France victory of the week on stage 15 up to the Prat d'Albis.

The Mitchelton-Scott rider, free to go stage hunting after his brother Adam saw his general classification hopes ended on the Tourmalet, was active in the breakaway before making his final decisive move with a little under nine kilometres of the final climb above Foix remaining.

The win came just three-days after his first ever Tour de France victory on stage 12, Simon outlasting the field on another had summit finish in the Pyrenees.

"It was little bit different to the first stage win," said the 26-year-old.

"We really raced from the beginning to the final. It was very tough and I'm proud of what I did there."

Reaching the base of the final climb holding onto a one-minute forty second lead over the chasers, Simon took his chances again and with 8.5 kilometres to go on the steepest section of the climb he launched another attack and dropped Simon Geschke.

Powering ahead, he maintained his lead hovering around one-minute in front of Mikel Landa for most of the climb, finally reaching the line 33 seconds ahead of a late attacker, second place Thibaut Pinot to take another fine stage victory.

Given Adam's struggles, he now sits 24th in the general classification, and Simon's form off the back of his eighth place in the Giro d'Italia, some will ask why their roles were not reversed here, but Simon suggested his stage victories were a product of not being the team leader.

"I'm racing with a different mentality," he said.

"I've not come here with any ambition for GC whatsoever.

“I'm very relaxed and going about it how I want."

 

Monday is a rest day for the riders.