Simon Špilak

Simon Špilak (born 23 June 1986) is a retired Slovenian professional road bicycle racer.

Professional career Born in Tišina, Špilak was the winner of the 2010 Tour de Romandie, after original race winner Alejandro Valverde had his results expunged as part of a doping suspension. Špilak went on to gain second place in that race in 2013 and 2014, both times behind Chris Froome. In 2013, he was the victor of the GP Miguel Induráin and the Eschborn–Frankfurt City Loop, his only two victories of the year. In 2015, he won the general classification of the Tour de Suisse with only five seconds of an advantage over Geraint Thomas. The victory was decided on the last day's time trial. Špilak was considered a rarity in road cycling in that he is a general classification rider who targets one-week races rather than the three-week Grand Tours. In an interview he said that he disliked the heat, so he was always preparing for spring races instead of Grand Tours which took part mostly in summer.

In October 2019, Špilak announced his retirement after his team folded.

Major results

2003 10th Time trial, UCI Junior Road World Championships 2004 National Junior Road Championships

4th Paris–Roubaix Juniors 2005

7th GP Kranj 9th Road race, UEC European Under-23 Road Championships 2006 1st Poreč Trophy 2nd Time trial, National Under-23 Road Championships 5th Trofeo Zsšdi 7th Time trial, UEC European Under-23 Road Championships 7th Overall Istrian Spring Trophy 2007 1st La Côte Picarde 4th Overall Tour of Slovenia

4th Overall Tour de l'Avenir 5th Overall Istrian Spring Trophy 2008 5th Overall Tour of Slovenia 5th Overall Three Days of De Panne 9th Tour of Flanders 2009 (1 pro win) 1st Stage 3 Tour of Slovenia 6th Overall Giro della Provincia di Grosseto 2010 (2)

1st Stage 4 3rd Overall Bayern–Rundfahrt 2011 5th Overall Tour of Slovenia 5th Giro del Friuli 2012 4th Overall Paris–Nice 8th Overall Tour de Romandie 8th Overall Tour of Belgium 10th Overall Tour of the Basque Country 2013 (3) 1st GP Miguel Induráin 1st Eschborn–Frankfurt City Loop 2nd Overall Tour de Romandie 1st Stage 4 4th Overall Vuelta a Andalucía 4th Overall Tour of the Basque Country 6th Overall Paris–Nice 9th Overall Tour de Suisse 10th Overall Tour du Poitou-Charentes 2014 (3) 1st Stage 5 Critérium du Dauphiné 1st Stage 3 Arctic Race of Norway 2nd Overall Tour de Romandie 1st Stage 3 4th Overall Tour of the Basque Country 8th Overall Paris–Nice 9th Overall Volta ao Algarve 2015 (1)

2nd Overall Tour de Romandie 3rd Overall Paris–Nice 2016 7th Overall Tour de Romandie 8th Overall Tour of the Basque Country 9th Overall Tour de Suisse 2017 (2)

1st Stage 7 2nd Pro Ötztaler 5500 10th Overall Tour of the Basque Country 2018 6th Overall Tour de Suisse 9th GP Miguel Induráin 2019 5th Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana 6th Overall Tour de Suisse 6th Overall Tour of California 9th Overall Tour de Romandie 10th Overall Volta ao Algarve

Grand Tour general classification results timeline Grand Tour general classification results Grand Tour 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Giro d'Italia 48 — — 117 — — — — — — — — Tour de France — 109 DNF — — — DNF — — — — — Vuelta a EspañaDid not contest during his career Major stage race general classification results Major stage race 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Paris–Nice 12 DNF — 134683 31 — — 59 Tirreno–Adriatico — — 18 — — — — — — 11 27 — Volta a Catalunya — — — — — 34 — — — — — DNF Tour of the Basque Country — — — —1044 12810 48 — Tour de Romandie — —1 2182227 30 309 Critérium du Dauphiné — 77 — — — — 85 — — — — — Tour de Suisse — — DNF — DNF9 —19166

+ Legend — Did not compete DNF Did not finish