Three weeks after crashing out of the Giro d’Italia, Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) returns to racing at the Route du Sud this week as he gears up for the Tour de France, where he could be Team Sky’s second card to play on GC. In an exclusive interview with Cyclingnews, Thomas reveals how team principal Dave Brailsford had to make the call to pull the Welshman from the Giro, how Richie Porte will push Team Sky to the limit in July, and how he’s keeping his options open for 2019 - and that if he leaves Team Sky it won’t be for the money.
Thomas headed into May’s Giro d’Italia as a legitimate podium candidate after an impressive spring but, on stage 9, he and teammate Mikel Landa were taken down by a poorly parked police motorbike. Although Thomas finished the stage and bounced back with a strong ride in the individual time trial on stage 10, he was forced to pull out on medical advice at the end of stage 12.
It was a bitterly disappointing moment for the former track specialist, who, after several years of riding in the services of others, had earned the right to lead a team at a Grand Tour.
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"It was Dave [Brailsford] who made the final call, and it was the night before I eventually pulled out," Thomas told Cyclingnews. “My knee was sore, and the pain was only getting worse and coming earlier in the stages. If it was my shoulder that was worse, then it would have been fine but the fact you’re pedalling, it’s not going to help the knee get better. Dave was chatting to me in the evening of stage 11, and he was going to leave it up to me, but you never want to leave a race, even when in the back of your mind it’s the right thing to do.
“I just told the guys to make the call for me, and that was pretty much it. We had a chat before dinner and then after we ate Dave came and told me that I was going back to Manchester to get checked out and make sure that everything was okay before the Tour.”
Even though the pain was holding Thomas back there was still hope that he could continue, recover and perhaps even rally in the final week. However, hearing the words ‘we’re sending you home’ hit Thomas like a tonne of bricks. After months of sacrifice, all hope had evaporated and the dream – for this year at least – was over.
Back on the bike
Backing Froome and fending off Porte
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