Geraint Thomas expects he’ll have the possibility to race for a stage win at this yr’s Tour de France, the place he’ll help his Ineos Grenadiers teammates of their GC bids.
The 38-year-old, who received the yellow jersey in 2018, will line up in his thirteenth Tour on Saturday, returning to his former domestique position on the race. This time, Thomas will journey in help of Carlos Rodríguez, his group’s outright chief, and Egan Bernal, who can be hoping for a robust GC exhibiting.
Talking at a press convention outdoors Florence on Wednesday, Thomas mentioned Ineos can be “trying to be aggressive in the proper methods” over the subsequent three weeks.
“I am tremendous excited to be right here,” he mentioned. “I missed it final yr, doing a distinct programme. I did miss it. It is the largest bike race on this planet. To be right here with these guys, trying to be aggressive in the proper methods, attempt to win some levels, and carry out within the GC clearly, it is thrilling for me and what I dreamed of as a child.”
Requested by Biking Weekly if he expects to be given licence to hunt for levels himself, Thomas mentioned: “I believe I am going to get the chance to go for a stage, however I believe that may additionally profit the blokes driving GC as effectively.
“Probably, I could possibly be up the highway and never essentially have the legs for the stage, however then you definitely’re up the highway to assist in different methods, you already know? I believe the 2 can work effectively collectively.
“Let’s be sincere, there are different groups which have extra of a weight to take of the race than us, and greater favourites. I believe we will race in a different way as effectively. It isn’t like we’ll simply pull on the entrance one after the other till there’s one man left, as a result of that is simply not going to occur.”
Thomas’s final stage win on the Tour got here in 2018, when he triumphed within the yellow jersey on Alpe d’Huez.
Though he’s beneath contract at Ineos till the tip of 2025, he mentioned he’s conscious that this yr’s version of the race “could possibly be my final”.
“I am going to simply be centered on the race and what we have got to do, to be sincere. I believe I’ll look again as soon as it is all carried out,” he mentioned. “At the back of my thoughts, yeah, it could possibly be my final, however I am not enthusiastic about that.”
The Welshman has not raced since inserting third on the Giro d’Italia in Might, and involves the Tour off the again of a two-week altitude camp with the group within the Alps.
“I positively did some good work,” he mentioned of his current coaching. “Whether or not I did an excessive amount of or not sufficient, I will not know till we get going right here. Up to now, I’ve carried out the whole lot I can to be in the very best form and assist the blokes.”
The Tour de France begins this Saturday 29 June in Florence, Italy.
