Geraint Thomas’ time-trialling skills have been highlighted by one of his chief rivals just days before the Giro d’Italia gets underway on Saturday. The route for the delayed Grand Tour includes three races against the clock totalling 65km.

Mothballed Merthyr Town insist they can defy predictions and emerge from their 12-month hibernation. The Southern League outfit have been written off for dead by some of their own fans after deciding to hide for a year and pull the covers over their heads until Covid-19 has gone away. The decision to suspend all fixtures and withdraw from the league for a season was taken by the club’s board without consulting their supporters or members.

Smoking on the touchlines at junior football matches is to be banned in Wales. The move – brought in by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) – is backed by Welsh Government and will make Wales the first country in the UK to banish smokers from the touchline. The FAW will ask all 522 junior clubs in the country to tell parents and other spectators not to smoke during matches and training sessions for children aged five to 13.

Welsh rugby is under pressure to fall in line with other sports and reverse its new ban on junior and grass roots participation. A petition from Cardiff club Canton RFC has called on the Welsh Rugby Union to lifts its suspension on playing and training in the current locked down areas of Wales. The WRU imposed the ban on Monday morning, but they have been accused of jumping the gun and going beyond current guidance from Welsh Government and Public Health Wales.

Joel Makin had insisted he was not competing at the PSA World Tour finals to make up the numbers – and he proved that with a stunning victory in Egypt. The 24-year-old from Haverfordwest – only the second Welsh player to compete in the event – beat reigning world champ Tarek Momen in Cairo.

Stevie Williams will make his debut on one of the toughest Ardennes Classics in Belgium on Wednesday. The 24-year-old will be part of the Team Bahrain McLaren line-up for La Fleche Wallone.

Clara Evans has been rewarded for her fine form over the roads this year by being handed her first GB vest for the World Half Marathon Championships. The Cardiff athlete will replace Charlotte Arter in the GB team for the race in Poland on 17 October after her clubmate had to withdraw as a precaution following injury.

Lee Selby is ready to send another Aussie packing after his postponed world title eliminator against George Kambosos Jr was given the go-ahead. The 33-year–old from Barry’s bout is on the undercard of the Derek Chisora vs Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight blockbuster on 31 October, which will be  live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Swansea City and Cardiff City could both soon be operating within a salary cap if new proposals being discussed by Championship clubs are brought in. As clubs continue to play in front of empty stands, the 24 clubs have begun fresh talks over a wages ceiling in a bid to protect themselves against the looming financial crisis. With the grim possibility of empty stadiums all season starting to appear a distinct possibility, the clubs in the second tier are looking at ways to reduce costs.

Geraint Thomas is ready to miss two major birthday celebrations as he bids for Giro d’Italia glory. Wales’ 2018 Tour de France champ launches his attempt to land a second Grand Tour crown in Sardinia on Saturday.

It’s been through many guises – the Welsh-Scottish League, the Celtic League, the Pro12 and now the Pro14 – but the coming season is surely the most testing yet for the tournament which houses the four Welsh regions. For Alex Bywater, it’s a league that needs help and yet it doesn’t help itself. The 2020/21 Guinness Pro14 season will kick-off on Friday night when Cardiff Blues travel to Zebre. With a new campaign starting just 20 days after the previous one ended these are uncharted waters for the division, but the uncomfortable truth is it is struggling to find its place in today’s rugby world.

Jonny ‘The Ferret’ Clayton booked his spot at the World Grand Prix after a superb run to the final of the German Championship. The Llanelli thrower claimed the scalp of reigning World Champ Peter Wright on his way to the final in Hildesheim.

Garry Monk is hopeful his move for Cardiff City’s Callum Paterson will be sealed today saying the Scottish international would add the physical presence he is looking for at Sheffield Wednesday. Ex-Swansea City boss Monk confirmed that the deal for the 25-year-old is close after his side’s Championship defeat at Bristol City.

Wales prop Tomos Francis is set to become only the 12 Welsh player who has conquered Europe if Exeter win their Heineken Champions Cup Final against Racing 92. The Chiefs charged into their maiden European final with a thrilling 28-18 victory over Toulouse at Sandy Park on Saturday to ensure there will be a first-time winner in this year’s elite European club rugby competition. The English Premiership side, who won promotion to the top-flight 10 years ago, will face twice runners-up Racing 92 in the final on Oct. 17, after the French club beat holders Saracens 19-15 in the first semi-final in Paris.

Joel Makin insists he is not heading to Egypt to make up the numbers as he makes his CIB PSA World Tour Finals debut this week. The 25-year-old from Haverfordwest is only the second Welshman to compete in the event emulating ex-British Open champ David Evans.

Newport County boss Michael Flynn praised in-form marksman Tristan Abrahams their 2-0 League Two victory confirmed Bolton’s lowest position in the club’s history. Wanderers manager Ian Evatt, meanwhile, was left wondering how his side can “look like Real Madrid in training” but then become like a “bag of Revels” from one match to the next. Abrahams netted after 54 and 63 minutes to take his total for the season to five in six matches as Flynn’s men warmed up for a Carabao Cup tilt a Steve Bruce’s Newcastle with an away win that lifted them to third in the table.

Mason ‘The Dragon’ Jones has urged UFC bosses to put him up against the ‘biggest, deadliest monster’ they can find after joining fight legend Conor McGregor in the history books. The Blaenavon martial arts expert has become only the second fighter to hold two Cage Warriors titles – emulating the Irishman’s feat.

Gerwyn Price saw his 17-match unbeaten run ended with a 6-5 defeat at the German Darts Championship. The 35-year-old’s hopes of a fourth successive PDC title dashed as South African Devon Petersen came from 5-1 down.

Neil Harris has dampened expectation that Cardiff City are in the market for Anthony Knockaert by suggesting links with the Fulham winger have been led by an agent. The Bluebirds manager knows he needs to add some spark to his squad after a second successive sluggish home display led to a 2-1 home defeat to Reading on Saturday. But Harris – who confirmed that Scotland international Callum Paterson is close to joining Sheffield Wednesday – claimed Knockaert for Cardiff as a loan deal was currently a figment of someone’s else’s imagination.

Steve Cooper saw Swansea City set a club record in the 2-0 Championship victory at Wycombe Wanderers – then urged the owners to match the ambition off the pitch. The shut-out made it the first time in Swansea’s 100 year history that they have started a league season without conceding a goal in the first three games.