Another Podium For Geraint Thomas But The End Of His Race Is Now In Sight

By Gareth James

Geraint Thomas earned a second straight podium finish as Tadej Pogacar wrapped up overall victory and Tim Merlier won the 21st and final stage of the Giro d’Italia in Rome.

Pogacar will now turn his attention to claiming a third Tour de France crown in July and becoming the first rider since Marco Pantani in 1998 to win both that event and the Giro in the same season.

He had stretched his advantage over Dani Martinez to just shy of 10 minutes when he won his sixth stage of this year’s Giro on Saturday, with Welsh legend Thomas finishing 10 minutes and 24 second back in third.

Thomas, who finished second to Primoz Roglic 12 months ago, rolled in to secure third place overall as he became only the second rider in Giro history over the age of 38 to finish on the podium.

Third at the Giro d’Italia could be Geraint Thomas’ final Grand Tour GC performance

‘It was just such a mental game’ – 38-year-old Welshman commits to team role at Tour de Francehttps://t.co/zwlt7Upywa

— Cyclingnews (@Cyclingnewsfeed) May 27, 2024

Like Pogacar, Ineos Grenadiers star Thomas is now focused on the Tour de France – which starts in Florence on June 29 – although his objective will be to help the likes of Tom Pidcock and Carlos Rodriguez.

Thomas told Eurosport: “I’ve really enjoyed [the Giro]. It’s been a good group of guys, it’s gone really fast, but it seems a lifetime ago that we started in Torino but it’s been great.

“I’m actually looking forward to [the Tour] now. It’s a big challenge but I’ll freshen up, stay off the beer, stay on it, go to altitude camp, go to the Tour and help the boys.

“We’ve got a great young team so I’m looking forward to it.”

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Pogacar had been in the lead since victory on stage two and won by the biggest overall margin since 1965.

“I am speechless, it’s hard to describe this moment, it’s amazing,” said the 25-year-old.

“A lot of nice memories for sure, in a while I will see which one was the best moment but I think in general it was a really beautiful Giro.”

Thomas has one more year on his current Ineos contract before a likely retirement at the end of 2025, but after taking the fifth Grand Tour podium of his career there is a possibility that he could return and try to do it all over again, one last time.

“I’ve been saying to a lot of people that this is the last time that I race for GC but give it a week and I’ll probably start thinking about something else.

“I don’t know. I’ll rest up now, go on the Tour, help the boys there, and try for a stage. Then I’ll assess,” he told reporters with the Rome Colosseum in the background.

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Before any battle lines for 2025 can be drawn up, however, Thomas has an appointment at the Tour de France.
He will ride as a super domestique for Rodríguez and Pidcock, and go back-to-back at the Giro and Tour for the first time in his lengthy career.

“I’m actually looking forward to that. It’s a big challenge. Freshen up, stay off the beer but enjoy tonight and just stay on it. I’ll go to altitude camp and then go to the Tour. We’ve got a great young team and I’m looking forward to it,” Thomas said.

“I really enjoyed it with a good group of guys and it’s gone really fast. It seems like a lifetime ago that we were in Turin. It’s been great,” he said when asked to assess his Giro.

“I’m third this year and I’m probably a bit happier than I was with second, just because of the way that it went.

“I think that both times I was proud of how myself and the team did the best we could.

“We just got beaten by Pogačar, who is at a different level, an Dani rode more consistently and was better throughout the three weeks. We can be happy and proud of how we committed and did our best.”

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