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Geraint Thomas wants to attempt a rare repeat victory at the Tour de France next year.
The Team Sky rider finished second in the exhibition criterium in Shanghai on Saturday just as he did in the similar criterium in Saitama earlier in the month.
Thomas, riding in the Yellow Jersey of Le Tour champ, was pipped in the sprint finish by Slovakia’s Peter Sagan.
But now the Cardiff-born rider’s thoughts are turning to 2019 and getting back into race shape in a bid to defend his Tour title.
The last man to retain the Yellow Jersey after winning it for the first time was Spain’s Miguel Indurain who went on to win it five years in succession.
“If you look in the history books, the last man to retain it after winning it for the first time was Indurain, back in 1991-92,” said Thomas.
“So it kind of shows how rare that is.”
Thomas will head to a Team Sky training camp in December when the team are set to decide who will attempt the Grand Tours next year.
And while Thomas will want to target Le Tour, team-mate Chris Froome is still keen to claim that record equalling fifth win after finishing third this year.
But Thomas insists both can chase the Yellow Jersey and fight fairly as they did this year and avoid a repeat of the animosity when Froome was told to hold back and work for Bradley Wiggins in 2012.
“If I was to go to the Tour 100 per cent to try to win, and Froome was the same, I think if we’d just ride like we did this year,” said Thomas.
“As we all know, anything can happen, but if we’re open and honest, and as long as we don’t race against each other, mess it up and allow someone else to win, I can’t see why it can’t work out the same.”
