Geraint Thomas Bids Farewell to the Tour de France: “It’s a Good Time to Stop”

After 17 years, 14 appearances, one unforgettable victory, and countless memories, Geraint Thomas has called time on his Tour de France career. 

In the rain-soaked streets of Montmartre on Sunday, one of Wales’ greatest-ever sportsmen rode the final kilometres of cycling’s most prestigious race for the last time, drawing the curtain on a remarkable chapter in Welsh sporting history.

Though the 2024 edition ended without fanfare in terms of results — Thomas finished 58th overall — it was the symbolism of the moment that lingered long after the peloton had crossed the final line in Paris. 

With his unmistakable style, deadpan humour, and quiet resilience, the 38-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider soaked in the atmosphere of the crowd as he climbed Montmartre on the new finishing circuit, cheered on by fans who knew they were witnessing the end of an era.

“I think the final stage summed up my Tour, to be honest,” Thomas told TNT Sports. 

“It was in pieces, there was a lot going on today with the rain and everything, and it kind of reflected my mood.

“I’m super happy it’s done. I’m happy with my decision to retire as well because the race and the physical aspect is one thing, but I feel like everything else has changed in the sport. 

“It’s not just that people are training better and are more dialled in, it just feels more chaotic in the peloton.

“It’s like a game of chicken, and no one wants to move. Maybe it’s more of a young man’s sport these days, and I’m too old. It’s a good time to stop.”

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From his debut in 2007 — when he was the youngest rider in the race — to standing on the podium in 2018 as Britain’s third Tour winner, Thomas has been a central figure in a golden generation of British cycling. 

He also returned to the podium in 2019 and again in 2022, testament to his consistency and competitive fire. 

But it was his dominant victory in 2018 that immortalised him in Welsh and cycling folklore.

Though there are still a couple of races remaining in his professional career — including the Deutschland Tour next month and one final hurrah on home roads at the Tour of Britain in September — this was the final time Thomas will ride the Champs-Élysées as a competitor.

“The final lap was amazing once it had settled down,” he said of Sunday’s race. 

“The course was horrible, but the crowd was unbelievable. That last time up the climb, I was riding with Toms Skujins from Lidl-Trek, and he let me go in front. 
“The crowd was insane – I think he was geeing them up – but it was special, a nice way to end. 

“Even though the circuit is horrendous, it was actually a really nice way to finish, to be in a group riding up there in one line rather than in a peloton.

“It was horrific today – the worst last stage I’ve ever done, but at the same time, that last lap was the best last lap I’ve ever done. So you’ve got to take positives and negatives, like anything in life.”

Due to persistent rain, the general classification timings were stopped 50km from the finish for safety reasons, leaving the final laps over Montmartre to unfold as a spectacle rather than a contest. 

While race winner Tadej Pogacar and stage victor Wout van Aert surged ahead, Thomas paced his way through the final stretch, not for victory but for the memories.

The significance of the moment wasn’t lost on him.

"It's been amazing," Thomas told BBC Sport Wales. 

"Looking back, I never thought I'd be doing 14 Tours and to win it was just bonkers. I can look back with fond memories.

"It was something I always dreamed of doing so to have just done it and be in Paris once is special you know. To do 14 is unreal really, one hell of a journey."

His 14 Tours have spanned three distinct phases of his career: the hungry young talent from Cardiff who started with Maindy Flyers, the experienced domestique-turned-winner, and finally, the elder statesman of the peloton — still competitive, still respected, but increasingly aware of a shifting sport.

"I'm not one to be too sentimental and look back or whatever, you're always sort of thinking of the next thing. 

“But I guess when it comes to the end there's nothing else to look forward to is there?"

Thomas is expected to remain with the Ineos Grenadiers organisation in a non-racing capacity beyond his retirement, potentially stepping into a management role in 2026. 

His influence on the sport, particularly for young British and Welsh cyclists, is likely to extend long beyond his final pedal stroke.

He exits the Tour with a legacy that reaches beyond results: a figure of resilience, humour, humility, and determination. 

From the cobbles of Roubaix to the heights of Alpe d’Huez, from crashes and setbacks to yellow jersey glory, Geraint Thomas gave everything to the race he loved.

His final Tour may have lacked the fireworks of his earlier editions, but it offered something more poignant — a full-circle moment, a graceful exit, and a chance to reflect on a career that has defined a generation.

As the rain fell on Montmartre and the crowds roared one last time, Thomas rode into the history books — a champion of his country, and of the Tour de France.