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- Geraint Thomas On Right Track After Best Result Of Season With Catalunya Podium
By Gareth James
Geraint Thomas claimed his best finish of the season with third place at the Volta a Catalunya.
The Cardiff-born ace was part of an historic clean sweep of the podium by Ineos Grenadiers.
Thomas finished 49 secs behind team-mate and race winner Adam Yates with Australia’s Richie Porte 45 secs back in second place.
The 34-year-old will be pleased by his performance in the seven day race as he builds towards June’s Tour de France, his main goal for the season.
Thomas saw his Giro d’Italia bid last October wrecked by a fractured pelvis in a freak crash, then dislocated his shoulder in a training ride on his return to the roads.
But he is showing that his form is building as he looks to regain the coveted Yellow Jersey this summer.
Thomas was 49th at the Etoile de Besseges on his first race back since the Giro and 26th at the Tour du Var in February.
Earlier this month he finished 24th at Tirenno-Adriatico in Italy, taking 11th spot on the final stage time trial.
Lotto Soudal’s Thomas De Gendt took the final stage which finished in Montjuïc Park in Barcelona with a late solo attack.
But Yates, who joined the team for this season, was secure in his first place in the hundredth edition of the Volta a Catalunya.
This is the first time that Ineos Grenadiers have ever taken all three top spots in any stage race since the team began back as Team Sky back in 2010.
It is also the first time the Volta a Catalunya has finished with the same team scooping the top three spots since 1960.
Stevie Williams finished 97th overall for Team Bahrain Victorious.
Stage 7 Result
1 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal 3:06:10
2 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain Victorious 0:00:22
3 Attila Valter (Hun) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:42
4 Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:46
5 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
6 Michael Woods (Can) Israel Start-up Nation
7 Marc Hirschi (Swi) UAE Team Emirates
8 João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck-QuickStep
9 Adam Yates (GB) Ineos Grenadiers
10 Clément Champoussin (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
Final general classification after stage 7
1 Adam Yates (GB) Ineos Grenadiers 26:16:41
2 Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:45
3 Geraint Thomas (GB) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:49
4 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:03
5 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Esteban Chaves Rubio (Col) Team BikeExchange 0:01:04
7 João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:01:05
8 Hugh Carthy (GB) EF Education-Nippo 0:01:20
9 Simon Yates (GB) Team BikeExchange 0:01:32
10 Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:01:35
97 Stevie Williams (Team Bahrain Victorious) 1:06.13
