Thomas Plotting Next Stage Of Career As He Faces Fork In The Road

Geraint Thomas is at a career crossroads as he plots the next stage of the route to Grand Tour glory.

The Cardiff-born racer harbours ambitions of challenging for the win in one of cycling’s three major events.

But Thomas knows with Team Sky team-mate Chris Froome targeting his efforts on adding to his three Tour de France wins that means his focus will have to be on the other two Grand Tours.

Bidding to win the Giro d’Italia or Vuelta a Espana, though, may mean the double Olympic champ skipping the Tour where, last year, he was Team Sky’s Plan B.

The 30-year-old said: “I love riding the Tour and I love being in the team, especially when Froome wins, but I’ve done that three times now.

“I could go there again as the back-up GC rider and if was going 100 per cent I could get a top 10 but I’d still be having to do a job for Froome.

“If I went to the Giro at 100 per cent it’s a whole different ball game.

“I could start by riding for GC and if that didn’t work then I could work for someone like Mikel Landa, but still ride for stages. It’s a bit risky because it’s an entirely different programme.”

Thomas proved he could be a contender in a three week race with the right preparation with his victory in Paris-Nice and the Volta ao Algarve this year.

Time is ticking, though, on the double Olympic champion’s Grand Tour ambitions.

“The idea of doing the Giro and the Vuelta would give me two good opportunities,” Thomas told cyclingnews.com.

“Riding for GC would be nice but even if that fell away, going for stages and just racing for opportunities would be great.

“At the same time to miss the Tour de France would be massive and I’d hate to sit at home and watch the boys there. It’s certainly a tough one.”

Thomas heads for a Team Sky training camp next week with the Monaco-based rider beginning his season in Australia in January.