Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas has said he believes electric bikes are good choice for beginner cyclists.

Writing in his column for GQ magazine the Welshman has given some guidance for anyone who wants to start cycling, including what to look for in your first machine.

Riding with other people, starting easy and getting the seat height right are among the wise words from the 32-year-old Team Sky pro.

Thomas said: “Electric bikes are a great way to get into cycling. It’s a lot easier.

“But they are a lot heavier as well, so it’s good that you’ve got that extra boost for going up hill.”

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He recalls riding in Nice, southern France with a friend’s girlfriend who was on an e-bike.

Thomas said she sped past a pro cyclist who was riding a climb in the area, which “basically cracked him mentally.”

He also said beginners don’t need to spend thousands on their first road bike, and that £500 will get you a decent bike to get started.

In the piece, Thomas also suggests gravel bikes, hybrids and single-speeds can be a good way to get into cycling.

Thomas starts his first race of the season on Wednesday (February 6), Volta a Valenciana.

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The five-stage race kicks off with a time trial on Wednesday (February 6), followed by three testing lumpy stage, and a final sprint stage finishing in Valencia.

Last year’s winner Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) will also be starting, as well as Britain’s Harry Tanfield, who makes his WorldTour debut with Katusha-Alpecin.

Winner of the 2018 Tour Thomas was expected to return to France to defend his title in summer, but there has since been talk of him riding the Giro d’Italia with prodigious team-mate Egan Bernal.

Team Sky’s long-standing team leader Chris Froome said he thought the 2019 Giro route perfectly suited Thomas.