Geraint Thomas explains 'freak crash' at Tokyo Olympics men's road race

Geraint Thomas has shed light on the 'freak crash' that saw him forced to abandon the Tokyo Olympics men's road race.

The Welshman was on the ground in the opening 100km of the 234km-long race after a fall that brought down a number of riders. 

Thomas got up shaking his head at his continued bad luck, having crashed at the recent Tour de France, ruining his GC chances, as well as slipping on a discarded bidon last October during the opening week of the Giro d'Italia.

After visiting the medical car, Thomas chased back and rejoined the peloton before the Fuji Sanroku climb, the biggest climb of the day.

He then held on until 60km to go before pulling off as the race passed through the finish line at the Fuji International Speedway for the first time.

"All good with me. Thanks for the messages! Think I must have done something bad in a previous life," Thomas said after the race, making light of his terrible fortune.

>>> Richard Carapaz storms to gold medal in Tokyo 2020 Olympics road race

He went on to explain that his Great Britain team-mate, Tao Geoghegan Hart, had lost his front wheel during a relaxed section of the race, going down in front of Thomas, who then also followed to the floor.

"Freak crash, Tao lost his front wheel and decked it in front of me. I had nowhere to go, other than the floor as well."

Thomas will pick himself up, once again, and now prepare for Wednesday's individual time trial, looking to add a medal to his two gold achieved on the track in 2008 and 2012.

In the road race, Adam and Simon Yates were Britain's top two finishers, coming ninth and 17th respectively, with Adam making his way into the final chase group behind gold medal winner Richard Carapaz, opening up the sprint for the silver medal but not able to match the top speed of the better sprinters in that selection.