Geraint Thomas set to stay with Team Sky after contract talks
Thomas says "we're pretty close" and expects the deal to be finalised in the next few days
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter


Geraint Thomas has all but confirmed he will ride with Team Sky in 2019 - despite offers from elsewhere.
The 2018 Tour de France victor is understood to be looking at a deal worth £3.5million a year, according to The Telegraph.
In an interview, he said: "There's some teams interested but I'm happy here [with Team Sky]. And it seems to be working at the moment.
"I know they had a meeting today and I know we're pretty close, so hopefully it'll all be sorted in the next few days."
Thomas returned to Cardiff to streets lined with fans for a hero's welcome, on Thursday evening.
The reaction in Wales was very different to that he experienced in parts of France.
Team Sky received a hostile welcome in at the Tour, particularly Chris Froome, who was cleared to ride days before the race after he was cleared of an adverse analytical finding for salbutamol.
Discussing the verbal and physical abuse he and Froome faced, Thomas said: "I think it just motivated us more, it brought us all together and gave us that common enemy in a way. You know, lets prove them wrong and let's annoy them even more.
"We thrived off that in a way. Obviously when it starts to affect the race it's not good. Verbals and stuff is fine, but when they start trying to grab riders and like pushing Froomey (Chris Froome) or whatever, then that's too much."
The 32-year-old has received an offer from the Polish team, CCC, following its merger with BMC.
CCC Director Piotr Wadecki said: “Our sponsor has the ambition to compete in the general classification at Grand Tours.
“He [Thomas] won the Tour de France, but will he be number one [at Team Sky]? There’s Chris Froome who will want to win. With us, Geraint would already know in January that his goal is the Tour de France and we would definitely focus on him.”
Earlier in August UCI president David Lappartient said he was considering re-opening discussions around team budget caps and looking at dropping roster numbers from eight to six, largely in an effort to topple Team Sky's dominance.
Team Sky is estimated to have a budget of around €30 million, comparative to the likes of Sunweb with around €15 million and Movistar with €12 million.
Lappartient pinpointed Team Sky repeatedly in an interview with the French newspaper Libération, saying: "We could regulate the overall payroll of the teams, to balance the forces."
"Because today, we realize that Sky has Geraint Thomas, Chris Froome and Egal Bernal, three riders who could be first, second and third in the Tour de France. However, cycling is interesting when the best are in different teams.”
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Michelle Arthurs-Brennan is a traditional journalist by trade, having begun her career working for a local newspaper, where highlights included interviewing a very irate Freddie Star (and an even more irate theatre owner), as well as 'the one about the stolen chickens'.
Previous to joining the Cycling Weekly team, Michelle was Editor at Total Women's Cycling. She joined CW as an 'SEO Analyst', but couldn't keep her nose out of journalism and in the spreadsheets, eventually taking on the role of Tech Editor before her latest appointment as Digital Editor.
Michelle is a road racer who also enjoys track riding and the occasional time trial, though dabbles in off-road riding too (either on a mountain bike, or a 'gravel bike'). She is passionate about supporting grassroots women's racing and founded the women's road race team 1904rt.
Michelle is on maternity leave from July 8 2022, until April 2023.
-
-
Mike Burrows: the designer who influenced the bikes we ride today
A legendary bike designer and innovator, Burrows created the Lotus 108 ridden by Chris Boardman at the 1992 Olympics
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
F1 driver Valtteri Bottas finishes first for his age in SBT GRVL race
The Alfa-Romeo driver came fourth overall across the 60-mile race in Colorado
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Geraint Thomas announces he will race in 2022 Commonwealth Games
The Welshman took to Twitter to reveal he will return to the event after failing to defend his road race title in 2018
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Tom Pidcock and Geraint Thomas to make season debuts at Volta ao Algarve
David Gaudu, Remco Evenepoel and Tobias Foss will also race in Portugal from tomorrow
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Geraint Thomas signs new contract with Ineos Grenadiers
Welshman will remain at the team he has been with since its inaugural year of 2010, until 2023
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Geraint Thomas has bike stolen during training ride, later recovered by police
The Welshman had stopped at a cafe on the French Riviera when his bike was nicked
By Jonny Long • Published
-
Geraint Thomas set to sign new deal with Ineos Grenadiers despite 'tough' negotiations
The Welshman's current contract runs out at the end of 2021
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-