Geraint Thomas: 'I knew everyone was at their limit, so I just went for it'
Team Sky rider very happy to take victory ahead of team-mate Landa in Tour of the Alps stage three

Impressed by the way that Michele Scarponi had cruised past him as the Italian claimed victory on day one of the Tour of the Alps, Geraint Thomas was even more eye-catching in the way that he emulated Scarponi by taking the stage win and the leader’s fuchsia jersey in Funes on stage three.
Until a kilometre from the line, it appeared that the Welshman’s Sky teammate Mikel Landa and Ag2r’s Domenico Pozzovivo would go head-to-head for victory on the final steep ramp up to the finish. But Thomas’s blistering attack inside the flamme rouge gave Sky the numbers up front that left the diminutive Italian with little hope of glory.
“Landa and I spoke to each other before the last climb. We both felt pretty good, so he had his chance to attack,” Thomas said of Sky’s tactics in the closing kilometres.
“That allowed me to follow in the wheels and not do too much - to bide my time. After a few attacks I knew everyone was at their limit and so I just went for it.”
>>> Team Sky and Geraint Thomas 'too strong' for opponents at Tour of the Alps
Thomas admitted that he didn’t expect to get across to Landa and Pozzovivo, “but I thought I should at least try. It was a surprise to get up to them,” he said. “Then I took a few deep breaths and thought: ‘Sod it, I’ll go again.’ I didn’t expect it but it feels really nice to take the win.”
Thomas said after the first stage that having six riders on the Sky team against eight on most others wouldn’t be too much of a handicap as long as all six are in very good form. Once again they were, and he was delighted with that.
“It’s a great team here. We’re all getting along really well and can all speak English really well, so that makes a huge difference,” he said. “I think we’re in a good place. Morale is good and that’s reflected in the way that we race.
“We’ve got six really strong guys and the plan was to set a good tempo up the penultimate climb,” he continued. “Pete [Kennaugh] and Bos [Ian Boswell] did a great job there. Then we had Phil [Deignan] and Kenny [Elissonde] to ride tempo as well and set up Landa for his attack.”
>>> Geraint Thomas: 'I hope I've got all my bad luck out of the way before the Giro d'Italia'
Thomas revealed his late attack had been made with both the stage win and GC in mind. “I also wanted to attack to see how I was and if I got time on GC then great,” he said.
“I didn’t think about it too much. I was just racing, giving it 100 per cent. For sure it’s a huge bonus to win the stage, take the jersey and have a nice little buffer on GC over Pozzovivo and [Thibaut] Pinot.”
Looking ahead, Thomas said Sky’s plan now is straightforward. “Tomorrow is another tough day, with a lot of climbing, but we’ll try to defend the jersey all the way to the end, that’s for sure.”
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
-
-
Life Time Grand Prix Round 3: Crusher in the Tushar preview
Life Time Grand Prix Round: Two down, four to go. Watch as 60 handpicked WorldTour roadies, gravel pros, track world champions and MTB Olympians continue the quest for the $250,000 prize purse
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
Jumbo-Visma plan pays off to deliver Wout van Aert 'incredible' Tour de France stage at fourth attempt
After three second places, the Belgian deserved this victory
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'I’m just going to try and enjoy myself' — Geraint Thomas readies himself for his 12th Tour de France
Ineos Grenadiers are targeting the yellow jersey with Thomas, Adam Yates and Dani Martínez
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'Dismiss Geraint Thomas at your peril' — Bradley Wiggins sees Welshman as Tour de France 'underdog'
Ineos Grenadiers rider will head to Tour off the back of Tour de Suisse win
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'It’s super nice to be at the pointy end again' — Geraint Thomas back in Tour de France conversation after Tour de Suisse victory
Ineos Grenadier rider reminds peloton of his GC ability by triumphing in Switzerland
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Geraint Thomas takes overall victory at Tour de Suisse as Remco Evenepoel wins stage eight time-trial
The Welshman has found his form ahead of the Tour de France
By Pete Trifunovic • Published
-
Adam Yates out of Tour de Suisse with covid
Brit returns a positive test for coronavirus but the rest of Ineos Grenadiers will race on in Switzerland.
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Geraint Thomas won't compete at Flemish Classics: 'My condition isn't good enough'
The Welshman has also reprioritised his season, claiming he isn't solely focussed on the Tour de France this year
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Geraint Thomas: 'I had the best run into the Tour I've had, it's not like I've suddenly become a crap rider'
After a run of bad luck, the Welshman wants to shake up his regular race programme and enjoy his last few years in the peloton, as well as remaining in the hunt for victories
By Jonny Long • Published
-
Geraint Thomas leads Ineos Grenadiers at upcoming Benelux Tour
The eighth stage race of the Welshman's season
By Jonny Long • Published