'Super skinny' Geraint Thomas suffers in Tour de Suisse cold
Geraint Thomas lost 51 seconds on the sixth stage of the Tour de Suisse, which Team Sky puts down to his Tour de France weight loss
A "super skinny" Geraint Thomas suffered in the cold of Thursday's Tour de Suisse sixth stage, according to Team Sky sports director Gabriel Rasch, and lost 51 seconds to the leaders.
Thomas slid behind the favourites group with two kilometres remaining, after another leader Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) had already lost contact. Wilco Kelderman (LottoNL-Jumbo) took over the lead and Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin) and Andrew Talansky (Cannondale) moved into second and third overall, respectively.
Thomas, who finished second overall in 2015, slipped from third to eighth. He is 56 seconds behind Kelderman with three stages to race.
"In the last two kilometres of the climb to Amden, he didn't have it," Rasch told Cycling Weekly. "He was disappointed about the stage. He didn't have the legs. It's as simple as that.
"It's the weather, the rain, the fog, the cold... Those things add up racing over the big cols because he's super skinny now for the Tour de France."
Show us your scars: Geraint Thomas
The Tour de France starts in two week's time. If the weather is like last year, riders will be suffering under the French sun and not shivering down descents.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Rasch does not know Thomas’s weight, but the 30-year-old Welshman will have dropped a kilogramme or two in his preparation to be Sky's second leader at the Tour. This year, he switched from a Classics focus to aim for stage races and specifically, the Tour de France. This spring, he has already won the overall of Portugal's Volta ao Algarve and Paris-Nice.
Sky sent Chris Froome to the Critérium du Dauphiné last week and gave Thomas his freedom in Switzerland. It is his last stage race prior to the Tour de France. The race finishes at 2669 metres on Friday in Sölden, features a time trial on Saturday and ends with a mild stage on Sunday.
"He dealt with the same stage pretty well last year on the same climb to 2700 metres, he was good. We have to try to gain back time," added Rasch.
"He's 56 seconds back now, but a lot can change still. He's only 30 seconds and some to Talansky on the podium. Is the overall win still possible? They are both possible, the podium and the win. In the big mountains the situation can change just like that."
Thank you for reading 20 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
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
Is Lotte Kopecky's bog-standard Specialized Crux proof that you don't need wide tires and fancy suspension systems for gravel racing?
Kopecky finished second at Gravel Worlds on a bike with minimal modifications
By Joe Baker Published
-
Undercover Mechanic: Cyclists have become very excited about aerodynamics without a correlated excitement for pilates - the result is a lot of spacers
90% of the front area is you, not the bike; having a kamtail downtube will make sod all difference if you’re unable to reach the bars, argues CW’s Undercover Mechanic
By Undercover Mechanic Published
-
Remco Evenepoel puts transfer speculation to bed ahead of World Championships road race
'I'll stay where I am' says Double Olympic champion as he confirms he will remain at Soudal Quick-Step next season
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'You can't sugarcoat it' - Luke Rowe says Ineos Grenadiers are 'underperforming'
British squad's experienced road captain believes his team has been "overtaken" by others
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Steve Cummings replaced by Tom Pidcock's coach in Tour of Britain management team shake-up at Ineos Grenadiers
Cummings was on the provisional start list submitted to the race organiser, but was replaced by Kurt Bogaerts
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Dan Bigham becomes Head of Engineering at Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe after leaving Ineos Grenadiers
After winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, Bigham then left his role at Ineos due to his frustrations with the setup currently in place at the team
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe confirmed for Tour of Britain Men
Double Olympic champion and Alaphilippe headline Soudal Quick-Step team selection
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Wout van Aert’s 2023 Tour of Britain prize money still in limbo
Funds still outstanding after British Cycling agreed to honour prize money
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Olympic mountain bike champion 'had no choice' but to leave Ineos Grenadiers to race on the road
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot signed for Visma-Lease a Bike this week due to Ineos Grenadiers still lacking plans for a Women’s WorldTour team
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers and Soudal Quick-Step set to headline fast approaching Tour of Britain
Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel expected to feature for Soudal Quick-Step as Belgian team return to the race for the first time since 2021
By Tom Thewlis Published