Geraint Thomas disappointed to miss out on TTT victory despite strengthening GC position
Thomas moves to within three seconds of the yellow jersey
Geraint Thomas said that he was disappointed after missing out on victory with Team Sky in the Tour de France's team time trial in Cholet, but is still sitting high on the general classification
Team Sky finished second best in the 35.5km team time trial west of Cholet in Vendée. They briefly held the lead, but Richie Porte's BMC Racing team pushed them out by four seconds. Greg Van Avermaet took the race leader's yellow jersey at the end of stage three.
"Obviously, I'm a bit disappointed not to win but at least we were there or thereabouts," Thomas said.
>>> BMC Racing win Tour de France team time trial to put Greg Van Avermaet in yellow
Thomas was the best placed Sky rider going into the stage and stood to take the yellow jersey for a second year after spending a few days in yellow 2017. However, the Welshman now sits at third overall, three seconds back from Van Avermaet and Tejay van Garderen.
"I think it was a real technical sort of race because you've got the wind, a lot of changes of direction, and up and down as well," Thomas said. "You've got to really ride well as a team and I think we did that. It's just always disappointing to not take the win when it's so close."
Watch: Tour de France stage three highlights
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Sky lost the four seconds to overall favourite Porte but put time into other rivals like Nairo Quintana (Movistar), Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) and Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb).
"It's only a few seconds to Richie, so that's not too bad and hopefully we gained a bit of time on everyone else," Thomas said.
The team shelled Wout Poels and Luke Rowe before the halfway point and then rode on with six, more than other teams including BMC Racing.
"We knew it was the fourth guy over the line and if they could just go as long as they could and if they didn't feel great, just to commit anyway and do it all for the team which is what they did."
The commitment also saw Chris Froome gain time back after his stage one crash. He now sits 18th at 55 seconds in the general classification.
>>> Five talking points from stage three of the Tour de France
"That's reassuring, I mean it would've been nice not to lose it in the first place," Froome said. "But as I said that's bike racing and I think there'll be a lot more time lost throughout the GC group before we hit the mountains. It's one day you gain, one day you lose and that's just the nature of the game."
Froome said he is "feeling fine after the crash" and said that it is not like the one he had in Jerusalem ahead of the stage one time trial of the Giro d'Italia.
"I mean obviously it didn't start too well with the crash on stage one but that's bike racing," Froome explained.
"There's a lot of racing to come so just taking it one day at a time at the moment and trying to get through the best we can until we get to the mountains."
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.
-
Giant files lawsuit and recruits top Stages Cycling staff as power meter brand closes down
Giant filed a suit against Stages in February and four team members left the latter to join Giant
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan Published
-
Overachiever: Cameron Wurf competed in the Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne and an Ironman, all in just eight days
Cameron Wurf is both a member of Team Ineos Grenadiers and an accomplished professional long course triathlete who has racked up numerous World Tour and Ironman race finishes across his career.
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
'It was one of the hardest days of my life' - Rain and cold lay waste to Tour of the Alps
Juanpe López takes stage three victory, while Geraint Thomas finishes three minutes down in inclement Austrian weather
By Tom Davidson Published
-
The art of peaking with Geraint Thomas: 'It’s easy to take for granted that 9 times out of 10 I hit my goals'
The Welshman also calls for better governance in the sport to help it grow further
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
'Losing the plot in public - it's mental' - Geraint Thomas on Patrick Lefevere's criticism of Julian Alaphilippe
Ineos Grenadiers rider says he feels sorry for his peers who are criticised in public by the Soudal Quick-Step boss
By Adam Becket Published
-
Geraint Thomas to race Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in 2024
Welshman will return to the Giro in May before heading to the French Grand Tour as part of the Ineos Grenadiers squad
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
A complete history of Ineos Grenadiers kits, from Adidas to Gobik, via Rapha
The British team switch to Gobik in 2024 after two years with Bioracer
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Opinion: Professional cyclists deserve a life too
Perhaps 12 nights out at the end of the season shouldn't be too bad a thing, really
By Adam Becket Published
-
18-year-old American becomes Ineos Grenadiers first signing for 2024
AJ August will turn pro with British team next season
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Geraint Thomas signs two-year contract extension with Ineos Grenadiers, possibly his last
Welsh Tour de France winner will remain with British team until he is 39
By Adam Becket Published