Mark Cavendish explains how 'selfless and loyal' Geraint Thomas tried to help him win a stage at the 2018 Tour de France
Cavendish wrote in a column for the Telegraph how Thomas tried to help pace him back to his team-mates on the first stage of the Tour de France


The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Mark Cavendish has described how 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) tried to help him win a stage of this year's race after he'd found himself separated from his Dimension Data team-mates.
Cavendish, in an emotive column in the Telegraph paying tribute to his friend Thomas, said that the act exemplified "just what a good mate he is, and how selfless and loyal" he is.
>>> How Geraint Thomas won the 2018 Tour de France
Thomas sealed overall victory at the Tour de France on Sunday in Paris on the final stage, after a dominant performance throughout the three weeks that saw him beat Giro d'Italia winner Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) to second and four-time Tour winner and team-mate Chris Froome into third.
Thirty-time stage winner Cavendish has known the Welshman since they were teenagers, racing and living together in Manchester during their time at the British Cycling academy. The pair also rode on the road together for T-Mobile and for Team Sky during Cavendish's one year with the squad in 2012.
Cavendish described how towards the end of stage one from Noirmoutier-en-l'Île to Fontenay-le-Comte he found himself in some trouble and falling out of contention for the stage, but was immediately offered a helping hand from his old friend.
"It was a sprint stage so it was one I was targeting," Cavendish wrote.
"But with around six or seven kilometres remaining I got separated from my team-mates and ended up on the outside of the group, in the wind. I was never going to get back up on my own. Then all of a sudden I hear a voice. 'Cav!' I look right and it’s G. He was like: 'Come on mate, I’ll get you back up there.'
"Afterwards I messaged him and said: 'Listen mate, thank you so much, but don’t be wasting your energy on me. Keep everything for these three weeks. You can do this.' But that’s G. His reply was: 'I will always help if I can.' He is selfless to a fault."
Manxman Cavendish struggled in this year's Tour after a season blighted by crashes. He was unable to feature in the sprint stages he rode in, before missing the time cut on the stage 11 summit finish to La Rosière, which was won by Thomas and propelled him into yellow.
Cavendish said it was "emotional" to see Thomas move into the overall lead while he faced leaving the Tour, but also praised current Team Sky performance manager Rod Ellingworth for waiting for him as he crossed the finish line alone, over an hour after Thomas had won.
Ellingworth had been the coach that looked after the pair and other riders during their early days at the British Cycling academy and had been instrumental in helping Cavendish to his World Championship win in 2011. Cavendish says Ellingworth had instilled a "don't give up" mentality in the academy riders, which is why he refused to abandon the Tour during the stage.
"OK, there was talent, but I think more than the talent, it was an attitude that he instilled in us. You don’t give up. You don’t leave your mates," Cavendish wrote.
"It’s why it was so emotional for me when I abandoned this Tour after stage 11. G won and moved into yellow and I missed the time cut.
"Rod, though, waited for me near the finish, rather than be with his rider who had just taken the lead of the Tour. He truly cares for all us lads and I can’t put into words how much I appreciated him being there for me at that moment."
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
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Follow on Twitter: @richwindy
Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
-
-
‘A gateway of just how far their dreams and a bike can take them’ - Los Angeles’ first-ever pump track is now open
Los Angeles’ first-ever pump track opened to the public on Friday, September 22, after two years of construction.
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
UK cycle tech falls by a third, with bikes sales also struggling, says industry report
The cycle industry continues to face challenges, with tech in freefall and even ebikes lagging behind the rest of Europe
By James Shrubsall Published
-
Mark Cavendish to postpone retirement and ride on with Astana Qazaqstan, reports
British sprinter reported to have reached agreement with current team to continue racing in 2024
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers: 'We hope Geraint Thomas does the Tour de France another couple of times'
The Welshman and his team have opened the door to his Tour return
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
'I’ve got the rest of my life to chill and drink cocktails' - Geraint Thomas going all-in at the Vuelta a España
Ineos Grenadiers leader ready for Spanish Grand Tour, three months after finishing second at Giro d'Italia
By Adam Becket Published
-
Geraint Thomas to lead Ineos Grenadiers at 2023 Vuelta a España
Welshman joins Vuelta debutants Filippo Ganna and and Kim Heiduk in British team's line-up
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'All being well I’ll still be racing next year' but 'it's coming to an end' - Geraint Thomas on Ineos Grenadiers future
'It's nice to be arriving at a Worlds in decent nick' says the Welshman ahead of individual time trial in Stirling
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Opinion: Mark Cavendish Netflix documentary shows why Tour de France return is in doubt
Manxman's route out of depression shows what's really important
By Vern Pitt Published
-
‘A terrible loss’ - Mark Cavendish’s team reacts after sprinter abandons Tour de France
Astana-Qazaqstan riders sad to lose their leader, who crashed out of his final Tour de France on stage eight
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Mark Cavendish crashes and abandons Tour de France on stage eight
Astana-Qazaqstan sprinter shown holding his collarbone after coming down on stage eight, so no stage win record
By Adam Becket Published