Geraint Thomas: 'The Tour de France hasn't been as stressful as previous years'
Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome spoke after stage two of the 2016 Tour de France

Team Sky's results were mixed on stage two of the 2016 Tour de France as Chris Froome stayed out of trouble and solidly in the top 10, while Geraint Thomas lost time at the finish.
Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) won the uphill sprint for stage honours but his teammate Alberto Contador suffered in the final kilometres and dropped 48 seconds.
Further back was Richie Porte (BMC Racing) who lost time due to a puncture and a slow rear wheel change.
"It was a big old chase and a bit frantic in the peloton, and that finish climb was tough as well", Thomas said after the stage.
"It was a real hard pace but we got Froomey in a decent position," he continued. "I went slightly out the back over the top where it was really stringing out but I think Froomey was safe and that’s the main thing."
This speaks loudly of his re-evaluated role and targets at the race. The Welshman had been billed as a protected rider but in the week before the Grand Départ his role was said to be that of chief-domestique, as was the case in 2015.
Something Thomas highlighted was a calmer time for his team in the opening stages.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"It hasn’t been as stressful as past years, for now, tomorrow might be different. I think everyone just seems a bit more calm, its definitely a good think though, I’m not complaining." he said.
>>> Five talking points from stage two of the 2016 Tour de France
Speaking about his team leader, Thomas was positive about what he'd seen: "He looked good there and comfortable, but this week’s all about staying out of trouble."
With regards to Contador's tough time on the first two stages, Thomas made it clear that Team Sky hadn't looked to capitalise on his misfortune.
"I think it’s unfortunate for him to crash twice but we weren’t going to push it just to get rid of him, it was all about just keeping Froomey there out of trouble and because we were racing for the stage then obviously the pace was high."
Watch: Highlights from stage two of the 2016 Tour de France
Froome spoke of his team's tactic when it comes to the more technical and frenetic stages.
Referring to his rivals's time losses, he said: "That's why we really make an effort to be up front.
"Guys like Ian Stannard, Luke Rowe, up there protecting me on days like this, and keeping me at the front and at least giving me the best chance to stay out of trouble, stay out of harm's way.
"It’s unfortunate they’ve lost that much time already. It’s never nice to see any of the big GC guys getting hurt like that."
However, he knows better than to count people like Contador out of the running just yet.
"You look at the end of the Tour and it will be won or lost by minutes, sometimes, and these gaps are still relatively insignificant at this point."
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
Jack Elton-Walters hails from the Isle of Wight, and would be quick to tell anyone that it's his favourite place to ride. He has covered a varied range of topics for Cycling Weekly, producing articles focusing on tech, professional racing and cycling culture. He moved on to work for Cyclist Magazine in 2017 where he stayed for four years until going freelance. He now returns to Cycling Weekly from time-to-time to cover racing, review cycling gear and write longer features for print and online.
-
Casper van Uden sprints to victory in unusual TT helmet on Giro d'Italia stage 4
Dutchman beats Olav Kooij and Mads Pedersen in bunch kick in Lecce
-
Unmarked helmets, a new Campagnolo groupset, and fresh kit: Five of the best tech finds from the Giro d'Italia 2025
There's new equipment on display at the first men's Grand Tour of the year
-
'I only found out I was coming to this race yesterday' - Sam Watson claims first WorldTour win in 3.4km Tour de Romandie prologue
Brit wins by just three tenths of a second to take leader's jersey
-
'It can really push me along' - How a velodrome comeback is making Caleb Ewan faster on the road
Australian says he'll "definitely" continue track work after rekindling passion
-
Could Caleb Ewan be Ineos Grenadiers' first Tour de France sprinter since Mark Cavendish? 'That's my goal'
"All I can do is try to win as much as possible and prove that I deserve to be there," says Australian
-
'An unprecedented opportunity for brands to be part of the evolution' - Ineos Grenadiers sponsor hunt steps up with sales agency partnership
Sportfive have been employed to find "non-endemic global partners for the team"
-
'We've all got a little bit extra in us this year' - Ineos Grenadiers recapture 'fighting spirit' with aggressive Paris-Nice display
British team continue to put tumultuous 2024 behind them with momentum and a new found mentality
-
Could a TotalEnergies deal be the end of Ineos Grenadiers as we know them?
Reports suggested this week that Ineos could be close to signing a deal with the French petrochemical firm
-
'They’re racing with their hearts again' - Robbie McEwen on Ineos Grenadiers' bright start to 2025
The British squad have already won four times in 2025
-
Ineos Grenadiers are entertaining so far this year, but how long will it last?
The British WorldTour squad have won four times already in 2025, but more than that, they have been fun. Is this the new dawn?