Geraint Thomas riding for Froome in the Vuelta, with one eye on the World Champs
Geraint Thomas says he could be a contender for the 2015 World Championships road race at the end of September in the USA
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Geraint Thomas’s goal over the next three weeks of Vuelta a España is to help Chris Froome win and to sharpen his form for the World Championships two weeks later, September 27, in the USA.
Despite the hype from his Tour de France ride and around his growing grand tour status, he wants to ease off. That showed on Tuesday. He placed well behind when the Spanish grand tour’s fourth stage finished in the whitewashed village of Vejer de la Frontera.
"The Tour gave me the belief that I can be up there, but saying that, I'm not going to be up there in this race," Thomas told Cycling Weekly yesterday morning before the race left Rota, near the Gibraltar Straight.
"It's been a long year, so I didn't want to just come in, keep racing full gas and tail off, and then struggle to finish. I want to go to the Worlds, race there and be in the race."
Thomas wants to lead the British team in Richmond, Virginia, along with sprinters Mark Cavendish and Ben Swift. The idea: if it ends in a classics mano-a-mano fight, Thomas will take over.
>>> Cavendish, Froome and Armitstead named on Britain’s World Champs long list
This season, he proved he has the fight to win. He rode solo away from Zdenek Stybar (Etixx-QuickStep) and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) to take the E3 Harelbeke in Belgium. Despite being blown off the road, he battled back to place third in Ghent-Wevelgem. If he could take a similar punch in Richmond then Great Britain could celebrate its first Worlds title since Cavendish won in Copenhagen in 2011.
"I haven't seen the Richmond course, but from what I've heard, it suits a Sagan, Stybar, a classics sort of rider, but also one with a good punch, and possibly Cav can get there as well," Thomas said.
"We'll certainly have a few options. In the last three worlds, I've been just sort of limping to the end of the season and I haven't finished, not since Cav won. Certainly, we'll have a lot better one this year."
Others like Peter Sagan plan to pull out early, but Thomas plans to ride until the end help Froome with this Grand Tour. Next year or later down the line, he could have his chance for the overall. Now, he wants to see Froome in red and win the rainbow jersey in Richmond.
"If Froomey, Nico or whoever is up there on GC, I'd love to stay there for the whole thing and help them out as much as I can," Thomas said.
"I just need to see how the race goes. It's all about not going too deep or too early."
Thomas reached for his water bottle and took a sip, and clipped into his pedals. The race began, one through Spain and to the USA.
Thank you for reading 10 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.
-
-
Remco Evenepoel sends verbal warning to his 'idol' Primož Roglič after quadruple Volta a Catalunya showdown
It's 2-1 to Roglič after a neck-and-neck fight at the Volta a Catalunya, but Evenepoel isn't short of confidence
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
How E3 showed us what Van Aert, Van der Poel and Pogačar need to do to win the Tour of Flanders
Wout van Aert might have won on Friday, but everything could change next Sunday
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Annemiek van Vleuten to target Vuelta-Tour-Giro treble again next season
The Dutchwoman plans to retire at the end of 2023
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Geraint Thomas targets Giro d'Italia after disappointment over Tour de France route
Welshman says he doesn't know whether he will be riding for GC in May or not yet
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Geraint Thomas might be done with the Tour de France
Welshman says that 2023 might see him head to the Giro d'Italia in what could be his last year
By Adam Becket • Published
-
11 of the best photos from the 2022 Road World Championships
There were tears, hugs and kisses in Wollongong, Australia
By Tom Davidson • Last updated
-
Remco Evenepoel goes long to win the men's World Championships road race solo after stinging attack
The young Belgian was clearly the strongest on the day, but others need to ask themselves how and why they let him go
By Jack Elton-Walters • Last updated
-
Annemiek van Vleuten soars to victory in World Championships road race despite broken elbow
The Dutch rider took the second road world title of her career with late attack
By Tom Davidson • Last updated
-
Zoe Bäckstedt retains junior road race title with stunning solo ride at World Championships
The Welsh rider celebrated her 18th birthday with a 58km solo attack and another rainbow jersey
By Tom Davidson • Last updated
-
Julian Alaphilippe says he is 'not the sole leader' for France in the World Championships road race
The Frenchman played down his form in an interview with L'Équipe
By Tom Davidson • Published