"Oh no, I'm going to hit that pole" - Geraint Thomas talks about Tour de France horror crash
Geraint Thomas talks to the BBC about his crash on the Col de Manse and what was going through his mind when he went off the road
Cycling fans feared the worst when they saw Geraint Thomas flying off the side of the Col de Manse in a spectacular crash on stage 16 of the Tour de France.
The Team Sky man was hit from the side by Giant-Alpecin's Warren Barguil and was sent careering into a ravine at the side of the road, bouncing off a telegraph pole before coming to a halt.
Miraculously, Thomas bounced straight back up, got a new bike, and finished the stage as if nothing had happened, losing just 40 seconds of time in the process.
Speaking to the BBC's Tom Fordyce about the incident, and the other highlights of his 2015 season, Thomas explained his thought process as he flew through the air.
"I didn't know who it was [that hit me]. One minute I'm descending, the next I'm 'T-boned'. Heading straight for a telegraph pole, and just knowing, 'oh no, I'm going to hit that, but where am I going to hit it?'
"I remember seeing people scarpering, and then just managed to twist my head to try to take away a little of the impact.
"One moment you're focusing on your line and getting down the descent safely, and the next you're going down a ravine."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Highlights of the Tour de France stage 16
At the time of the crash, Thomas was sitting in sixth place in the general classification, just 90 seconds off the podium.
Somehow, the Welshman got to his feet and only lost 40 seconds to his rivals on the stage, helped to the line by teammate Wout Poels.
"The mechanics got my spare bike off the roof, and I was up and back on it in 30 seconds. You don't really think about it afterwards because of all the adrenaline," he added.
"I didn't look any further down the ravine. I'm not the biggest fan of heights, so it wouldn't have been a good thing looking down.
"And that's what happens on every crash - you don't think about where you are or what you're doing, all you think about is where's my bike, and let's get going.
"It's when you can't do that that you know you're in trouble."
Geraint Thomas: where it all began
Thomas kept a good sense of humour after the crash, pretending that the incident had addled his brain to the extent that he thought he was Chris Froome.
His biggest loss at the time was his trademark white Oakley sunglasses, which never came out of the ravine, but by the time he reached Paris, in 15th place, he was irked about the time difference to his foe, Barguil.
"This crash was great, really. It was on TV, it looked spectacular and I was all right - apart from losing 40 seconds. As someone pointed out, Barguil actually finished 30 seconds ahead of me in the general classification come Paris. I still haven't forgiven him."
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
Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.
-
Is your bike the noisest in the bunch? 13 steps to a silent ride
A quiet bike is a joy to ride, so here's how to banish unwanted noises - what to check for, how to fix it and why you shouldn't ignore what your bike is telling you
By Tim Russon Published
-
Cycplus Tiny E-Pump AS2 Review - an electric alternative to CO2
Small enough to fit in your pockets, it inflates to 100psi with a 200-second usage per charge
By Paul Grele 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
-
Ineos Grenadiers’ 500th victory was claimed by a woman; why do they still not have a team?
The British squad is one of the richest in cycling - but Ineos still won’t stump up for a women’s team
By Adam Becket Published
-
'This is so much more than a number': Six of the best Ineos Grenadiers wins as team claims 500th race victory
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot took the 500th team win at the weekend
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock 'wouldn’t be surprised' to see attacks before the Poggio at Milan-San Remo
British rider will lead the line for Ineos Grenadiers alongside Filippo Ganna
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers delighted with Egan Bernal’s late cameo on stage one of Paris-Nice
Colombian snapped up key bonus seconds in the general classification battle on run in to Les Mureaux
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
‘It doesn’t change anything’ - Tom Pidcock’s coach on Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche
Kurt Bogaerts says the pressure is off for Pidcock as he looks to defend the title he emphatically won last year
By Tom Thewlis 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
-
Ineos Grenadiers say they will work with British Cycling to get Tour of Britain back on ‘as quickly as possible’
Ben Swift and Owain Doull both say it would be a "shame" were the Tour of Britain to be no more
By Adam Becket Published