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Geraint Thomas is accepting the inevitable in his final Tour de France.

The Ineos Grenadiers superstar, a winner of the yellow jersey in 2018, is hoping for a chance to take one last stage win, but accept that he may play more of a support role.

“I’ve got the experience to lead the team, which I kind of do anyway,” the 2018 Tour de France winner told Velo, “but I still want to be successful.

“You don’t want to go to the Tour and just ride around. But you can find success in all sorts of areas: helping the leader in the final, going for a stage win yourself.”

Also read: Thomas left breathless by Pogačar’s 400-watt chat

Thomas, 39 this year, is one of the most durable riders in the World Tour and a perennial anchor for the British super team.

The Welshman has spent 19 seasons in the peloton, taking prestige wins in the Tour de France, Paris-Nice, the Tours of Switzerland and Romandie and the Critérium du Dauphiné.

Thomas agrees with the view that his 2018 Tour success was the defining moment of British cycling’s cultural revolution, which saw Team Sky become the dominant force in stage racing.

“Yes, for sure. I didn’t think I’d continue as long as I have, but everything since then has been a bonus really. For me, winning the Tour was definitely the pinnacle, and obviously Brad (Wiggins) did it, and (Chris Froome) ‘Froomey,’ but I was an academy product of British Cycling.”

Leaving a legacy: ‘The timing was right’
Geraint ThomasThomas will race one last Tour and retire at the men’s Tour of Britain. (Photo: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

He has seen huge changes in the sport, in terms of team financing and sponsorship, as well as quantum leaps in equipment technology and rider performance.

“Bike riders have always been skinny,” he said. “It’s more the whole package. Everyone is just stronger. Everyone is training better.

“Losing those few kilos makes a big difference these days,” he said. “They always have done, but even more so, now the whole peloton is getting better. Before it was just a couple of people in every team going to altitude or whatever, but now it’s whole teams that are on it.”

Also read: Ineos Grenadiers — a team in transition

He insists he will miss racing when he hangs up his wheels, at the end of this summer’s men’s Tour of Britain.

“Yes, definitely. I still enjoy racing my bike and being with the boys. I still enjoy training, especially when it starts to feel better and you’re traveling uphill quicker and the watts are higher. It’s a great feeling. But I won’t miss the time away from home and the craziness of the peloton at times.”

He says the decision to retire came gradually.

“It was something that took a long period of time. To be honest, I had thought my 2022, 2023 contract would be my last, but then I had two good years, the family were happy, so it was like: ‘Why stop?’”

“Macs is growing fast,” Thomas said, of his son. “He will be six in October, and I’ve started to miss home more and more. It just felt like the timing was right. It was quite an easy decision.”

But Thomas is the last one to moan about his life on the road.

“I don’t feel I’ve missed out as a dad. It’s just life: there are a lot of people who work 9-5 who only ever see their kids for a couple of hours a day.”

“The life we’ve been able to live, being a bike rider and all the privileges that we get from that, I think we have been lucky, to be honest.”

Helping the next generation: ‘I’ve got a lot to offer’
Geraint ThomasThomas hints he might stay on with Ineos Grenadiers in some sort of role. (Photo: Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)

The experience, insight, and knowledge that has taken him to multiple successes, including Olympic gold medals, may soon be put to use in a management role within the Grenadiers.

“It’s been mentioned, but it’s something I haven’t spoken properly about,” he said.

“I’d rather just concentrate on getting to the Tour as best I can, having a good Tour, then thinking about it. It’s something I’d love to do though. I love cycling, I love the team, so would love to stay involved in some capacity.”

Thomas, as part of the team’s management, may also prove attractive to his friend and rival, Remco Evenepoel, long connected with a move to the British team and recently linked to them again.

“I think I’ve got a lot to offer on performance and going after bike races,” Thomas said, who refused to be drawn into speculating what role he might play.

“There’d be a lot to learn as well, which is also exciting. It all depends on the role I’d end up doing, but that’s the type of challenge I’d be looking for.”

Whatever happens, he intends to stay in the sport.

“I’ve been used to targeting races and going after something and really dedicating myself. If I just go home to Cardiff, take Macs to school, and do nothing the rest of the day, I’ll go insane after a week.”

Thomas and his family are planning to remain a resident in Monaco until the autumn of 2026.

“We will see how that goes and what I’m doing,” he said.

Soon after he decided to call time, the news that the 2027 grand départ of the Tour de France was to visit Wales, became more than just a rumor. Was he not tempted to carry on?

“I found out a few months ago. Obviously it would be amazing, but two years is a long time in cycling and I’m more than happy to stop this year.”

“I wouldn’t want to do it just to do it. It’s not just being there. I don’t want to ride around just to finish.”

Thomas said he didn’t want to be added to the names of those who have done one year too many, adding that there are plenty of examples of that “in the peloton if you look around.”

“In the team, there’s been a few guys who get grumpy and moany,” he smiled. “I definitely don’t want to turn into one of them.”

Now with less than two months to go until the grand départ of this year’s Tour, he and his team are puzzling just how they might thwart the unstoppable Tadej Pogačar.

“We’ve just grown accustomed to him, but when you sit back and look at what he’s doing, it’s just unreal,” Thomas said.

“You go to a bike race now and when he’s in that sort of form, it’s so hard but you just need to believe. It’s still bike racing and a lot of things can happen, with him and his team.”

“I always try to prepare the best I can and we go in there, all together, make the best plan you can and try and execute that. Whatever happens, happens. When you have someone as strong as Pogacar around it certainly makes it tougher. But you still need to believe.”