11 years on, Thomas wins Tour de France
Teammate Froome finishes 3rd
Britain’s Geraint Thomas fulfilled his childhood dream by winning the Tour de France on Sunday after the 21st and final stage was won by Norway’s Alexander Kristoff.
Thomas, of Team Sky, finished the race in Paris with a near 2-minute lead on Dutch rival Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) to secure his first yellow jersey, with teammate and fourtime champion Chris Froome finishing third at 2:24.
“It’s still not sinking in, it’s incredible,” said Thomas, looking gaunt and tired after three weeks of “suffering day-to-day” on the 105th edition.
The 32-year-old Welshman, the third Briton to win the race after Froome and Bradley Wiggins, secured Team Sky’s sixth victory in the race from the past seven editions.
“Big respect to Froomey,” he said. “It could have been awkward, there could have been tension... he’s a great champion and I’ve always had respect for you.
“The dream was always to participate, and that dream came true 11 years ago. Now, up here, being in the yellow jersey in front of all of you [the crowd] is just... wow.”
Thomas, known for having a beer while watching his favorite sport of rugby, was quick to grab a Welsh flag before he jumped onto the top step of the podium before listening to a rendition of “God Save the Queen” – the British national anthem.
Thomas, who won back-to-back stages in the Alps before sealing victory with a thirdplace finish in the penultimate-stage time trial on Saturday, took a 1-minute, 51-second lead over Dumoulin into the 21st stage from Houilles to the French capital.
The final stage is usually a festive affair, and Thomas was seen celebrating with fellow Sky teammates early in the stage as he soaked up becoming the first Welsh yellow jersey winner. It took several laps of the inner-city circuit around the Champs Elysees for the race to kick into action.
And after a six-man breakaway was reeled in late on, the sprinters’ teams upped the pace to chase down a last-ditch attempt by Belgian Yves Lampaert of Quick Step.
Lampaert was caught with only 220 meters remaining, and from there UAE team sprinter Kristoff came off the wheel in front of him to surge to the line and hold off Germany’s John Degenkolb and Frenchman Arnaud Demare.
Thomas rolled over the line seconds later, smiling and joking with teammate, training partner and close friend Froome.