Racing, rugby, beer
Sitting atop the pinnacle of cycling, Geraint Thomas says his Tour de France victory is proof of the power of ‘‘hard work’’.
Standing on the top step of the podium, draped in a Welsh flag, the 32-year-old from Cardiff – who is the first Welsh winner in the 105-year history of cycling’s biggest race – stared proudly out over the sea of cheering fans.
Those standing beneath him on the Champs-Elysees in Paris yesterday cheered for the man who was giving arguably the first post-doping winner’s speech of the modern era.
‘‘Kids,’’ Thomas said, after thanking his team-mates, friends and family. ‘‘You will have ups and downs – but believe anything is possible. With hard work it can come off. Thank you very much, and vive le Tour.’’
Earlier, Thomas had been asked to clarify that he had not used a range of legal drugs. He denied using asthma treatments and said he had never been given any therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs).
‘‘All that is correct,’’ he said. ‘‘The bad thing about TUEs at the moment is that if you’ve had a TUE, that’s seen as a negative thing – but it’s not. It’s the same with asthma.’’ Asked specifically whether he had ever had a TUE, Thomas replied: ‘‘No.’’
Widely regarded as one of the most humble and loyal riders in the peloton, Thomas’ victory has been almost universally welcomed, even by the local fans who have made his and Team Sky’s Tour so difficult over the past three weeks.
A tiny smattering of boos broke out at the podium presentation, but it was drowned out by cheering and clapping, nothing like the jeering Sky’s riders have been subjected to at this race.
The dislike of Sky stems from multiple factors.
A general feeling of alienation with a race the British team has dominated since 2012 is almost certainly the biggest.
But general scepticism arising from revelations regarding Sky’s use of TUEs, particularly to help Bradley Wiggins win that first Tour in 2012; plus the team’s lack of transparency in the wake of the Jiffy bag scandal; the recent MPs report; and the investigation into the culture of behaviours at British Cycling have not helped.
Thomas provides a potential antidote to that narrative.
Even when he fractured his pelvis at the 2013 Tour de France he says he only took Ibuprofen.
He also has an easy charm. Asked when he expected the achievement to sink in, Thomas smiled.
‘‘Maybe when I’m 70, sitting in the corner of a pub, telling some 18-year-old who I used to be.’’
Ultimately, Thomas’s greatest gift is that he is a normal guy who enjoys a beer and the rugby. And who has an incredible appetite for hard work.