Tour king Geraint back in saddle for another win
WALES’ latest sporting superstar Geraint Thomas was back in the saddle on Tuesday evening, winning the Profronde van Surhuisterveen in the Netherlands .... just 48 hours after becoming only the third Briton to be crowned Tour de France champion.
The 32-year-old Cardiff rider only arrived a coupe of hours before the start as media commitments in London meant he begun his journey to Emmen on Tuesday afternoon.
But Thomas showed no signs of rustiness after a stamina sapping 21 stages and 3,329km in the saddle on Tour to beat 2017 world time trial champion Tom Dumoulin in a sprint finish.
It was the same one-two as in the battle for the yellow jersey in France with Thomas just getting the better of the Dutchman in front of a 40,000 crowd.
Bauke Mollema was third in the race, which was halted for 10 minutes when Laurens ten Dam collided with barriers and broke his collarbone.
Thomas’ whirlwind few days after standing on top of the Tour de France podium in Paris, throttles back a bit on Wednesday when he heads off to his home in Monaco for a week.
He will then jet back to Wales on Wednesday next week when the Welsh government and Cardiff City Council have been in touch with Thomas’ advisers to organise a homecoming parade
“I haven’t had time to stop really,” Thomas told Omrop Fryslan.
“It’s been really busy since Sunday night. I’m going home on Wednesday and I think it will start to sink in then.
“I’m going to Monaco for a week and then I’ll be going back to Cardiff on Wednesday when they’ve got a bit of a homecoming planned, that’s going to be nice.
“It’ll be good to catch up with friends and family.
“People have been telling me it’s gone crazy back home , but I don’t think it will really hit home until I get there. I’m really looking forward to it.
“It’s been a super-busy whirlwind. “We flew to London on Monday spent the day at Sky and then went to the BBC.
“Tuesday morning I was up a 7am for about five hours of interviews, it’s been busy but I’ve been enjoying it.
“This was the best bit because I just enjoy racing my bike. The atmosphere here is really nice.”