Thomas on track for Tour after triumph

Geraint Thomas claimed overall victory at the Tour de Romandie as Remi Cavagna won the closing time trial in Fribourg.

A day after a bizarre crash inside the final 50 metres of the mountain stage to Thyon cost the Ineos Grenadiers rider the chance to move into the yellow jersey, Thomas repaired the damage done on a rolling 16km test against the clock, claiming his first race victory since the 2018 Tour de France.

Deceuninckquickstep’s Cavagna won the stage with a time of 21 minutes 54 seconds as Thomas finished third on the day, 17 seconds down on the Frenchman.

Thomas had started out 11 seconds down on Canadian Michael Woods in the overall standings, but the Israel Start-up Nation rider slipped off the podium entirely.

Instead Thomas took victory by 28 seconds from fellow Ineos rider Richie Porte, with Cavagna’s team-mate Fausto Masnada finishing in third place, a further 10 seconds back.

“I’m very happy,” Thomas said.

“I felt good and it reminded me of when I won the Tour in Esepelette, it was a similar sort of stage.

“On the last descent they were on the radio telling me to take it easy, don’t do anything stupid. I’m really happy to finish it off.”

It was Thomas’ first victory at a race previously won by Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome, with the result suggesting his preparations for the Tour de France are going well.

“I said at the start of the year my goal was the Tour and every race is building up to that,” Thomas added.