Inside the raucous Tour party that ended at 4am
THE year 2018 has seen some sore Welsh heads following a sporting success... just ask World Snooker champion Mark Williams.
So when Cardiff’s Geraint Thomas became the first Welshman to win the coveted Tour de France title following 21 stages and 3,329km of gruelling racing, you could bank on the 32-year-old and his Sky teammates partying hard in Paris on Sunday night.
There was a muted ‘beer and burger’ celebration 24 hours earlier when Thomas’ yellow jersey was all but signed, sealed and delivered at the penultimate time trial stage in the French Basque Country.
But Sunday night was the time for everyone involved in Thomas’ stunning success to let their hair down.
It started on the Team Sky coach after Thomas was whisked out of taking a dope test by six burly bodyguards.
Once safely aboard the bus, bottles of beer that had been kept chilled in a giant cool box were cracked open, and the riders and Team Sky officials were seen partying with Journey’s American anthem ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ and ‘Satisfaction’ by the Rolling Stones throbbing from the loudspeakers.
From there it was back to a hotel and restaurant for the official after race party, with Thomas’ wife Sara and other family and friends among the guests.
And Thomas’ brother-in-law Rhys has given an insight into what happened next. He told Radio Wales: “Dave Brailsford (Team Sky boss) gave a speech and gave out medals to the team who have toured with them as a thank you.
“Each member got up and said a few words. Geraint was last and that was another Ger speech when he was emotional one minute and dancing hip-hop the next. We hadn’t had a chance to see them much and it was just nice to have a sit down and a little glass of pastis.
When asked if it was a late one, he added: “It wasn’t early.”
From the dinner it was on to a Paris nightclub, where the video above shows Thomas and his teammates, including Welshman Luke Rowe, drank and danced the night away, with Rowe enjoying a hot dog along the way (a reference to cult Welsh film Twin Town).
Thomas produced photographic evidence the celebrations went on into the wee small hours when putting a picture of himself and wife Sara eating Welsh cakes in bed around the 4am mark.
“It looks like it’s gone crazy back home, so I’m looking forward to getting back and celebrating with everyone,” he said on Sunday evening.
“And at the same time I’m looking forward to a bit of normality, watching breakfast TV in bed with a coffee and having some toast on the sofa with Sara.
“I don’t know where we’re going tonight but we’re certainly going to have a good time.”