CLOSING IN ON PARIS
One big stage left for Thomas
FRANCE» Having LARUNS, worn the leader’s yellow jersey over the Alps and through the Pyrenees, only one more challenging stage stands in the way of Geraint Thomas winning his first Tour de France.
Thomas takes an advantage of 2 minutes, 5 seconds over Dutch rival Tom Dumoulin into Saturday’s 19-mile individual time trial in the Basque Country.
The pressure of leading has reminded Thomas of the time he helped Britain to the gold medal in team pursuit on the track at the 2012 London Olympics.
”It comes down to tomorrow but I can take confidence with how I’m riding, and what will be will be,” he said. “There’s still one more big day to go.”
While Dumoulin is the time trial world champion, Thomas is quite capable in the discipline and acknowledged he should be able to protect his advantage.
”It’s going to be a tough day tomorrow. I’m really knackered,” Thomas said. “I’m still trying not to get carried away.”
He increased his lead after the final mountain stage on Friday, while Sky teammate and fourtime champion Chris Froome lost his spot on the podium.
Primoz Roglic of Slovenia won the 125-mile 19th leg through the Pyrenees with an attack on the dangerous descent from the Col d’Aubisque.
A former ski jumper who rides for Team Lotto NL-Jumbo, Roglic finished 19 seconds ahead of Thomas, while Romain Bardet of France crossed third with the same time.
”I had legs today,” Roglic said. “I really tried a lot of times and finally I went away on the descent.”