GERAINT IT TOUGH

GERAINT THOMAS looked back in anguish after missing out on the leader’s Yellow Jersey by just three seconds.

Team Sky repaired much of the damage from defending champion Chris Froome’s crash into a field on the Tour de France’s opening stage as they finished second in the team time trial. And if Thomas had any pangs of regret about his near-miss, a new three-year contract with Sky is close to agreement. The double Olympic champ (left) said: “It’s always disappointing when it’s so close. I wasn’t thinking about yellow. It would have been a nice bonus, but it was all about trying to win the stage.” Froome, who now trails Richie Porte by four seconds, and Tom Dumoulin by 40 in the general classification, has opened up useful gaps on Romain Bardet (20secs) and Nairo Quintana (1min 13sec).