GER’S WEAK INHELL

Thomas: It’s damage limitation

GERAINT THOMAS admitted he felt “weak” after his hopes of another Yellow Jersey unravelled like golden threads on the Tourmalet’s brutal slopes.

For the second day running, Britain’s defending Tour de France champion was expected to make up time on leader Julian Alaphilippe (above) – but lost ground in the general classification.

Thomas hinted broadly he was now trying to play catch-up when struggling with illness, and admitted: “I just didn’t feel quite on it from the start. I was quite weak.”

For 34 years, since Bernard Hinault was crowned on the Champs-Elysees in 1985, France has craved a home win in its signature bike race. And now it could happen.

For Thomas, however, the dream of back-toback Yellow Jerseys is at the crossroads.

On Friday, he surprisingly lost time to Alaphilippe on his specialist time trial discipline – and on the short, sharp 73-mile transfer from Tarbes to the Tourmalet, Thomas shipped another 30 seconds to his French rival.

The Welshman is now 2min 2secs behind on the general classification, and any further time losses on today’s gruelling stage 15 from Limoux to Foix could prove critical.

Thomas put a brave face on his setback after losing touch with the main contenders on the final stretch of the lung-bursting 11-mile climb to almost 7,000ft in the Pyrenees.

Alaphilippe finished second behind compatriot Thibaut Pinot on stage 14, with Thomas half a minute back in eighth.

He said: “It’s disappointing. I just tried to limit the damage.”

Fellow Brit Adam Yates was dropped halfway down the mountain, and his hopes of a podium finish in Paris next Sunday are all but over.

STAGE WINNER Thibaut Pinot of France had the others in his wake yesterday