GERAINT’S GLORY
The world will watch today as Geraint Thomas pedals triumphantly through Paris, securing his remarkable place in history as the first Welshman to win the Tour de France
ADISBELIEVING Geraint Thomas broke down in tears last night as he spoke about securing the Tour de France title.
The Welshman successfully negotiated yesterday’s time-trial in the Basque country to head into today’s final stage in Paris as overall leader.
It means Thomas – who carried a Welsh flag and tucked into a bag of Welsh cakes to celebrate his remarkable achievement – need only cross the finishing line in one piece to rubber-stamp his status as champion.
And the enormity of what he’d done left him struggling to speak during interviews at the end of the penultimate stage in Espelette, which was won by Dutchman Tom Dumoulin.
It followed wonderful scenes at the finish line, where his wife Sara was waiting as a surprise.
“I am really trying not to cry, it’s just unbelievable,” said Thomas, who went to Cardiff’s Whitchurch High School and began cycling as a boy at the nearby Maindy Flyers club.
“I never thought about it, it was always day after day. I’ve won the Tour de France, man...I don’t know what to say.”
Asked about a wobble midway through the stage when it looked as though he might come off his bike, he said: “Nico (Portal), (Team Sky’s sport director), came on the radio and said ‘make sure you win the Tour, don’t risk anything’.
“Before the start I thought the stage course wasn’t that technical corners wise, but every corner seemed like a 180-degree turn in the end. I just went super-slow and made sure I stayed upright. I felt really good today. Really good.”
Quizzed about the reaction back home in Wales, Thomas added: “It’s unbelievable, finally I can let the emotions come. I think the last time I cried was at my wedding, I don’t know what happened then, but at least I know what’s happening now.
“It’s insane, man... the Tour de France... I can’t believe it.”
Thomas spoke first to ITV Sport but then in an interview with Eurosport immediately afterwards, during which he expressed virtually the same feelings, his emotion boiled over and he actually broke down in tears on air as the interview came to an end.
He wasn’t the only one with emotions bubbling close to the surface.
The champion-in-waiting received the perfect surprise after crossing the line – a hug of congratulation from his wife Sara.
The 32-year-old was not expecting to see his partner, who had said she did not want to travel out to the race for fear of jinxing her husband.
But clearly there were second thoughts, and as an exhausted Thomas finished the 31km time-trial to all but confirm overall victory, Sara was there to embrace him.
She arrived in the nick of time after experiencing flight delays and was helped to the course by a lift from race broadcaster ITV. The couple have been married for nearly three years, having tied the knot in October 2015. They currently live in Monaco.
Back home in Wales, the celebrations were equally heartfelt.
In his home city of Cardiff, City Hall was due to be illuminated in yellow last night and again tonight.
Cardiff council immediately announced the city centre landmark would shine bright in the same colour as the Tour de France leader’s jersey.
And Wales’ landmark castles also joined in, with Cadw castles and the Welsh Government offices also due to be lit up.
Meanwhile, tributes to Thomas’ achievement flowed.
Tour runner-up Dumoulin, who was runner-up to Chris Froome in this year’s Giro d’Italia, said he was “super happy” for Thomas.
“He was a deserved winner and big respect to him,” he told the press.
Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford called Thomas “a legend”.
He spelled out: “He showed he was the strongest rider in the race and will be a legend in Wales and Great Britain.”
But a message from Tour veteran Mark Cavendish really packed an emotional punch. Cavendish posted a tweet which stressed the dedication and inspiration shown by Thomas during his cycling career.
He said: “If you’re lucky enough to call him a friend, there’s someone there that’ll always have your back. Not one person that knows Geraint Thomas doesn’t know how much he deserves this.
“His loyalty and work ethic is something to aspire to in life, not just cycling. So proud of you mate.”
Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns hailed Thomas’ “grit and determination”. “He is an inspirational role model for future generations and is on the brink of cementing his status as one of the greatest Welsh athletes of all time,” he said.
Cycling fans were in jubilant mood in the Welsh capital.
Supporters packed out the I Want To Ride My Bike cafe on Park Place to watch Thomas cross the line to huge cheers and applause.
Among them was Ian Homer, chairman of Cardiff Ajax Cycling Club, who said it was a special day for Welsh cycling.
“For people involved in cycling in Wales, this is a very big moment,” he said. “And a lot of people in our club knew Geraint as a boy so for them it’s even more special as they had that connection with him.”
And he said he knew that the Welshman had what it took to triumph in the gruelling contest.
“From a cycling point of view there are many disciplines – we knew he was a talented cyclist on the track but to make it as a great stage racer takes something extra and that’s become more apparent in the last two years I think.”
Mary Browning was keen to cheer on Geraint during the important stage surrounded by fellow cyclists and leapt to her feet as he crossed the line.
“Throughout the three weeks you saw him getting stronger and stronger,” she said. “It’s tremendous – he started off with the Maindy Flyers Youth Cycling Club in Cardiff and this has really put them on the map.
“He’s plugged his way up the sports mountain and I think he’s wonderful. I want him to be made a freeman of the city.”
Jon Edwards, himself a keen cyclist, has been glued to the Tour de France.
“Cycling is becoming more popular around Cardiff and hopefully Geraint’s win will help it even more. Surely we need a cycling parade for Geraint in Cardiff now,” he said.
Meanwhile, his wife Jo Edwards believes that the win from the Cardiff man will help boost the popularity of cycling in the city – and hopes that will lead to improved facilities.
“Geraint deserved to win that – he’s been remarkable,” she said.
“I would like to see more cycle routes and see more people using bikes generally. It would be good if road cycling became more accessible to more people.”
Jonathan Wright, owner of I Want To Ride My Bike, said they had been showing the Tour de France on the big screens every day of the race.
“People have been coming in during the exciting stages to watch but not quite as many as today,” he said. “We’ve had both cyclists and noncyclists coming in – people have been very keen to show their support for the Welsh lad. It’s been a great atmosphere and he 100% deserves to win this.”
The cafe will again be open today for the Tour de France prize ceremony and members of Geraint’s former club are expected to be there.
So, what will happen today, the final day of the Tour de France 2018?
The riders will pedal slowly into Paris with Thomas and his Team Sky team-mates celebrating with champagne for the cameras.
He will pose for photographs with runner-up Tom Dumoulin and thirdplaced Chris Froome.
The winners of the other competitions – mountains, points, young rider and super combativity – will also join the party.
Thomas will be at the head of the procession at it arrives on the Champs-Elysees at about 4.55pm (BST).
But he’s likely to allow 39-year-old French favourite Sylvain Chavanel, who is riding his final tour, to lead over the line which signals the start of the seven finishing laps.
Racing will begin in earnest at that point and Thomas will be given plenty of room to stay out of trouble by rivals with a sprint finish the most likely outcome an hour later.
Barring a catastrophe, he will be crowned Tour king with the Arc de Triomphe in the background before departing for Team Sky’s end of race party.